Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

McDERMOTT — If turnovers are poison in football, the Symmes Valley Vikings were snake bit more than once.
The Vikings lost two fumbles and suffered two interceptions in a 28-6 Southern Ohio Conference loss on Friday.
“Turnovers and penalties doomed us,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb whose team was also guilty of nine penalties for 82 yards.
Despite the loss, the Vikings finished 6-4 overall and 3-2 in the SOC after going 3-7 last season.
“We’re really going to miss this senior bunch. They’ve been a special group. We had good leadership and doubled our win total from last season,” said Webb.
Northwest scored first on an 8-yard run by Billy Crabtree. Evan Throckmorton’s kick made it 7-0.
Northwest recovered an onside kick-off but a few plays later Derik Brace had an interception to get the ball back for the Vikings.
Symmes Valley then drove for its lone touchdown as Layken Gothard ran 9 yards for the score and it was 7-6.
But two fumbles and two interceptions helped the Mohawks take over the game.
Kyle Leslie ran 7 yards for a touchdown on a fourth down play and the lead was 13-6.
Crabtree got his second touchdown on a 10-yard run before the half and also ran for the conversion to make it 21-6
Andrew Howard had a 3-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cap the scoring.
The Vikings had 212 total yards with 129 coming on the ground.
Gothard ran nine times for 41 yards, Austin Waugh had five carries for 32 yards, Brace 29 yards on eight tries and Keifer Wilson 23 yards on eight attempts.
Wilson was 3-of-11 pass for 83 yards. Jack Leith had one catch for 34 yards, Austin Mannon one for 29 and Brace had a catch for 20 yards.
Northwest ran for 306 yards as Andrew Howard got 75 yards on nine carries, Hobby Howard 64 yards on nine attempts and Crabtree 61 yards on 11 tries.
Sym. Valley    6    0    0    0    =    6
Northwest     7    14    7    0    =    28
First Quarter
NW – Billy Crabtree 8 run (Evan Throckmorton kick)
SV – Layken Gothard 9 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter
NW – Kyle Leslie 7 run (on fourth down (kick failed)
NW – Billy Crabtree 10 run (Crabtree run)
Third Quarter
NW – Andrew Howard 3 run (Evan Throckmorton kick)
——
SV    NW
First downs    11    19
Rushes-yards    34-129    49-306
Passing yards    83    25
Total yards    212    331
Cmp-Att-Int    3-11-2    1-3-1
Fumbles-lost    2-2    1-1
Penalties-yards    9-82    8-75
Punts-average    1-33.0    1-19.0
——
Individual Leaders
RUSHING — Symmes Valley: Austin Waugh 5-32, Derik Brace 8-29, Derek Crum 4-4, Keifer Wilson 8-23, Layken Gothard 9-41; Northwest: Billy Crabtree 11-61, Andrew Howard 9-75, Hobby Howard 9-64.
PASSING — Symmes Valley: Keifer Wilson 3-11-2 83; Northwest: Garrett Rowe 1-3-1 25.
RECEIVING — Symmes Valley: Derik Brace 1-20, Jack Leith 1-34, Austin Mannon 1-29; Northwest: Braden Borens 1-25.