Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURANCE — The Symmes Valley Vikings favorite food must be grinders.
The Vikings used their ground game once again to grind out a big Southern Ohio Conference win as they blanked the Green Bobcats 51-0 on Friday.
The Vikings ran 30 times for 362 yards as they improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the SOC.
“I was very pleased with our overall team effort. Any time you run for over 300 yards, your line is doing a good job and the backs are blocking,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb.
“Our defensive line played better this week. Our young kids played extremely well. Green has a really young team and they play hard.”
Ethan Patterson ran just four times but gained 138 yards to lead the ground attack. Backups Sam McCleese ran six times for 61 yards and Levi Ross had 46 yards on six attempts.
The Vikings’ defense held Green to minus-34 yards of total offense.
Levi Niece blocked a punt to set up a 5-yard scoring run by Josh Ferguson and Gavan Yates kicked the conversion to make it 7-0.
A bad snap on a punt led to a safety and the ensuing short kickoff set up an 11-yard scoring run by Niece and it was 16-0.
The lead went to 23-0 before the end of the quarter as Derek Crum ran 6 yards for the score and Yates added another conversion kick.
Ethan Patterson then broke loose on a 39-yard scoring run to start the second quarter and it was 30-0.
Grayson Walsh capped the first half scoring with a 14-yard run and Nick Stroud got the conversion run.
The Vikings took the second half kickoff and drove for a score as Ross ran one yard for the touchdown.
McCleese had an 11-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and Wyatt Owens ran for the conversion to cap the scoring.
Green fell to 0-2, 0-1.
Next Friday, Symmes Valley hosts Beaver Eastern and Green visits Portsmouth Notre Dame.
Sym. Valley 23 14 6 8 = 51
Green 0 0 0 0 = 0
First Quarter
SV – Josh Ferguson 5 run (Gavan Yates kick)
SV – Safety (ball snapped out of end zone)
SV – Levi Niece 11 run (Gavan Yates kick)
SV – Derek Crum 6 run (Gavan Yates kick)
Second Quarter
SV – Ethan Patterson 39 run (kick failed)
SV – Grayson Walsh 14 run (Nick Stroud run)
Third Quarter
SV – after opening kickoff Levi Ross 1 run (run failed)
Fourth Quarter
SV – Sam McCleese 11 run (Wyatt Owens run)
——
SV Gr
First downs 21 1
Rushes-yards 30-362 22-minus 30
Passing yards 0 -4
Total yards 362 -34
Cmp-Att-Int 0-3-0 1-4-0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-0
Penalties-yards 6-47 1-10
Punts-average 0-00.0 5-25.2
——
Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Symmes Valley: Josh Ferguson 1-5, Derek Crum 4-37, Grayson Walsh 3-37, Sam McCleese 6-61, Levi Niece 3-24, Alec Beckett 2-11, Levi Ross 6-46, Ethan Patterson 4-138; Green: Derek Salyers 3-15, Nathaniel Brannigan 1-2.
PASSING — Symmes Valley: Luke Leith 0-2-0, Grayson Walsh 0-1-0; Green: Derek Salyers 0-2-0, Collin Corey 1-2-0 minus 4.
RECEIVING — Symmes Valley: None; Green: Ethan Huffman 1-minus 4.