Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Remember the scene from the movie “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy and Scarecrow found the Tin Man standing still and holding his axe?
The Tin Man managed to squeeze out the words “oil can.” See, he had rusted and needed some oil to help him move again.
The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings seemed to be standing still in the first quarter Saturday and finally got their shooting joints loosened up as they turned a 4-point deficit into a 5-point lead and went on to beat the Sciotoville East Lady Tartans 51-33 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
“This was our first game in two weeks and offensively it showed,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Shannon Pierce. “As the game went on, we got better. But give East credit. They played hard and they played well.”
Carrying the offensive oil can for the Lady Vikings was Morgan Lyons with 17 points. Chopping up the boards was Jenna Malone and Desiree Simpson with 8 rebounds each to go along with 8 points apiece.
Malone also had 4 assists while Jordan Ellison came up with 7 steals and Spring Ross made East players look like the Cowardly Lion and afraid to come into the lane as she racked up 4 blocked shots.
Grace Smith scored 15 points for East.
Smith hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points and Felicia Smith 4 more as East went up 16-12i n the first quarter. Lyons had 4 points for the Lady Vikings.
Lyons had 7 points and Ellison 4 in the second quarter as the Lady Vikings rallied to take a 27-22 halftime lead. Smith scored all 6 of East’s points in the quarter.
Malone scored 5 points while Kylee Thompson, Simpson and Lyons all had 4 points as the Lady Vikings opened up a 44-28 lead and put the game out of reach.
The Lady Vikings host Green on Monday.
Sciotoville 16 6 6 5 = 33
Sym. Valley 12 15 17 6 = 51
SCIOTOVILLE EAST (0-9, 0-7): Journey Pelfrey 0 0 0-0 0, Savannah Dingess 1 0 1-4 3, Kat Robinson 1 0 0- 2, Chloe Monk 0 0 0-0 0, Felicia Smith 2 0 0-0 4, Grace Smith 3 1 6-8 15, Kacie Conley 2 0 0-0 4, Mia Caldwell 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 11 1 8-14 33. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
SYMMES VALLEY (7-5, 6-1): Jenna Malone 4 0 2-4 8, Morgan Lyons 7 0 3-4 17, Jordan Ellison 3 0 0-1 6, Emma Casteel 0 0 0-0 0, Desiree Simpson 4 0 0-0 8, Enola Cade 0 0 0-2 0, Kylee Thompson 2 0 2-2 6, Hailee Gordon 1 0 0-0 2, Kelsi Gothard 0 0 0-0 0, Alison Klaiber 1 0 0-0 2, Spring Ross 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 0 7-13 51. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.