By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

FRANKLIN FURNACE — And the beat goes on…

The Green Bobcats went unbeaten in their non-league schedule and then opened Southern Ohio Conference play with a 21-0 win over the Symmes Valley Vikings on Friday.

Green is now 6-0 overall and 1-0 in the SOC. The Vikings — who were open last week — fell to 1-4 and 0-1.

Green scored in the first quarter with a long 83-yard, 13- play drive capped by Blake Smith’s 12-yard scoring run and it was 6-0 with 2:32 on the clock.

The drive consumed 6:55 time of possession.

The Bobcats made it 14-0 with just 2:58 left in the half when Nathaniel Brannigan ran 10 yards for the touchdown and Landan Lodwick added the conversion run.

The drive ate up 7:37 off the clock.

The final Green touchdown was a product of the defense as Abe McBee picked off a pass and return it 27 yards for the score with 4:58 in the third quarter. Quincy Merrill kick the conversion and it was 21-0.

The Bobcats defense held the Vikings to just 89 total yards. The Vikings ran 22 times for 49 yards and Aleck Beckett was 4-of-9 passing for 40 yards and the interception.

Next weekend in SOC games, Symmes Valley will host Beaver Eastern on Friday while Green visits Portsmouth Notre Dame on Saturday.

Sym. Valley   0     0     0     0     =     0

Green      6     8     7     0     =     21

First Quarter

G — Blake Smith 12 run (kick failed), 2:32

Second Quarter

G — Nathaniel Brannigan 10 run (Landan Lodwick run), 2:58

Third Quarter

G — Abe McBee 27 interception return (Quincy Merrill kick), 4:58

SV   Gr

Rushes-yards  22-49      52-267

Passing yards  40    2

Total yards     89    269

Cmp-Att-Int    4-9-1       1-2-0

Fumbles-lost   1-1  3-1

Penalties-yards       3-30 2-20

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Symmes Valley: Levi Ross 8-33, Willie Jones 5-19, Josh Saunders 3-6, Ethan Shafer 2-2, Sam McCleese 1-minus 1, Aleck Beckett 3-minus10; Green: Nathaniel Brannigan 26-147, Landan Lodwick 10-39, Trevor Sparks 7-37, Abe McBee 5-26, Blake Smith 4-18.

PASSING—Symmes Valley: Aleck Beckett 4-9-1 40; Green: Abe McBee 1-1-0 2, Johnathan Knapp 0-1-0.

RECEIVING—Symmes Valley: Josh Saunders 2-17, Caleb Ritchie 1-12, Sam McCleese 1-11; Green: Landan Lodwick 1-2.