By JOSH MORRISON

Tribune Staff

WILLOW WOOD — Malvern made the long drive to take on Symmes Valley worth it with a 48-28 win in the first round of the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.

The Hornets used a balanced offensive attack racking up 566 yards of total offense led by quarterback Shawn Ball who amassed 536 yards of that offense, as he threw for 267 and rushed for 269 with seven total touchdowns.

“Ball is a heck of an athlete and he was hard to stop, and it is very difficult to stop a dual-threat quarterback like that,” Webb said. “Malvern is a good team and will be a hard team to beat in the playoffs because they have the ability to spread you out and make plays running or throwing.”

After both teams traded interceptions on their opening drives, the Hornets got on the board with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Ball to Max Kapron. Sean Kettering added the extra point, and after the first quarter; Malvern led 7-0.

Although the Hornets only scored seven points in the first quarter, Malvern exploded with 27 points in the second. Two plays into the second quarter, Ball again found Kapron to a touchdown, this one from 18 yards out. The extra-point was no good, and the score was 13-0 with 11:34 to go.

Symmes Valley (9-2) would answer the Malvern touchdown on their next possession, as Jacob Patterson capped 71 yard, 9-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Eli Ash added the extra-point, and the score was 13-7 with 7:49 to go in the half.

The rest of the first half belonged to the Hornets, as they scored 21 unanswered points close the first half. Ball scored on a 10-yard run, and then found Kapron for the third time in the first half to make the score 27-7 with 2:51 to go in the half. Ball increased the Malvern lead to 34-7 at halftime with a 1-yard run.

Like the first quarter, both teams again traded interceptions on their first possessions of the third quarter.

Symmes Valley looked to cut into the lead, and Patterson again capped the scoring drive with a 2-yard run. Ash added the extra point and the score was 34-14 with 3:48 to go in the third.

The drive covered 69 yards in eight plays, and was aided by a 30-yard penalty when two dead-ball unsportsmanlike conduct penalties were called against Malvern on the same play. Patterson finished the game with 18 yards on seven carries with two touchdowns for the Vikings.

Malvern (8-3) answered the Vikings score when Ball found the end zone from 6 yards out. Kettering added the extra point to extend the lead to 41-14 at the end of the third quarter.

Symmes Valley’s next drive spilled over into the fourth quarter, and the 11-play, 70-yard drive was capped off by a 1-yard run by Hunter Boggs. Ash added the extra point, and the score was 41-21 with 9:18 to go in the fourth.

After the Vikings forced Malvern to punt for the first time, Symmes Valley cut into the lead again when quarterback Cody Myers found Evan Herrell who broke several tackles for a 30 yard touchdown. Ash added the extra point, and the score was 41-28 with 5:37 to go in the game.

Herrell finished the game with 121 yards on 15 carries, caught one pass for 30 yards and a score, and was one for one passing for 10 yards.

“I thought our kids played very well in the second half and executed much better, we just picked a bad time to play a bad first half,” Symmes Valley head coach Rusty Webb said. “We came in at halftime and regrouped, and I thought our offense performed well in the second half.”

“I thought our kids played very well in the second half and executed much better, we just picked a bad time to play a bad first half,” Symmes Valley head coach Rusty Webb said. “We came in at halftime and regrouped, and I thought our offense performed well in the second half.”

Ball would find the end zone for the seventh time in the game, this one a 2-yard run. Kettering added the extra-point, and the final score was 48-28.

Ball finished the game with 269 yards on 29 carries with four touchdowns, and he was 14 of 21 passing for 267 yards with three touchdowns.

Cody Myers added 79 yards on 14 carries and was two of seven passing for 48 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings.

Webb said the loss won’t diminish the season’s accomplishments.

“Our seniors have done an excellent job all year, and I could not have asked more from them,” Webb said. “There were times this year when our kids could have hung their heads, but they would not do it; and I give our seniors credit for showing that leadership.”

Malvern 7 27 7 7 = 48

Symmes Valley 0 7 7 14 = 28

First Quarter

MA- Max Kapron 38 pass from Shawn Ball (Sean Kettering kick) 8:45

Second Quarter

MA- Max Kapron 18 pass from Shawn Ball (kick failed) 11:34

SV-Jacob Patterson 1 run (Eli Ash kick) 7:49

MA- Shawn Ball 10 run (Sen Kettering kick) 7:09

MA- Max Kapron 25 pass from Ball (Sean Kettering kick) 2:51

MA- Shawn Ball 1 run (Sean Kettering kick) 0:23

Third Quarter

SV- Jacob Patterson 2 run (Ash kick) 3:48

MA- Shawn Ball 6 run (Sean Kettering kick) 2:36

Fourth Quarter

SV – Hunter Boggs 1 run (Eli Ash kick) 9:18

SV – Evan Herrell 30 pass from Cody Myers (Eli Ash kick) 5:37

MA – Shawn Ball 2 run (Sean Kettering kick) 1:54

Mal SV

First downs 24 19

Rushes-yards 37-299 53-310

Passing yards 267 48

Total yards 566 368

Cmp-Att-Int 14-21-2 3-8-2

Penalties-yards 7-75 2-10

Punts-Average 1-26.0 3-23.3

Individual Leaders

RUSHING- Malvern: Shawn Ball 29-269, Max Kapron 3-22, Sean Kettering 1-7, Marcus Johnson 1-2, Brady Weber 1-1, Team 2- minus 2; Symmes Valley: Evan Herrell 15-121, Cody Myers 14-79, Hunter Boggs 8-44, D.J. Miller 6-22, Jacob Patterson 7-18, Jordan Fulford 1-14, Alec Herrell 2-12.

PASSING- Malvern: Shawn Ball 14-21-267; Symmes Valley: Cody Myers 2-7-48, Evan Herrell 1-1-10.

RECEIVING-Malvern: Max Kapron 5-134 3-TD, Travis Tucci 7-107, Sean Kettering 1-16, Marcus Johnson 1-10; Symmes Valley: Evan Herrell 1-30, C.J. Blankenship 1-18, Cody Myers 1-10.

MISSED FIELD GOALS: None.