MERCERVILLE - The dream beginning suffered a nightmare.

The South Gallia Rebels were off to the best start in school history at 3-0, but the Symmes Valley Vikings spoiled their unbeaten dreams with a 48-26 spanking Friday night.

Derek Carpenter led the Vikings offense as he rushed 18 times for 210 yards and scored four touchdowns. The Vikings rolled up 483 total yards including 406 on the ground.

"Our offensive line did a better job and our backs ran very hard. We did a better job of carrying out our assignments and Derek Carpenter had a monster game," Vikings coach Rusty Webb said.

"Chris Capper did an excellent job of running and throwing. I thought our defense played much better. We had a breakdown on the one long run. We need to eliminate the big play."

Quarterback Chris Capper was 3 of 7 for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

Symmes Valley (2-2) jumped out in front 14-0 in the first quarter on a 15-yard run by Carpenter and a 24-yard pass from Capper

to Kyle Meadows.

Seth Williamson hit Dustin McCombs with a 30-yard scoring strike to get the Rebels within 14-6, but Carpenter had a 1-yard run midway through the quarter and Meadows booked his third conversion for a 21-6 lead.

Bernie Fulks broke loose on a 66-yard scoring run moments later to cut the deficit to 21-12, but the Vikings used a 35-yard scoring run and 25-yard scoring pass to blow the game open. Carpenter had the 35-yard run and Meadows caught the pass and it was 35-12.

Capper got loose on a 54-yard run with just 1:17 left in the half and it was 42-12 at the break.

Fulks had a 1-yard TD run with 1:47 left in the third quarter, but Carpenter scored on the first play of the fourth quarter as he ran 33 yards into the end zone and it was 48-18.

Sym. Valley142806=48

So. Gallia01268=26

First Quarter

SV – Derek Carpenter 15 run (Kyle Meadows kick) 3:46

SV – Kyle Meadows 24 pass from Chris Capper (Kyle Meadows kick) 3:35

Second Quarter

SG – Dustin McCombs 30 pass from Seth Williams (pass failed) 10:09

SV – Derek Carpenter 1 run (Kyle Meadows kick) 7:04

SG – Bernie Fulks 66 run (run failed) 6:43

SV – Derek Carpenter 35 run (Kyle Meadows kick) 4:32

SV – Kyle Meadows 325 pass from Chris Capper (Kyle Meadows kick) 4:07

SV – Chris Capper 54 run (Kyle Meadows kick) 1:17

Third Quarter

SG – Bernie Fulks 1 run (pass failed) 1:47

Fourth Quarter

SV – Derek Carpenter 33 run (kick failed) 11:39

SG – Dustin McCombs 58 pass from Seth Williamson (Derrick Beaver pass from Seth Williamson) 10:50

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SVSG

First downs209

Rushes-yards58-40625-176

Passing yards77108

Total yards483284

Cmp-Att-Int3-7-05-14-3

Fumbles-lost3-02-2

Penalties-yards5-202-20

Punts-average4-26.53-44.7

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING – Sym. Valley: Derek Carpenter 18-210, Chris Capper 10-104, Matt Owens 14-63, Seth Saunders 8-11, Robbie Miller 3-8, Tyler Smith 4-5, Brandon Freeman 1-5; So. Gallia: Bernie Fulks 14-154, Curtis Waugh 2-1, Seth Williamson 8-35, Ira Turner 2-1.

PASSING – Sym. Valley: Chris Capper 3-7-0 77; So. Gallia: Seth Williamson 5-14-3.

RECEIVING – Sym. Valley: Kirk Shipley 1-28, Kyle Meadows 2-49; So. Gallia: Dustin McCombs 2-88, Vance Fellure 1-14, Derrick Beaver 1-8, Bernie Fulks 1-minus 2.

RECEIVING - Symmes Valley; Meadow 2-49. South Gallia; Dustin McCombs 2-88.