By Andy Crawford

Athens Messenger

 

BEALLSVILLE — Sometimes, a rally falls just a little bit short. And sometimes, a football team can fall prey to its own mistakes.

Symmes Valley (10-2) lived out both clichés Saturday night, beginning both halves of its Division VI, Region 23 semifinal contest with Beallsville with costly turnovers that had them playing catch-up for the entire game.

In the end, the Vikings’ season came to an abrupt halt in a 35-34 loss.

“We just ran out of time,” said Vikings coach Rusty Webb. “If there had been two minutes more on the clock, things might have been different. But in the end, it was too many mistakes, too many untimely penalties, and too many times putting the ball on the ground, and they took advantage. They made more big plays than we did.”

The first big play, in fact, happened on the Vikings’ second play from scrimmage, when Blue Devil defensive lineman Aaron Thompson pounced on an errant center-to-quarterback exchange. Nine plays and 38 yards later, their drive culminated when Teryn Jarrett hit Mathew Burke on a fade route in the left corner of the end zone, and the top-seeded Vikings found themselves trailing a mere five minutes into the contest.

That score seemed to open the floodgates, at least for a while, as both teams took their next respective possessions in for methodical touchdowns.

First, the Vikings unleashed the tandem of Alec Herrell and D.J. Miller, who combined for all 77 yards on the equalizing drive.

Beallsville 14 7 7 7 – 35

Symmes Valley 7 7 12 8 – 34

 

BV – Burke 5 pass from Jarrett (Heath kick), 7:13 1st

SV – Herrell 21 run (Ash kick), 4:28 1st

BV – Heath 2 run (Heath kick), 0:46 1st

BV – Heath 1 run (Heath kick), 7:37 2nd

SV – Miller 4 run (Ash kick), 4:49 2nd

BV – Dauch 12 run (Heath kick), 10:26 3rd

SV – Miller 45 run (kick blocked), 7:44 3rd

SV – Herrell 2 run (pass failed), 1:35 3rd

BV – Heath 1 run (Heath kick), 9:48 4th

SV – Myers 1 run (Herrell run), 5:05 4th

 

Rushing – Beallsville, Daugh 13-107(TD), Heath 12-37(3TD), Jarrett 6-(-13); Symmes Valley, Herrell 18-154(2TD), Miller 22-125(2TD), Rowe 4-13, Myers 11-22(TD), Fulford 1-4.

 

Passing – Beallsville, Jarrett 14-26-0-128, Steel 1-1-0-33; Symmes Valley, Myers 7-12-0-123.

 

Receiving – Beallsville, Heath 5-35, Tubaugh 3-40, Burke 4-72(TD), Dauch 3-14; Symmes Valley, Herrell 2-27, Fulford 2-9, Miller 1-39, Baldwin 2-48.