Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — The scoreboard said the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings had lost, but head coach Brandon Walker didn’t feel that way.

In a game that went down to the wire, the Eastern Lady Eagles held on to beat the Lady Vikings 68-63 Thursday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“I couldn’t ask for a group of girls to play any harder,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Brandon Walker.

“Eastern is one of the best teams in the league, so to play this well makes me feel better about the rest of the year.”

The Lady Vikings (2-2, 2-2) had a balanced offense led by Gracie Waddell with 13 points. Kalli Hunt scored 12 points, Hannah Maynard 10, Kaitlyn Payne added 9 points and Merranda Hayes 8.

Rhyanna Day scored 17 points and Carson Roney 15 for Eastern (4-1, 3-1).

Waddell and Taylor Michael scored 4 points each as the Lady Vikings were within 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Eastern went up 34-28 at the half. The Lady Vikings scored 14 points again as Merranda Hayes had 7 points and Maynard 4.

Symmes Valley cut the deficit to 49-44 at the end of the third quarter as Hunt scored 6 points and Maynard and Waddell 4 each.

Payne had 7 points, Waddell 5 and Hunt 4 as each team scored 19 points in the fourth quarter. The Lady Vikings got within two points before Eastern pulled away.

The Lady Vikings visit New Boston on Monday in a league game.

Eastern 17 17 15 19 = 68

Sym. Valley 14 14 16 19 = 63

BEAVER EASTERN (4-1, 3-1): Rhyanna Day 4 0 9-11 17, Brittany Mounts 4 0 3-4 11, Chandler Brown 3 0 4-9 10, Kaci Evans 1 0 0-0 2, Kayla Alley 1 0 2-2 4, Carson Roney 6 1 0-2 15, Cassidy Roney 3 0 3-4 9. Totals: 22 1 21-30 68. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: B. Mounts.

SYMMES VALLEY (2-2, 2-2): Malenna Davis 1 0 0-0 2, Merranda Hayes 3 0 2-4 8, Breanna Brumfield 1 0 0-2 2, Gracie Waddell 5 0 3-7 13, Kalli Hunt 5 0 2-3 12, Megan Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Sarah Crabtree 0 0 0-0 0, Hannah Maynard 5 0 0-0 10, Kaitlyn Payne 2 0 5-6 9, Taylor Michael 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 25 0 13-24 63. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.