Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SHADYSIDE — It is what you call running into a buzz saw.
The Symmes Valley Vikings did just that Saturday night as they lost to the Shadyside Tigers 63-8 in the Division 7 Region 27 quarterfinals.
Shadyside quarterback Rhys Francis was 7-of-9 passing for 155 yards and four touchdowns and running back Wyatt Reiman ran 10 times for 132 yards and three touchdowns.
Symmes Valley (9-2) managed just 41 yards rushing on 27 attempts and hit only 1-of-10 passes for 9 yards.
“I was proud of our kids’ effort. They never quit. They played hard from start to finish just like they have all season. We just ran into a better team,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb.
“It was great to see so many fans make the long trip. Our kids and staff appreciate their support and all that they do for these kids and all our programs.”
Shadyside (8-3) took the opening kickoff and went 70 yards in seven plays with Reiman going 2 yards for the score. Angel Velasquez kicked the point after.
Francis hit Jordan Joseph on a 20-yard TD pass to cap a 74-yard, five-play drive and it was 14-0.
Reiman ran 11 yards for a score and a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Tigers scored 28 points to put the game out of reach.
Reiman scored on a 34-yard scamper around right end and then Francis hit Sam Merryman on a 43-yard catch-and-run pass play.
Kelly Hendershot outleaped the secondary for a 2-yard TD catch and fullback Jacob Visnic caught a 20-yard scoring pass out of the backfield from Francis to cap the first half scoring.
The Vikings got their touchdown in the third quarter after Aleck Beckett blocked a punt a Shadyside punt and Kayson Adkins recovered at the 36 and ran it to the 18.
Jack Leith ran for 17 yards on the first play and then went the final yard on the next play for the touchdown. Ethan Patterson ran for the conversion with 1:15 left on the third quarter clock.
Shadyside’s Andrew Brown ran eight times for 104 yards in the second half including a 47-yard scoring jaunt. He later caught a 23-yard scoring pass from Garrett Grover.
The loss overshadowed a season that saw the Vikings win the Southern Ohio Conference I championship after finishing last the previous year.
Sym. Valley 0 0 8 0 = 8
Shadyside 21 28 0 14 = 63
First Quarter
Sh — Wyatt Reiman 2 run (Angel Velasquez kick) 8:39
Sh — Jordan Joseph 20 pass from Rhys Francis (Angel Velasquez kick) 5:51
Sh — Wyatt Reiman 11 run (Angel Velasquez kick) 2:03
Second Quarter
Sh — Sam Merryman 43 pass from Rhys Francis (Angel Velasquez kick) 9:15
Sh — Kelly Hendershot 5 pass from Rhys Francis (Angel Velasquez kick) 6:24
Sh — Wyatt Reiman 34 run (Angel Velasquez kick) 4:55
Sh — Jacob Visnic 20 pass from Rhys Francis (Angel Velasquez kick) 1:47
Third Quarter
SV — Jack Leith 1 run (Ethan Patterson run) 1:15
Fourth Quarter
Sh — Andrew Brown 23 pass from Garrett Grover (run failed) 5:23
Sh — Andrew Brown 47 run (Garrett Grover run) 3:58
——
SV SH
First downs 5 25
Rushes-yards 26-45 28-347
Passing yards 0 178
Total yards 45 525
Cmp-Att-Int 0-10-0 8-10-0
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-yards 4-22 3-25
Punts-average 4-34.8 1-00.0
Time of Possession 25:55 22:05
——
Individual Leaders
RUSHING — Symmes Valley: Josh Ferguson 7-23, Derek Crum 4-minus 4, Jack Leith 11-42, Levi Ross 1-0, Ethan Patterson 4-9, Wyatt Owens 1-minus 2, team 1-minus 23; Shadyside: Wyatt Reiman 10-132, Andrew Brown 8-104, Rhys Francis 2-15, Jacob Visnic 3-28, Kelly Hendershot 4-66, Cooper Chimley 1-minus 2.
PASSING — Symmes Valley: Jack Leith 0-10-0 0; Shadyside: Rhys Francis 7-9-0 155, Garrett Grover 1-1-0 23.
RECEIVING — Symmes Valley: None; Shadyside: Jacob Visnic 2-43, Kelly Hendershot 2-42, Jordan Joseph 2-27, Andrew Brown 1-23, Sam Merryman 1-43.