Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — It took a defensive stand to get the offense going.
The Symmes Valley Vikings used a defensive stand to jump start their offense as they rallied from a 16-0 deficit to beat the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans 24-16 in overtime on Friday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
“I can’t say enough about our kids. It would have been easy to give in, but our kids just would not quit,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb.
“Our defense was able to step up again. Our defensive ends Levi Niece and Eli Patterson played very well. Our defensive stand in the third quarter changed the momentum.”
Notre Dame (1-4, 1-3) led 13-0 and drove to the Vikings 4-yard line only to be held and forced to settle for a 22-yard Reagan Lester field goal that made it 16-0.
“That’s when the game changed,” said Webb.
“The first half we couldn’t get out of our own way. We got better as the half went on. We were able to make some adjustments at halftime and then we held them on a first-and-goal and forced them to kick of field goal and keep it a two-score game.”
Grayson Walsh then came up with a big kickoff return to keep the momentum going and Luke Leith scored on a 1-yard run to cap the third quarter drive.
Walsh ran for the conversion and the Vikings now trailed 16-8.
In the fourth quarter, Symmes Valley muffed a punt but retained possession as they fell on the ball. However, the Vikings found themselves pinned at their own 10-yard line.
But the situation didn’t deter the Vikings as Leith kept the ball and ran 90 yards for the touchdown.
Leith also ran for the conversion and the game was tied at 16.
The Vikings got the ball first in overtime and went in for the score as Leith ran 5 yards for the touchdown. Leith also ran for the conversion.
“Our kids came off the ball well and we were able to get the touchdown and the two-point conversion,” said Webb.
Eli Patterson had a quarterback sack to end the game and put an exclamation point in the win.
Symmes Valley (4-1, 3-1) will now host Northwest this Friday needing a win to earn a share of the SOC title.
The Vikings ran the ball 53 times for 363 yards led by Josh Ferguson who had 131 yards on 15 carries and Leith with 144 yards on 14 attempts. Ethan Patterson had 46 yards on 10 tries.
“All of our guys block for each other and they know we’re going to ride the hot guy,” said Webb.
Notre Dame ran for 236 yards led by Logan Emnett with 15 carries for 162 yards while quarterback Caleb Nichols ran 11 times for 88 yards.
“Notre Dame is quick and they play hard,” said Webb.
The Titans took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter on a 1-yard run by Dylan Seison followed by Lester’s conversion kick and then got a 47-yard scoring run by Emnett for a 13-0 lead.
Sym. Valley 0 0 8 8 8 = 24
Notre Dame 13 0 3 0 0 = 16
First Quarter
ND – Dylan Seison 1 run (Reagan Lester kick)
ND – Logan Emnett 47 run (kick failed)
Third Quarter
ND – Reagan Lester 22 field goal
SV – Luke Leith 1 run (Grayson Walsh run)
Fourth Quarter
SV – pinned at own 10 after muffed a punt. Luke Leith 90 run (Leith run)
Overtime
SV – Luke Leith 5 run (Leith run) got the ball first in OT
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SV ND
First downs 19 9
Rushes-yards 53-363 33-236
Passing yards 43 29
Total yards 406 265
Cmp-Att-Int 3-6-1 2-4-0
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-yards 5-35 3-27
Punts-average 1-24.0 3-39.3
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Symmes Valley: Josh Ferguson 15-131, Luke Leith 14-144, Derek Crum 3-7, Grayson Walsh 7-23, Levi Niece 4-12, Ethan Patterson 10-46; Notre Dame: Logan Emnett 15-162, Caleb Nichols 11-88.
PASSING — Symmes Valley: Luke Leith 3-4-1 43, Grayson Walsh 0-2-0; Notre Dame: Caleb Nichols 2-4-0 29.
RECEIVING — Symmes Valley: Levi Ross 1-7, Josh Ferguson 1-17, Drew Scherer 1-19; Notre Dame: Matt Boldman 1-17, Dylan Seison 1-12.