By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Step one was a cakewalk.

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings routed the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers 66-39 to win the Division 4 sectional title on Wednesday..

Symmes Valley (14-9) will now face South Gallia at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at Wellston High School in the district semifinals.

Symmes Valley jumped out to a 16-9 first quarter lead as Desiree Simpson hit a 3-pointer and scored 6 points and Brenna Tibbs added 4 more.

Sarah Cassidy hit a 3-pointer for Clay.

Hailee Beckett scored 8 points and Jordan Ellison knocked down a triple as the lead went to 34-24 at the half.

Cassidy drained four 3-pointers and Morgan McCoy had 3 points to account for Clay’s offense in the quarter.

The Lady Vikings blew the game open by outscoring Clay 22-4 in the third quarter to extend the lead to 56-28.

Lydia Saunders scored all 6 of her points while Ellison, Tibbs and Simpson scored 4 points each.

Clay (9-13) managed to outscore Symmes Valley 11-10 in the fourth quarter.

Cassidy had two more 3-pointers and Maggie Swayne hit a trey as she scored 5 points.

Kaylee Maynard had 4 points as five different players scored for Symmes Valley.

The Lady Vikings had three players in double figures as Beckett had 15, Simpson scored 12 and Tibbs added 10 points.

Cassidy led Clay with 21 points as she made seven 3-pointers.

Ports. Clay   9 15 4 11 = 39

Sym. Valley 16 18 22 10 = 66

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (9-13): Amadea Evermon 0 0 0-0 0, Sarah Cassidy 0 7 0-0 21, Maggie Swayne 2 1 1-2 7, Sophia Craft 1 0 2-2 4, Ava Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Morgan McCoy 2 0 2-4 6. Totals: 5 8 5-8 39. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (14-9): Lyndsay Freeman 1 0 1-2 3, Lydia Saunders 3 0 0-0 6, Kaylee Maynard 2 0 0-0 4, Hailee Beckett 6 0 3-4 15, Jordan Ellison 3 1 0-0 9, Brenna Tibbs 4 0 2-2 10, Evan Sells 1 0 0-0 2, Carly Durst 0 0 0-0 0, Desiree Simpson 3 1 3-4 12, Rylie Loudenburg 0 0 0-0 0, Allie Day 0 0 1-2 1, Kaitlyn Maynard 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 24 2 10-14 66. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.