By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — It has been said that it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season.

It was difficult, but it wasn’t impossible.

The Symmes Valley Vikings completed the hat trick as they beat the Sciotoville East Tartans for the third time this season with a 52-47 win on Monday in the Division 4 sectional semifinals.

The two teams just met last Tuesday at Symmes Valley with the Vikings winning 51-44.

Symmes Valley travels to top-seeded Leesburg Fairfield at 7 p.m. Friday in the sectional finals.

East took a 12-8 first quarter lead as Kaiden Huston had 5 points and he and Linden Pernell each hit 3-pointers.

Ethan Smith had half of the Vikings’ points in the quarter.

Aydan Taylor scored 5 points, Smith got 4 points and Braden Corn, Logan Simpkins and Taylor all hit 3-pointers as the Vikings rallied in the second quarter to take a 23-21 lead at the half.

Austin Baughman scored 4 points and Huston hit a trey for the Tartans (8-15).

Each team scored 17 points in the third quarter to leave the score at 40-38.

Josh Saunders scored 5 points including a 3-pointer, Aleck Beckett had 4 points and Taylor hit another 3-pointer to pace the Vikings (10-13).

Pernell scored 8 points, Dylan Fitzgerald 4 points and Jaylon Mayhew hit a triple for East in the quarter.

The Vikings were able to get a little breathing room in the fourth quarter by outscoring East 12-9.

Saunders hit a triple and scored 6 points, Smith was 3-of-4 at the foul line and Beckett had 3 points including a free throw to seal the win.

The Tartans got 3-pointers from Baughman and Huston with Pernell hitting 2 free throws and Keagan Jackson one foul shot.

Smith had 13 points and Saunders 11 to lead a balanced Vikings’ offense.

Pernell scored 15 and Huston got 13 points to pace the Tartans.

Sciotoville    12 9 17 9 = 47

Sym. Valley 8 15 17 12 = 52

SCIOTOVILLE EAST (8-15): Austin Baughman 1 1 2-6 7, Kaiden Huston 2 3 0-0 13, Jaylon Mayhew 1 1 0-0 5, Keagan Jackson 1 0 1-2 3, Camron Justice 0 0 0-0 0, Landehn Pernell 5 1 2-2 15, Ethan Rase 0 0 0-0 0, Dylan Fitzgerald 2 0 0-2 4. Totals: 15. Fouled out: None

SYMMES VALLEY (10-13): Braden Corn 1 1 0-0 5, Jacob Cade 0 0 0-2 0, Logan Simpkins 0 1 0-0 3, Ethan Smith 5 0 3-4 13, Aleck Beckett 3 0 1-2 7, Levi Ross 0 0 0-0 0, Josh Saunders 2 2 1-1 11, Will Jones 2 0 1-2 5, Aydan Taylor 1 2 0-0 8. Totals: 14 6 6-11 52. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.