By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WHEELERSBURG — In the words of the TV character Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!”

With the next three division Southern Ohio Conference, teams are scheduled to play crossover games and the big schools are heavy favorites against the smaller ones.

But the smaller Symmes Valley Lady Vikings surprised heavily favored Wheelersburg by beating the Lady Pirates 45-41 in overtime on Thursday.

The Lady Vikings improved to 6-1 on the season while Wheelersburg dipped to 2-2.

Kaitlin Maynard scored 8 points and Lydia Saunders nailed a 3-pointer as the Lady Vikings took a 13-8 lead in the first quarter.

Makenzie Mullens and Jaylinn Prather each hit 3-pointers for the Lady Pirates.

Symmes Valley stretched the lead to 25-16 at the half as Jordi Ellis hit a trey and scored 6 points and Desiree Simpson added 4 points.

Mia Vastine scored all 8 of Wheelersburg’s points.

The Lady Vikings came out of the locker room as cold as ice and could only manage a basket by Jordie Ellison as the Lady Pirates called to take a 30-27 lead.

Prather hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points while Peyton May had 6 points as the Lady Pirates outscored the Lady Vikings 14-2.

But the Lady Vikings got 5 points from Simpson and outscored the Lady Pirates 11-8 to tie the game at 38 and send it into overtime.

May scored 6 of the Lady Pirates 8 points in the fourth.

Maynard was 3-of-4 from the foul line in the overtime to clinch the win as the Lady Vikings outscored Wheelersburg 7-3 in the extra time.

Prather’s 3-pointer accounted for the Lady Pirates scoring in the extra period.

Maynard had 15 points and Simpson 11 to lead Symmes Valley.

Prather scored 14 with May and Vastine getting 12 each for Wheelersburg.

Sym. Valley 13 12 2 11 7 = 45

Wheelersburg 8 8 14 8 3 = 41

SYMMES VALLEY (6-1): Lydia Saunders 0 1 0-0 3, Kaylee Maynard 1 0 0-0 2, Hailee Beckett 0 0 0-0 0, Jordi Ellison 5 1 1-4 14, Brenna Tibbs 0 0 0-0 0, Desiree Simpson 5 0 1-4 11, Kaitlin Maynard 5 0 5-6 15. Totals: 16 2 7-14 45. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

WHEELERSBURG (2-2): Mia Vastine (2) 6 0 0-0 12, Myles Gleim 0 0 0-0 0, Emma Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Makenzie Mullens 0 1 0-0 3, Jaylinn Prather 1 4 0-0 14, Ava Estep 0 0 0-0 0, Peyton May 6 0 0-2 12. Totals: 13 5 0-2 41. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.