BEAVER - The flu has been running rampant through area schools, but the Symmes Valley Vikings caught a different bug Friday night.

The defensive bug.

Behind the play of Justin Holland and Cory Burcham on defense, the Vikings d-bugged the Eastern Eagles 49-46 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

"Burcham and Holland are playing really good defense, and that gets the rest of our guys playing the same way. It gets contagious," Vikings coach Alvin Carpenter said.

While the defense was reaching a fever pitch, Kyle Gilmore and Chris Elswick were supplying the needed offense. Gilmore had 14 points and Elswick 10 as the Vikings improved to 2-0 over an in the SOC.

The problem with the offense was the shooting performance. The Vikings were just 15 of 54 from the field for 27.8 percent.

"We played pretty well, we just couldn't hit. I don't know how many shots went in the rim, rolled around and came out. It was frustrating for our players," Carpenter said.

Eastern led 9-8 after a slow moving first quarter, and Eric Williams had five of his seven points in the second quarter as the Eagles led 23-21 at the break.

Tim Hattle scored eight points in the third quarter and Eastern was now in front 39-36.

The Vikings battled back in the fourth quarter to take the lead as Gilmore scores six points. Symmes Valley sealed the win with five straight free throws, three by Gilmore and two by Holland.

Symmes Valley was 8 of 10 from the line in the fourth quarter while Eastern was 5 of 10. For the game, the Eagles connected on 17 of 32 foul shots and the Vikings made 14 of 22.

Nathan Ross scored 14 points, Zach Alexander 12 and Hattle 11 to lead the Eagles, 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the SOC.

On Tuesday the Vikings will travel to South Gallia in a non-league game.

Sym. Valley8131513-49

Eastern914167-46

SYMMES VALLEY (2-0, 2-0):

Chris Elswick 4 0 2-2 10, Kyle Gilmore 1 3 3-4 14, Cory Burcham 0 1 0-1 3, Seth Colegrove 1 0 1-2 3, Jarod Shafer 1 1 2-6 7, Michael White 1 0 0-0 2, Justin Holland 1 0 4-5 6, Michael Humphreys 1 0 2-2 4. Totals: 15-54

(5-26)

14-22

49. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 32 (Colegrove 8, Shafer 7). Assists: 8 (Elswick 3, Burcham 3). Steals: 15 (Holland 5, Burcham 5). Turnovers: 16.

BEAVER EASTERN (1-1, 0-1):

Zach Alexander 4 0 4-5 12, Eric Gullett 0 0 0-2 0, Eric Williams 1 1 2-4 7, Tim Hattle 3 0 5-8 11, Nathan Ross 4 0 6-11 14, Adam Higginbottom 1 0 0-2 2. Totals: 13

1

17-32

46. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Gullett.