FRANKLIN FURNACE — The Symmes Valley Vikings got their sixth win in as many tries Friday night. This one just took a little longer.

Instead of breaking big plays for touchdowns, the Vikings were forced to drive the ball and the offense responded in a 34-7 win over the Green Bobcats in the Southern Ohio Conference opener for both teams.

Symmes Valley used 42 plays to run for 386 yards with Evan Herrell gaining 111 yards on six carries, D.J. Miller 105 yards on eight tries and Jacob Patterson 91 on six.

Quarterback Cody Myers was 4-of-9 for 56 yards to give the Vikings 442 total yards.

“We had some big runs, but we were forced to put plays together and we did. We made some adjustments at halftime and I thought our kids did a nice job adjusting,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb.

Green (3-3, 0-1) took a 7-0 lead by driving 65 yards in 14 plays on its first possession of the game. Cody Bruce ran the final 4 yards for the touchdown and Keith Stepp added the conversion kick.

“Green came out and took it to us,” said Webb. “But once we settled in and got going, the kids responded and played well.”

The Vikings came back with a 65-yard drive of their own in the second quarter with Myers taking the 11th play of the march in from 5 yards out and Eli Ash kicked the tying point.

After getting a stop on defense, the Vikings went 54 yards in seven plays as Patterson ran 10 yards for the score with 7:10 left in the half and it was 13-7.

“We stood toe-to-toe with them the first half,” said Green coach Dan McDavid. “We’re still learning how to win. They came out the second half and took control.”

Symmes Valley came out and controlled the third quarter by scoring 21 points.

The Vikings took the second half kickoff 73 yards in six plays with Patterson bolting 36 yards for the score. Myers threw to Bo Arthur for the conversion.

Miller broke loose on a 49-yard run on the Vikings next possession to set up his own 1-yard scoring run and it was 27-7 at the 4:59 mark.

Myers intercepted a pass to set up a 7-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard pass from Myers to Arthur with just under a minute on the clock. Ash kicked the conversion.

The Bobcats were led by Tyler Hughes with 55 yards on 6 carries.

Symmes Valley 0 13 21 0 = 34

Green 7 0 0 0 = 7

First Quarter

Gr — Cody Bruce 4 run (Keith Stepp kick) 5:27

Second Quarter

SV — Cody Myers 5 run (Eli Ash kick) 11:51

SV — Jacob Patterson 10 run (kick failed) 7:10

Third Quarter

SV — Jacob Patterson 36 run (Bo Arthur pass from Cody Myers) 9:47

SV — D.J. Miller 1 run (kick failed) 4:59

SV — Bo Arthur 30 pass from Cody Myers (Eli Ash kick) 0:50

SV Gr

First downs 17 14

Rushes-yards 42-386 42-133

Passing yards 56 44

Total yards 442 177

Cmp-Att-Int 4-9-0 4-14-2

Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-0

Penalties-yards 11-105 5-27

Punts-average 1-30.0 3-30.3

Individual Leaders

RUSHING-Symmes Valley: Evan Herrell 6-111, Jacob Patterson 6-91, D.J. Miller 8-105, Alec Herrell 3-12, Cody Myers 6-24, Hunter Boggs 6-33, Kyle Vallance 2-0, Tyler Rowe 2-8; Green: Tyler Hughes 16-55, Cody Bruce 6-25, Chad Lewis 9-18, Mike Avery 3-9, T.J. McCloud 8-minus 10, Rob Applegate 1-minus 6.

PASSING-Symmes Valley: Cody Myers 4-9-0 56; Green: T.J. McCloud 4-13-2 44.

RECEIVING-Symmes Valley: Bo Arthur 3-30, Jacob Patterson 1-26; Green: Chris Applegate 1-20, Cody Bruce 1-9, Chad Lewis 1-8, Mike Avery 1-7.