Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — Too bad this isn’t Canada where you only get three downs.
Third down proved costly as the Sciotoville East Tartans made big plays en route to a 38-7 Southern Ohio Conference win over the Symmes Valley Vikings on Friday.
“Third down plays killed us on both sides of the ball. East big-played us which they have the athletes to do it,” said Vikings’ coach Rusty Webb.
“We shot ourselves in the foot a lot of times, but a good team makes you do that and East is a good team.”
The Vikings (6-3, 3-2) had 172 yards offense with 140 coming on the ground. Layken Gothard ran 11 times for 59 yards and Derek Brace had 41 yards on 12 carries.
East (7-2, 4-1) finished with 282 total years with 183 on the ground and 99 in the air. Quarterback Brady Douthat had some key third down scrambles as he ran 11 times for 101 yards and was 5-of-7 passing.
East took a 6-0 lead when Douthat hit Devon Stevens with a 30-yard scoring pass on third down.
The Vikings shanked a punt for a mere 5 yards and East got a third-and-9 touchdown pass from Douthat to J.D. Hatcher covering 38 yards. Ethan Carver ran for the conversion and a 14-0 lead.
The Vikings came back and went 90 yards on 17 plays and ate more than 10 minutes off the clock. Gothard ran 2 yards for the score on a fourth-and-goal and Keifer Wilson’s kick cut the deficit to 14-7 before the half.
The Tartans recovered a fumble and Kyle Flannery ran 20 yards for the touchdown to cap a quick 43-yard, three-play drive. Douthat ran for the conversion and a 22-7 lead.
Braiden Haney then returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown and Douthat’s conversion run extended the lead to 30-7.
On a third and goal, Douthat scrambled 12 yards for a touchdown and Flannery ran for the conversion and it was 38-7.
“Our effort was outstanding again. I can’t fault our effort. The kids refused to quit and played through the tough times,” said Webb.
Next Friday Symmes Valley visits Northwest.
Sciotoville     14    0    24    0    =    38
Sym. Valley    0    7    0    0    =    7
First Quarter
SE – Devon Stevens 30 pass from Brady Douthat (run failed)
SE – J.D. Hatcher 38 pass from Brady Douthat (Ethan Carver run)
Second Quarter
SV – Layken Gothard 2 run (Keifer Wilson kick)
Third Quarter
SE – Kyle Flannery 20 run (Brady Douthat run)
SE – Braiden Haney 37 fumble recovery (Brady Douthat run)
SE – Brady Douthat 12 run (Kyle Flannery run)
——
SE    SV
First downs    13    12
Rushes-yards    27-183    38-140
Passing yards    99    32
Total yards    282    172
Cmp-Att-Int    5-7-0    2-2-0
Fumbles-lost    1-1    2-2
Penalties-yards    9-105    9-85
Punts-average    1-29.0    3-19.7
——
Individual Leaders
RUSHING —Sciotoville East: Brady Douthat 11-101, Kyle Flannery 6-21, Ethan Carver 6-56; Symmes Valley: Austin Waugh 2-3, Derik Brace 12-41, Derek Crum 4-18, Justin White 1-1, Keifer Wilson 7-17, Layken Gothard 11-59, T.J. Wong 1-1.
PASSING — Sciotoville East: Brady Douthat 5-7-0 101; Symmes Valley: Keifer Wilson 2-2-0 32.
RECEIVING — Sciotoville East: Devon Stevens 2-29, J.D. Hatcher 2-61, Braidon Haney 1-9; Symmes Valley: Austin Waugh 1-30, Derik Brace 1-2.