By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Ever see those clips of money or food dangling on a string and when someone reaches for it, it’s pulled away.

Every time Symmes Valley looked to make a play that would seal their lead and produce a win, it was pulled away by the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans.

As a result, the Vikings dropped a thrilling but disappointing 26-22 decision to the Titans in a key Southern Ohio Conference-1 game on Friday.

Notre Dame is now 4-5  and the Vikings 3-5. Both teams are 2-2 in the SOC. The Titans have probably locked up a home playoff game while the Vikings must beat South Gallia to qualify for the postseason.

The Vikings had 333 total yards with 214 coming on the ground. Asher Maynard ran 11 times for 149 yards while Will Jones had 74 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.

Quarterback Bronx Carpenter was 6-of-10 for 119 yards and a pair of touchdowns including a 70-yarder to Levi Russell.

The Titans had 362 total yards with 153 on the ground and 209 via the air as Ethan Kingrey was 10-of-25 with 2 touchdowns.

Kingrey ran 15 times for 95 yards and a score and Bryce McGraw had 12 carries for 43 yards before leaving with an injury.The Vikings led 22-20 heading into the fourth quarter and threatened to add to their lead.

Symmes Valley went on an 11-play drive that ate up 7 minutes as they drove from their own 17 to the Titans’ 42.

The drive bogged down and the Vikings elected to punt and try to pin the Titans deep in their own territory. But the punt was blocked by Brody Coleman and Kingery recovered at the Vikings’ 40-yard line.

The Vikings’ defense appeared to have come up with a big play by getting an interception in the red zone. However, pass interference was whistled on the Vikings on the play that came right after the blocked punt. Four plays later, Eugene Collins scored on a 10-yard run with 3:32 to play as the Titans took a 26-22 lead.

A short kickoff gave the Vikings the ball at their own 43, but they turned the ball over on downs as they failed to convert a fourth-and-one.

Notre Dame ran 3 plays to pick up a first down and then took a knee on 3 straight plays to run out the clock.

The Titans began the game with.a drive to the Vikings’ 7-yard line. But the Symmes Valley defense stopped the Titans a yard shy of the first down on a fourth-and-2 play.

Symmes Valley then drove the length of the field and scored on a 1-yard run by Jones with 5:47 left in the quarter to cap the quick 6-play drive. The conversion run failed and it was 6-0.

Notre Dame came back to tie the game on the next series. After 2 incomplete passes, Kingrey hit Luke Kassidy on an 81-yard pass play for the score. Cassidy ran for the conversion and the lead with 5:14 on the clock.

The Vikings regained the lead on a 13-yard pass from Carpenter to Maynard with 5:13 left in the half. Maynard added the conversion run for a 14-8 lead to complete the 60-yard, 8-play drive.

The Titans answered with a 2-yard scoring run by Kingrey with just 1:15 left on the clock. The conversion pass failed and it was 14-all at the half.

The Vikings came out and took the lead on a 70-yard pass from Carpenter to Levi Russell with 7:01 left in the third quarter. Maynard ran for the conversion and a 22-14 lead.

But Notre Dame came right back as Eugene Collins caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from Kingrey with 4:58 on the clock.

However, the conversion run failed and the Vikings were still clinging to a 22-20 lead.

That set up the wild fourth quarter finish.

Next Friday, the Vikings will host South Gallia while Notre Dame entertains Sciotoville East.

Sym. Valley 6 8 8 0 = 22

Notre Dame 8 6 6 6 = 26

First Quarter

SV— Will Jones 1 run (run failed), 5:47

ND — Luke Cassidy 81 pass from Ethan Kingrey (Luke Cassidy run), 5:14

Second Quarter

SV — Asher Maynard 13 pass from Bronx Carpenter (Asher Maynard run), 5:13

ND — Ethan Kingrey 2 run (pass failed), 1:15

Third Quarter

SV — Levi Russell 70 pass from Bronx Carpenter (Asher Maynard run), 7:01

ND — Eugene Collins 57 pass from Ethan Kingrey (run failed), 4:58

Fourth Quarter

ND — Eugene Collins 10 run (pass failed), 3:32

—————

SV ND

First downs 15 18

Rushes-yards 36-214 38-153

Passing yards 119 209

Total yards 333 362

Cmp-Att-Int. 6-11-0 10-25-0

Fumbles-lost 3-3 2-1

Penalties-yards 7-57 5-35

Punts-Average 2-14 3-25.3

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING — Symmes Valley: Will Jones 20-74 TD, Asher Maynard 11-149, Bronx Carpenter 4-minus 6, Dylan Urban 1-minus 3; Notre Dame: Ethan Kingrey 15-95 TD, Bryce McGraw 12-43, Eugene Collins 5-19 TD, Luke Cassidy 3-12, Team 3-minus-16.

PASSING —  Symmes Valley: Bronx Carpenter 6-10-0-119 2TD, Asher Maynard 0-1-0-0; Notre Dame: Ethan Kingrey 10-25-0-209 2TD.

RECEIVING— Symmes Valley: Levi Russell 1-70 TD, Will Jones 2-28, Asher Maynard 2-16 TD, Andy Strow 1-5; Notre Dame: Eugene Collins 5-89 TD, Luke Cassidy 2-94 TD, Bryce McGraw 2-13, Archie West 1-13.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.