Eagles pull away from upset-minded Vikings

WILLOW WOOD — The Symmes Valley Vikings came out swining on Friday night, but they couldn't quite deliver the knockout punch, and the Eastern Eagles rallied in the second half for a 53-29 win in Southern Ohio Conference I play on Friday night.

Eastern appeared as if their undefeated season was in jeapordy on the very first play from scrimmage, as Asher Maynard took a pitch on a reverse and threw a bomb to teammate Levi Russell, who then outran the Eagles defense for a 70-yard score. Maynard barrelled in for the two-point conversion and the Vikings led 8-0.

Symmes Valley's Levi Russell makes a pass breakup during Friday's SOC I game against the Eastern Eagles. (Josh Wilson Photography)

The Vikings (2-4, 1-1 SOC I) forced a three-and-out on Eastern's first drive and cashed in on the short field, driving 7 plays for their second score of the game. Dylan Urban completed three-straight passes to finish off the drive, including the final completion toa wide-open Branson Edwards on a designed Run-Pass-Option" play. Maynard came on and added the extra point to make it 15-0 in favor of Symmes Valley with 7:45 remaining in the opening quarter.

Eastern would threaten on their following possession, driving all the way to the Symmes Valley 6. But quarterback Eric Manley' Jr.'s screen pass to Tucker Leist on fourth-and-goal would be snuffed out by

The Eagles (7-0, 2-0) took advantage of a short field. Manley Jr. hit Wyatt Richdardson who made a leaping grab in the end zone for the score. Brayde Moore added the point after to cut the deficit to 15-7.

Manley Jr. would later hit a streaking Carson Peters down the far sideline for a 53-yard scoring pass to make it 15-14 with 3:08 remaining before halftime.

Symmes Valley would answer in quick fashion on their ensuing possession, as a scrambling Urban would find Seth Jones down the seam and the senior running back left behind the defense for a 65-yard score and extend the Vikings lead to 21-14.

Jones wound up leading the Vikings in both receiving and rushing, with 76 and 53 yards, respectively. Jones also made contributions special teams department, having two kickoff returns of 48 and 58 yards in the second half.

Eastern would get into the end zone just before halftime. Aided by two penalties, the Eagles would finish the 6-play drive with another Manley Jr. touchdown pass to Boston Webb for 23 yards. The Vikings would stuff the two-point conversion run attempt by Manley to take a 21-20 lead into the locker room.

Symmes Valley's rotating quarterback duo of Dyland Urban and Bronx Carpenter turned in solid performancecs. Urban finished the night 13 of 20 passing for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns. Carpenter completed 9 of 22 passes for 115.

The Eagles would come out firing on all cylinders to begin the second half, as Moore would take a handoff on the opening play and rip right through the defense for 45 yard touchdown dash and add the two-point conversion run to give Eastern its first lead of the night at 28-21.

Moore, who finished the game with 106 yards on 5 carries, later added his second score of the game with 2:41 left in the third frame to extend the Eagles lead to 40-21.

Symmes Valley's Andy Strow tries to fight through a tackle during Friday's SOC I game against the Eastern Eagles. (Josh Wilson Photography)

Eastern would continue to try and pile things on in the fourth, as Manley Jr. added two more touchdown passes to Leist to stretch out the Eagles lead to 53-21.

Symmes Valley would get into the end zone one final time, driving 59 yards in 9-plays and eating up about 8 minutes to end the game. Jones would score on a 4-yard touchdown run and Urban would throw the two-point conversion pass to round out the scoring.

Leist led all receivers with 8 reception for 246 yards receiving. Peters caught 3 balls for 121 yards in the win.

The Vikings will be on the road next Friday night against the Sciotoville East Tartans. Eastern will host Porstmouth Notre Dame.

Eastern 7 13 20 13 = 53

Symmes Valley 15 6 0 8 = 29

First Quarter

SV — Levi Russell 70 pass from Asher Maynard (Asher Maynard run), 11:45.

SV — Branson Edwards 22 pass from Dylan Urban (Asher Maynard kick), 7:45.

BE — Wyatt Richardson 22 pass from Eric Manley Jr. (Brady Moore kick), 3:50.

Second Quarter

BE — Carson Peters 53 pass from Eric Manley Jr. (Brady Moore kick), 3:08.

SV — Seth Jones 65 pass from Dylan Urban (pass failed), 2:32.

BE — Boston Webb 23 pass from Eric Manley Jr. (run failed), 0:38.

Third Quarter

BE — Brady Moore 45 run (Brady Moore run), 11:43.

BE — Carson Peters 70 pass from Eric Manley Jr. (kick no good), 9:12.

BE — Brady Moore 3 run (run failed), 2:41.

Fourth Quarter

BE — Tucker Leist 76 pass from Eric Manley Jr. (Brady Moore kick), 10:09.

BE — Tucker Leist 89 pass from Eric Manley Jr. (kick no good), 8:18.

SV — Will Jones 4 run (conversion pass good), 0:45.

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BE SV

First downs 19 14

Rushes-yards 17-116 20-41

Passing yards 498 353

Total yards 614 394

Cmp-Att-Int 19-31-1 23-43-1

Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-1

Penalties-yards 9-69 9-95

Punts-average 2-32.0 3.39.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Eastern: Jack Montgomery 7-16, Eric Manley Jr. 4-minus 2, Brady Moore 5-106 TD; Symmes Valley: Randy Adkins 2-minus 1, Bronx Carpenter 3-minus 9, Dylan Urban 2-2, Asher Maynard 2-2, Will Jones 10-53 TD, Team 1-minus 6.

PASSING–Eastern: Eric Manley Jr. 10-19-0 196 3TD; Symmes Valley: Bronx Carpenter 3-9-1 84, Dylan Urban 8-10-0 138 2TD, Asher Maynard 1-1-0 70 TD.

RECEIVING–Eastern: Tucker Leist 3-55 TD, Boston Webb 1-23 TD, Carson Peters 2-51, Wyatt Richardson 2-53 TD, Brady Moore 2-14; Symmes Valley: Andy Strow 3-24, Branson Edwards 1-22 TD, Levi Russell 1-70 TD, Dylan Urban 1-83, Jackson Fields 2-25, Seth Jones 4-67 TD.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.