Patriots win by a foot

By Jim Walker/The Ironton Tribune

COAL GROVE - The drought has ended.

For the first time in three seasons, the Coal Grove Lady Hornets have won an Ohio Valley Conference game as they blitzed the River Valley Lady Raiders 55-40 Monday.

Chelsea Markins led three Lady Hornets in double figures with a game-high 24 points. Tracy Tackett had 11 points and Maggie Young added 10.

Coal Grove improved to 9-7 overall and 1-5 in the OVC.

Ashley Caldwell scored 16 points and Beth Payne 15 for River Valley, 2-12 and 2-5.

Tackett scored five points in the first quarter as Coal Grove took an 11-7 lead. Caldwell had five for the Raiders.

Markins erupted for 10 points in the decisive second quarter including a 3-pointer and the defense limited River Valley to only a field goal by Payne to build a 27-9 halftime cushion.

Young and Markins scored six points each in the third quarter to offset seven points by Payne and the lead held at 41-23.

The Lady Hornets converted 12 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Tackett was 5 of 6 and Markins 4 of 4.

Coal Grove was 21 of 31 for the game.

Caldwell had eight points and Payne six for the Lady Raiders.

River Valley721417-40

Coal Grove11161414-55

RIVER VALLEY (2-12, 2-5):

Christina Naylor 3 0 1-2 7, Beth Payne 6 0 3-3 15, Leslie Ward 0 0 0-0 0, Ashley Caldwell 6 0 4-6 16, Becky Lyons 0 0 0-0 0, Kyla Adkins 1 0 0-0 2, Letea McAvena 0 0 0-0 0, Jessica Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, Jessica Slayton 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16

0

8-11 40. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Lyons.

COAL GROVE (9-7, 1-5):

Holli Swarts 0 0 3-4 3, Jill Lovejoy 0 0 0-0 0, Tracy Tackett 1 1 6-8 11, Maggie Young 5 0 0-0 10, Chelsea Markins 6 1 9-11 24, Samantha Hall 2 0 2-6 6, Samantha Zornes 0 0 1-2 1, Shana Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14

2

21-31

55. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.