CHESAPEAKE - Regardless of the competition, the Chesapeake Panthers always find a way to get excited.

Despite crushing River Valley 92-38 in the first meeting, Chesapeake came out strong and rolled past the Raiders 77-24 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“You never know how a team will respond,” Panthers coach Norm Persin said. “But we switched up our lineup and we came out and played pretty hard. The kids we started have played hard in practice and they deserved to be in there.”

Chesapeake improved to 14-2 overall and 7-0 in the OVC. The Panthers play at Fairland Tuesday. A Chesapeake win would clinched an 11th straight league championship.

Justin Porter and P.J. Rase scored 16 points each to lead five players in double figures. Zach Morrison and Jeff Thornburg had 11 points while Tyler Shoemaker and 10.

“It was a little bit of everybody playing well for us. Morrison played pretty well. Porter’s been pretty consistent. He’s a great rebounder and he plays great defense,” Persin said.

River Valley leading scorer Jason Jones was held scoreless by the Panthers defense.

Porter scored eight points and Morrison seven in the first quarter as Chesapeake jumped in front 19-6.

In the second quarter, Porter scored eight more points and River Valley (7-10, 3-5) managed to score a mere three points as the lead grew to 43-9 at the break.

Rase had seven points and Shoemaker six more in the third quarter as the lead ballooned to 62-17.

River Valley6387=24

Chesapeake19241915=77

RIVER VALLEY (7-10, 3-5): Jason Jones 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Morrow 2 3 0-0 13, Ian Lewis 1 0 0-0 2, Michael Cordell 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Thompson 1 0 0-0 2, Ryan Henry 1 0 3-6 5, Scott Ward 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 9-32

(3)

3-6 24. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (14-2, 7-0): Zach Morrison 5 0 1-2 11, Mike Stapleton 0 1 0-0 3, Caleb McComas 1 0 0-0 2, Tyler Shoemaker 4 0 2-2 10, Justin Porter 8 0 0-0 16, P.J. Rase 6 1 1-1 16, Jeff Thornburg 3 1 2-2 11, Kyle Fuller 1 0 0-0 2, Brent Ransbottom 3 0 0-2 6. Totals: 34-61 (3)

6-9

77. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None. Assists: 18 (Stapleton 5, McComas 5). Rebounds: 32 (Porter 6, Ransbottom 6). Steals: 18 (Thornburg 6). Turnovers: 16.