By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — It was writer Charles Wolfe who wrote the novel, “You Can’t Go Home Again.”

Evidently, Steven Ater hasn’t read that book.

Ater — who played and spent time as an assistant coach at Chesapeake — return to his alma mater last year as the head coach and just one year late he guided the Panthers to the Ohio Valley Conference championship.

The Panthers beat the Coal Grove Hornes 51-33 on Tuesday and — coupled with Portsmouth’s loss at Fairland — won the league title outright with an 11-3 record. The Panthers are 15-5 overall.

Chesapeake jumped in front 13-0 coming out of the starting gate and never looked back.

Coal Grove got within 13-6 but the Panthers went ahead 15-6 at the end of the quarter as Kaden Perkins scored 8 points including a pair of 3-pointers and Dannie Maynard also hit a trey.

Owen Johnson had 4 points and Jacob Holmes 2 for Coal Grove’s total points in the quarter.

Chesapeake led 23-11 at the half as as Philip Thacker hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points.

Karson Frecka and Johnson combined for the 5 Coal Grove points.

But the Panthers stretched the lead to 35-121 after three quarters and appeared to be in control.

Maddox Kazee and Maynard both scored 5 points and each hit a 3-pointer as the Panthers outscored Coal Grove 12-10.

Johnson had 7 points for the Hornets.

Kazee had 6 points and Braxton Oldaker 4 points in the fourth quarter as five different players scored for Chesapeake.

Johnson drained three 3-pointers and Gavin Gipson had another trey for the Hornets total.

Kazee had 11 points and both Maynard and Perkins scored 10 points to lead the Panthers.

Johnson had a game-high 22 points to pace the Hornets (3-19, 1-13).

Chesapeake    15 8 12 16 = 51

Coal Grove 6 5 10 12 = 33

CHESAPEAKE (15-5, 11-3): Ethan Kerns 1 0 0-0 2, Drew Plantz 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Cox 0 0 0-0 0, Kaden Perkins 2 2 0-0 10, Dannie Maynard 3 2 0-0 10, Kaiden Harris 0 0 0-0 0, Philip Thacker 2 1 0-0 7, Maddox Kazee 4 1 0-0 11, Braxton Oldaker 3 0 0-0 6, Jacob Skeens 0 0 3-4 3. Totals: 14 6 3-4 51. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

COAL GROVE (3-19, 1-13): Noah Holmes 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Holmes 1 0 0-0 2, Rylan Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Brydon Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Bradley Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Abrams 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Johnson 6 3 1-2 22, Gavin Gipson 0 1 0-0 3, Karson Frecka 1 0 4-8 6, Sam Large 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 4 5-10 33. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None,