By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The big man came up big.

Coal Grove’s 6-foot-4 freshman Karson Frecka scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half as he helped the Hornets beat the Fairview Eagles 61-56 on Saturday.

Frecka was one of three Hornets in double figures. Gavin Gipson scored 12 points and Elijah Dillon added 10.

Tanner Johnson scored 17 points and Steven Day 14 for Fairview (11-14).

Elijah Dillon had 5 points and he, Gavin Gipson and Luke Jenkins all hit 3-pointers as Coal Grove took a 13-10 first quarter lead.

Tamel Smith and Johnson knocked down 3-pointers for Fairview.

The Hornets went up 31-26 at the half as Gipson scored 5 points and Owen Johnson and Landon Davis had 4 points each.

Gipson, Davis and Frecka all hit 3-pointers in the quarter for Coal Grove (5-16).

Johnson got 6 points, Mitchell Cox scored 4 and Smith hit a 3-pointer as he scored 4 points for the Eagles.

Fairview rallied in the third quarter to tie the game at 46-all.

Tanner Johnson hit a 3-pointer and scored 7 points, Isaac Johnson hit a trey and had 6 points and Day also had a triple as he scored 6 points.

Frecka scored 8 points in the quarter and Jenkins hit another 3-pointer for the Hornets.

But in the fourth quarter, Coal Grove outscored Fairview 15-10 as Frecka had 5 points and Gipson 4.

The Hornets were 5-of-8 from the line in the quarter.

Cox and Day had 4 points each as the Eagles offense couldn’t match the Hornets.

Fairview    10 16 20 10 = 56

Coal Grove 13 18 15 15 = 61

FAIRVIEW (11-14): Tamel Smith 0 2 1-2 7, Tanner Johnson 5 2 2-3 17, Isaac Johnson 2 1 1-1 8, Tanner Rehs 0 0 0-0 0, Tucker Adams 0 0 0-0 0, Mitchell Cox 4 0 1-2 9, Steven Day 5 1 1-2 14, Roman Mayes 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 6 6-10 56. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Johnson.

COAL GROVE (5-16): Gavin Gipson 2 2 2-4 12, Luke Jenkins 0 2 0-0 6, John Turner 0 0 0-0 0, Landon Davis 01 3-4 6, Elijah Dillon 3 1 1-2 10, Owen Johnson 3 0 1-3 7, Karson Frecka 6 1 3-5 18, Caden Turner 1 0 0-0 2, Kaden Murphy 0 0 0-0 0, Kody Harmon 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 7 10-18 61. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.