CHESAPEAKE – The Chesapeake Junior Panthers made it 2-for-2.

Friday, February 08, 2002

CHESAPEAKE – The Chesapeake Junior Panthers made it 2-for-2.

After winning the Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship, the Panthers completed a 14-2 season with the OVC conference tournament title Thursday.

After watching second-seeded Rock Hill get upset in the semifinals and top-seeded South Point losing the 7th grade title game, Chesapeake coach Aaron Rice was concerned.

"Of course it worried me. Coal Grove has some size and some athletes with good speed. They can cause some problems. Plus, we’d beaten them twice and that third one is always tough," Rice said. "But our kids were prepared and they came out and played well."

Chesapeake led just 8-6 after the first quarter, then outscored Coal Grove 17-3 the second quarter to take a comfortable 25-9 halftime lead.

In the 7th grade title game, Rock Hill upset South Point 41-39 as Mikkael Ison scored 20 points and Chad Miller 11.

Chris Smith scored 16 to lead the Pointers.

South Point led 35-33 at the end of the third quarter, then scored just four points the fourth quarter as Rock Hill rallied for the win.

Ohio Valley Conference

Middle School Tournament

7th Grade Championship

Rock Hill 4 15 14 8 – 41

South Point 15 12 8 4 – 39

ROCK HILL: Chad Miller 13, Mikkael Ison 20, Andrew Stumbo 2, Kyle Evans 1, Nathan Blankenship 5. Totals: 11 1 16-28 41. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Blankenship.

SOUTH POINT: Justin Lewis 3, Robert Walsh 4, Zach Norris 8, Chris Smith 16, Jason McWhorter 8.

8th Grade Championship

Coal Grove 6 3 8 12 – 29

Chesapeake 8 17 10 12 – 47

COAL GROVE: Ryan Turvey 7, Gary Moore 2, Alex Swarts 6, Chris Chaffin 7, Danny Salyers 2, Les Bryant 5.

CHESAPEAKE: Caleb McComas 3, Mike Stapleton 7, Justin Porter 2, Jeff Thornburg 13, Zach Morrison 17, Brent Ransbottom 4, Tyler Angle 1.