Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — The Chesapeake Panthers took a 2-0 lead on a field goal by Eli Archer with 6:55 on the first quarter clock.
It all went downhill from there.
The young Panthers struggled against the Gallipolis Blue Devils led by 7-foot-1 sophomore center Zach Loveday as they lost 58-30 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
Justin McClelland hit a basket at the 5:12 mark to give the Blue Devils the lead for good at 4-2 and Gallipolis ran off 10 unanswered points en route to a 14-6 first quarter lead.
The Blue Devils held the Panthers scoreless in the second quarter as they went 10 minutes without scoring.
The scoring drought ended when Tylan Hutchison scored with 6:31 on the third quarter clock but the Panthers were down 31-8.
Chesapeake did score 12 points in the third quarter as Logan Walsh hit a pair of 3-pointer, but Loveday hit two treys of his own and scored eight points for a 46-18 lead.
Gallipolis led by 30 points on two occasions, 48-18 with 7:41 to play and 58-28 with just 23 seconds left.
Archer and Hutchison scored eight points each to lead the Panthers (5-17, 4-10). Archer had five rebounds and Cole Mills four.
Gallipolis was led by Loveday with 17 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. Gage Harrison came off the bench and knocked down four 3-pointers and scored 12 points — nine in the second quarter to help blow the game open.
Chesapeake will play Wellston at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in the Division III sectional at Jackson.
Chesapeake    6    0    12    12    =    30
Gallipolis    14    17    15    12    =    58
CHESAPEAKE (5-17, 4-10): Tylan Hutchison 4 0 0-0 8, Nathan Cox 0 0 0-0 0, Cole Mills 0 0 1-2 1, Logan Walsh 0 2 0-0 6, Austin Jackson 2 0 1-2 5, Josh Cox 0 0 0-0 0, Trent Dearth 0 0 0-0 0, Christian Layne 1 0 0-0 2, Eli Archer 2 0 4-4 8, Kamren Harless 0 0 0-0 0, Jamey Mills 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11-40 6-8 30. 3-pt goals: 2-8. Rebounds: 7-O, 17-D = 24 (Archer 5, Mills 4). Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
GALLIPOLIS (NA): Cole Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Henry 1 0 2-2 4, Evan Wiseman 2 0 2-2 6, Justin McClelland 1 0 1-2 3, Blaine Carter 0 0 0-0 0, Kaden Thomas 1 1 0-0 5, Logan Blouir 2 0 3-4 6, Cory Call 2 0 0-0 4, Zach Loveday 5 2 1-2 17, Gage Harrison 0 4 0-0 12, Bailey Walker 0 0 0-0 0.