By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

KE NOVA, W.Va. — The Chesapeake Lady Panthers hit the gas right from the starting line.

Chesapeake raced to a 13-point first quarter lead and went on to beat the Tolsia Lady Rebels 52-31 in the Evaroni’s Classic Championship at the Ceredo-Kenova Community Center on Monday.

“It was a good team effort,” said Lady Panthers coach Chris Ball. “Kate (Ball) was hot early and helped get us the lead, but we had a lot of contributions.

“Erin Hicks shot the ball well and gave us a boost offensively. Sara Dillon played well defensively and that’s something that doesn’t show up in the boxscore. And Abbey Isaacs was sick but showed she’s a game. She did a yeoman’s job scoring and rebounding.”

Kate Ball drained six 3-pointers as she scored a game-high 20 points. Hicks and Isaacs each scored 12 points for the Lady Panthers (6-3).

Emily Artrip scored 11 points to pace Tolsia (1-4).

Ball knocked down four 3-pointers, Abby Mitchell had a basket while Isaacs sank 2 free throws and Chloe Parrott also made a free throw as Chesapeake took a 17-4 lead.

Artrip hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points as Tolsia outscored Chesapeake 9-7 in the second quarter and it was 24-13 at the half.

Isaacs scored 4 points in the quarter and the Lady Panthers were 5-of-6 from the foul line in the quarter. Isaacs and Ball made 2 free throws each and Clairynn Romans also sank a free throw.

Artrip hit a triple and scored 6 points with Carly Johnson scoring 4 points as Tolsia cut the deficit to 32-26.

Hicks helped the Lady Panthers keep the lead as she hit a 3-pointer and joined Isaacs as each player scored 4 points in the quarter.

But in the fourth quarter, Chesapeake blitzed the Lady Rebels 20-5.

Hicks buried a pair of 3-pointers and scored 8 points, Ball also made two 3-pointers and Dillon scored 4 points.

Chesapeake will host Fairland at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Tolsia       4 9 13 5 = 31

Chesapeake    17 7 8 20 = 52

TOLSIA (1-4): Emily Artrip 2 2 1-4 11, Olivia Kelly 1 0 0-0 2, Kalynn Salmons 0 0 0-0 0, Piper Pack 2 0 0-0 4, Jacey Crum 0 0 0-0 0, Greenlee Vance 0 0 2-2 2, Carly Johnson 3 0 1-2 7, McKenzie Cassell 1 0 0- 2, Amber Stevens 1 0 1-2 3. Totals: 10 2 5-10 31. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (6-3): K.J. Collins 0 0 0-0 0, Hollie Moore 0 0 0-0 0, Sara Dillon 2 0 0-0 4, Erin Hicks 1 3 1-4 12, Chloe Parrott 0 0 1-2 1, Abbey Isaacs 4 0 4-4 12, Clairynn Romans 0 0 1-2 1, Kate Ball 0 6 2-2 20, Cierra Akers 0 0 0-0 0, Abby Mitchell 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 8 9 9-14 52. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.