Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

BIDWELL — Talk about your shutdown defense.

The Chesapeake Panthers held River Valley to just 10 points in the first half including 2 in the second quarter en route to a 53-27 rout Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“Our defense has been getting better. We did a pretty good job across the board,” said Panthers’ coach Ryan Davis.

The Panthers held the Raiders to 11 total field goals and five came in the fourth quarter.

Chesapeake’s Javon Thompson nearly outscored River Valley by himself with a game-high 24 points.

The win enabled the Panthers to keep pace with Fairland in the OVC race. Chesapeake is 13-5 overall and 7-1 in the league, one game back of the Dragons.

On Tuesday, the Panthers host Rock Hill and Fairland entertains Coal Grove. Fairland plays at Chesapeake on Saturday in the regular season-ending showdown.

Seann Roberts scored 8 points — 6 in the fourth quarter — to lead River Valley (3-15, 1-8).

Chesapeake jumped out to a 16-8 lead in the first quarter and extended the lead to 25-10 at the half.

Thompson scored 13 of Chesapeake’s 15 points in the third quarter and held the Raiders to 7 points as the lead ballooned to 40-17.

Chesapeake 16 9 15 13 = 53

River Valley 8 2 7 10 = 27

CHESAPEAKE (13-5, 7-1): Shane Stephens 0 0 0-0 0, Nick Duffield 2 0 0-4 4, Austin Carpenter 0 0 0-0 0, Nate Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Lindsey 2 0 1-2 5, Gage Rhoades 1 0 0-0 2, Brad Meadows 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Heffner 2 0 0-0 4, Javon Thompson 7 2 4-5 24, Andrew Saunders 3 0 0-0 6, Chad Meadows 3 0 0-0 6, Aaron Thompson 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 21 2 5-11 53. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.

RIVER VALLEY (3-15, 1-8): Joseph Loyd 1 0 2-2 4, Burnie Stanley 1 0 0-0 2, Kyle Bays 2 0 0-0 4, Tyler Twyman 0 0 1-2 1, Brycen Hatfield 0 1 1-2 4, Justin Rusk 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Dovenbarger 2 0 0-0 4, Seann Roberts 4 0 0-0 8. Totals: 10 1 4-6 27. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.