By Dustin Melchior

CHESAPEAKE— Following a nine-game slide, the Coal Grove Hornets found their groove once again Friday evening to win their second in a row, beating the Chesapeake Panthers 45-35 in an OVC matchup.
“After losing nine in a row, we’ve won two in a row. We played really well tonight,” Coal Grove head coach Kevin Vanderhoof said. “We were looking to get Jeb (Jones) more involved tonight and I think we did a good job of that in the first half.”
Jones and Jaylen McKenzie combined for 10 of the Hornets’ 12 first quarter points, while Casey McComas and Eric Harr each hit a triple for all six of Chesapeake’s points.

In the second quarter, Chesapeake’s Cole Mills hit a pair of three pointers to keep the Panthers close and Chesapeake went into halftime with trailing 21-16.
“I thought we handled their press, and I was really pleased with our effort,” Vanderhoof said. “We’re a young team who I think is starting to grow up a little bit. We’re doing the little things better.”
Five different Hornets scored in the third quarter, as they pushed their lead to 32-22 before the start of the fourth.
Another pair of triples by Mills in the fourth quarter pulled the Panthers within three, but with time running out, Chesapeake was forced to foul and Coal Grove scored their final 10 points at the foul line.
For the game, the Hornets converted 11-18 free throws.
Jones scored a game-high 15 points and McKenzie recorded 11 points on the night for the Hornets (8-13, 4-8).
For Chesapeake (4-15, 3-10), Mills had 12 points while McComas and Harr each scored nine.
Chesapeake head coach Ryan Davis was displeased with his team’s effort.
“We can’t give that kind of effort and be able to compete,” he said. “The effort has to be there for four quarters for us to be able to compete.”
Coal Grove hosts Gallipolis on Monday and Chesapeake hosts Boyd County, Ky., on Tuesday.
Coal Grove    12    9    11    13    =    45
Chesapeake    6    10    6    13    =    35
COAL GROVE (8-13, 4-8): Aaron Music 2 0 2-4 6, Cory Borders 0 0 0-0 0, Jordan Case 2 0 3-4 7, Nate Harmon 0 0 0-0 0, Mark Sites 0 1 0-0 3, Jaylen McKenzie 4 0 3-5 11, Jeb Jones 6 0 3-5 15, Alijah Roman 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 14 2 11-21 45. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.
CHESAPEAKE (4-15, 3-10): Casey McComas 3 1 0-0 9, Cole Mills 0 4 0-0 12, Austin Jackson 2 0 1-2 5, David Dotson 0 0 0-2 0, Tanner Harr 0 0 0-0 0, Eric Harr 2 1 2-5 9, Zach Wright 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 6 3-9 35. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Jackson, T. Harr).