Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

LUCASVILLE — The cold temperatures outside meant nothing to the Chesapeake Lady Panthers who went inside and made the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates sweat.
Chesapeake was expected to get blown out of Saturday’s Division 3 sectional title game but made the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates battle the entire game before getting a 51-37 win.
“We had the game where we wanted at halftime. In fact, it should have been closer,” said Lady Panthers’ coach Chris Ball.
“In the third quarter, they hurt us in transition and they sped us up which led to turnovers. Defensively, I thought we played well and gave them fits.”
Ellie Kallner hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points and the Lady Pirates made 4-of-6 from the foul line to take a 13-9 lead in the first quarter.
Maddie Ward scored 4 points for the Lady Panthers.
Kaylee Darnell and Alaina Keeney scored 4 points each in the second quarter as the lead went to 22-15. Ward was 4-of-6 at the line.
Darnell had 7 points and Makenna Walker got 5 points including a trey as Wheelersburg opened up a 42-21 lead in the third quarter.
Emily Duncan scored 4 of Chesapeake’s 6 points in the quarter.
Ward drained three 3-pointers and scored 14 points as Chesapeake mounted a comeback.
The Lady Pirates made just 3-of-7 free throws in the fourth quarter but it was enough to hold onto the lead.
Ward scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Lady Panthers (12-12).
Darnell — who recently eclipsed the 1,000-point career scoring milestone — led Wheelersburg with 15 points while Keeney scored 9 and Kallner 8.
Chesapeake 9 6 6 16 = 37
Wheelersburg 13 9 20 9 = 51
CHESAPEAKE (12-11): Kandace Pauey 2 0 0-0 4, Taylor Hicks 0 0 0-0 0, Blake Anderson 2 0 1-4 5, Sammie McComas 0 0 0-0 0, Robin Isaacs 0 0 0-0 0, Maddie Ward 4 3 7-12 24, Emily Duncan 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 10 3 8-16 37. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
WHEELERSBURG (21-2): Annie Coriell 0 0 0-0 0, Lauren Holly 1 0 0-2 2, Madison Whittaker 0 0 0-0 0, Brittani Wolfenbarker 0 0 0-0 0, Lani Irwin 0 0 0-0 0, Alaina Keeney 4 0 1-2 9, Isabella Hamilton 1 0 0-0 2, Ellie Kallner 1 1 3-4 8, Kaylee Darnell 5 0 5-7 15, Lyndsay Heimbach 1 0 0-0 2, Makenna Walker 1 1 2-4 7, Kiera Kennard 0 0 0-1 0, Lexie Rucker 0 0 0-0 0, Macee Eaton 0 0 4-6 4. Totals: 14 2 14-26 51. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.