By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — Guess who’s in first place?

After going 1-3 to start the season, the Chesapeake Panthers took a one-half game lead in the Ohio Valley Conference race with a 75-38 win over the Coal Grove Hornets in a makeup game on Saturday.

While Chesapeake is streaking with its ninth win in the last 10 games, the Hornets struggled offensively as no player reached double figures and leading scorer Owen Johnson had only 6 points.

Chesapeake (11-4) is now 7-2 in the OVC which is ahead of Ironton, South Point and Fairland who are all 6-2.

Philip Thacker hit a 3-pointers and scored 6 points, Maddox Kazee had a trey and scored 5 points and both Dannie Maynard and Jacob Skeens hit 3-pointers as Chesapeake took a 20-10 lead.

Rylan Smith and Kody Harmon hit 3-pointers for the Hornets.

Maynard took over in the second quarter and scored 10 points including a 3-pointer and the Panthers were up 36-21 lead at the half.

Five different players scored for the Hornets.

Maynard drained a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 more points in the third quarter and Kaden Perkins added 4 points and the lead ballooned to 59-31.

Again, five different players scored for Coal Grove (3-13, 1-8).

The Panthers’ offense shifted to Thacker in the fourth quarter as he buried a couple of 3-pointers and scored 12 of their 16 points in the quarter.

Coal Grove    10 11 10 7 = 38

Chesapeake 20 16 23 16 = 75

COAL GROVE (3-13, 1-8): Noah Holmes 1 0 0-0 2, Rylan Smith 0 2 0-0 6, Bradley Klaiber 1 0 0-0 2, Nick Abrams 1 1 1-2 6, Kody Harmon 2 1 0-1 7, Leland McKnight 0 0 0-0 0, Jake Brmmer 0 0 0-0 0, Owen Johnson 3 0 0-0 6, Gavin Gipson 0 0 2-2 2, Brayden Young 0 0 0-0 0, Sam Large 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 6 1 4-9 38. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (11-4, 7-2): Ethan Kerns 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Plantz 1 0 0-0 2,  Kaden Perkins 1 0 2-2 4, Dannie Maynard 4 4 3-5 23, Kaiden Harris 1 00-0 2, Philip Thacker 4 3 3-4 20, Maddox Kazee 3 1 0-0 9, Braxton Oldaker 3 0 2-4 8, Jon Cooper Barker 0 0 0-0 0, Christopher Ball 0 0 0-0 0, Jacob Skeens 2 1 0-0 7. Totals: 19 9 10-15 75. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.