Staff Report

COAL GROVE - Sometimes it is just not your night.

And the River Valley (1-9, 0-4) girls basketball team found that out early Thursday night as Coal Grove (6-3, 3-1) went up early and never looked back as the Lady Hornets rolled to a 76-38 victory.

Coal Grove held an 18-7 lead after one quarter of play, but that is all the closer the Lady Hornets would allow River Valley. The home squad scored 24 points in the second quarter and 23 in the third while holding the Lady Raiders to just 18 during that span to jump out to an 65-25 lead after three quarters of play.

Led by Chelsea Markins, who had four three pointers and a game high 22 points, the Lady Hornets closed things out by backing off the dogs in the final quarter to hold on for the 38-point victory.

The win leaves the Lady Hornets tied for second in the Ohio Valley Conference with Rock Hill while South Point continues to pace the league. River Valley, on the other hand, falls to 0-4 along with Fairland.

Markins paced her team, but was followed closely by Samantha Hall who had 18 points and Jordyn Cox who had 12 points, including three triples. Brittany Harrison scored six points, Ashlee Thacker had five points, Danielle Carpenter had four points and Taylor Sexton, Chelsea Delong, Samantha Zornes and Tiffany Wallace with two points each.

The Lady Raiders were led by Brooke Taylor with 10 points and was followed by Rachel Walburn with eight points, Amanda Hager, Kayla Smith and Kristen Carter with four points, Margo Fraley and Iliana Corfias with three points and McKenzie Cluxton with two points.

Coal Grove also got the win in the reserve game 44-30.

River Valley will return to action 6 p.m. Monday against Fairland where the winner will move out of the cellar of the OVC.

RIVER VALLEY (38)

Amanda Hager 1 2-6 4, Rachel Walburn 3 2-4 8, Courtney Circle 0 0-0 0, Iliana Corfias 0 3-8 3, Kristen Carter 1 2-4 4, Kayla Smith 2 0-0 4, McKenzie Cluxton 1 0-0 2, Brooke Taylor 4 2-4 10, Ashley Fitch 0 0-0 0, Margo Fraley 1 1-2 3, Comer 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 13 12-28 38.

COAL GROVE (76)

Tiffany Wallace 1 0-0 2, Kelli Grove 0 0-0 0, Samantha Zornes 0 2-2 2, Ashlee Thacker 2 1-2 5, Brittany Harrison 3 0-2 6, Danielle Carpenter 1 3-4 5, Jordyn Cox 4 1-2 12, Taylor Sexton 1 0-1 2, Chelsea Delong 0 2-4 2, Chelsea Markins 7 4-6 22, Samantha Hall 6 5-9 18. TOTALS: 25 18-32 76.

Three point goals - River Valley (none), Coal Grove 8 (Markins 4).