The Delaware Hayes girls basketball team got it done on the defensive end Friday, limiting visiting Thomas Worthington to single digits in each of the first three quarters on the way to a lopsided 58-34 OCC-Cardinal win.
The Pacers led 17-2 after the first and, after allowing just five points in the second, owned a 27-7 halftime edge.
Hayes outscored Thomas 19-9 in the third to all but seal the deal.
Alexis Amabile and Chloe Jeffers led a trio of Pacers who finished in double figures, each pouring in 11 points in the win. Alyssa Griner had 10 while Jordan Lantz finished with eight and Katie Smith added six via a pair of three-pointers.
Big Walnut 45, New Albany 34
The Golden Eagles used a hot start to Friday’s OCC-Capital showdown against host New Albany to continue their hot start to the season, improving to 4-0 with a double-digit win.
Big Walnut created all the separation it would need with a 13-2 first quarter. The two teams were even the rest of the way, scoring 32 apiece over the course of the final three quarters.
Avery Schone, as she’s done in three of the first four games, led BW in scoring with 18 points. Abby Brown added eight and Alexis Schone had six.
Haley Dennis led New Albany with 10 points in the setback.
Olentangy Berlin 50, Dublin Jerome 40, OT
The Bears outscored the host Celtics 12-2 in the extra session, going 9-for-10 from the free-throw line to notch a solid league win Friday night in Dublin.
Courtney Suchan led the charge with 18 points while Maddie Goodman added 17 in the win. The duo teamed up for the game-tying bucket at the end of regulation, too, with Suchan hitting a jumper off a feed from Goodman.
Westerville South 51, Olentangy Liberty 43
The Patriots turned the ball over 10 times in the first quarter and the host Wildcats made them pay, opening the game on a 10-0 run en route to a league win Friday night in Westerville.
Liberty battled back, getting as close as four with 1:30 left in the game, but another turnover led to a three to balloon the South advantage to seven.
Jordan Rich and Caitlin Splain led the Patriots with nine points apiece in the setback.
Olentangy Orange 66, Westerville Central 29
Kayla Delmore had 19 points, Ellie Beck added 11 and Joy Gimei finished with nine thanks to a team-best three triples as the Pioneers picked up their first win of the season Friday at Westerville Central.
Orange outscored the Warhawks in all four quarters, including a 17-6 first to set the tone.
Westerville North 35, Olentangy 34
Emylee Preston connected on a go-ahead three with 14 seconds left to lift the Warriors to a one-point league win over the visiting Braves Friday night in Westerville.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Olentangy Orange finished with a flourish, outscoring host Westerville Central 26-18 in the fourth quarter to notch a key 76-64 league win Friday night in Westerville.
Jason Foster scored a game-best 24 points, 18 coming in the second half, to lead Orange. He also had 10 rebounds. Other Pioneer standouts included Andre Irvin, who had 17 points; and Ryan Cutler, who added 17 points and six boards.
Thomas Worthington 56, Delaware Hayes 43
The Pacers hung around all night, getting 11 points from Paul Burris and eight apiece from Hezekiah Russell and Nabil Abdus-salaam, but couldn’t quite find that first win of the season as they fell to the host Cardinals in league play Friday night.
Maurice Collins led all scorers with 13 points for Thomas.
Delaware Christian 44, Shekinah Christian 41
Nathan Stewart scored all seven of his points in the fourth quarter to lead the Eagles to a MOCAL win over the host Flames Friday night.
Pryce Johnson was also solid, pouring in a team-best 17 points while Dayne Johnson added 12.
Westerville North 51, Olentangy 50
Chance Perkins split a pair of free throws with a second left to lift the host Warriors to a one-point win over the Braves in OCC-Buckeye action Friday night in Westerville.
Jake Elmore and Zach Weiging had 12 points apiece for Olentangy.
Also: New Albany 51, Big Walnut 49
GIRLS BOWLING
Bree Hall had a 361 series while Allie Leach and Maya Wills-Durr both rolled 281s to lead the Buckeye Valley bowling team to a 1,661-1,500 win over Mt. Gilead Friday afternoon.
BOYS BOWLING
The Barons picked up their third straight win Friday, rolling past Mt. Gilead 1,943-1,367. Joey Peterson led BV with a 367 series while Thomas Cummings was close behind with a 349.
