Chillicothe Girls Basketball improved to 5-12 with a 61-45 victory over Portsmouth at Hatton Gym Saturday night.

Coach Shawn Blue finally had a reason to smile after the game. “The kids have worked extremely hard here the last couple of weeks and haven’t found the gold at the end of the rainbow, finally they got one tonight.”

The win snaps a five game losing skid for the Cavs and gives them a split with the Trojans. Chillicothe lost 54-42 at Portsmouth in December.

The Cavs trailed 10-7 after the first period. Portsmouth went on an 8-0 run to overcome a 7-4 deficit and surged ahead by five. Chillicothe regained the lead on a combination of buckets by Jasmine Jordan, Jenna Holton and Kayla Keener to lead 19-15 at the break.

“We didn’t shoot real well in the first half, but got the ball inside the way we wanted… the first half we kind of struggled offensively, but overall a good effort.”

The big difference was shots on goal. Chillicothe held the Trojans to 11% from the field in the third quarter while the Cavs began to separate themselves in the second half.

Bri Dawes, scoreless through the first two periods, got into the act offensively hitting for seven of her 15 points in the third. Dawes drained a three to put the Cavs on top 32-19 for their largest lead to that point. 

Blue was most pleased with the second half. “They (Portsmouth) kinda regrouped and we didn’t have a great half… offensively, I thought this was the best game we’ve had in transition in quite some time.”

Both teams had 18 free throws apiece.

Four Cavaliers scored in double figures for Chillicothe led by Holton’s 17 points. Dawes had 15, Keener 13, Jordan 12 and Shay Lett capped the scoring with 5.

Portsmouth’s Peighton Williams had 27 to lead all scorers and Jada Jenkins added 10.

Chillicothe heads to Hartley Monday night.

SWIMMING: BOYS 1^st AT RIO GRANDE, GIRLS 2^nd

Chillicothe’s combined scores gave them a meet victory in the pool at the University of Rio Grande Saturday.

The Cavalier Boys finished ahead of River Valley and Point Pleasant and the Lady Cavs were 2^nd behind Gallia Academy and in front of River Valley and Point Pleasant respectively.

Both the Chillicothe Boys and Girls won five events and placed second in four others.

The Cavs swim against Teays Valley next Saturday at 1pm at the Ross County YMCA.

Cavs Individual Top 3 Results:

Boys:

200 Medley Relay- 2^nd Joel DeGarmo, Lander Zook, Per Petersen, Tommy Conaway

200 Free- 1^st Dominic Villarreal, 2^nd David Masters

200 IM- 2^nd Per Petersen, 3^rd Joel DeGarmo

50 Free- 2^nd Tommy Conaway, 3^rd David Masters

100 Free- 1^st Tommy Conaway, 3^rd Lander Zook

500 Free- 2^nd Dominic Villarreal

200 Free Relay- 1^st Per Petersen, David Masters, Joel DeGarmo, Tommy Conaway

100 Back- 1^st Joel DeGarmo

100 Breast- 1^st Lander Zook, 2^nd Matthew Hurff, 3^rd Per Petersen

Girls:

200 Medley Relay- 2^nd Anna DeGarmo, Hannah Lunde, MacKenzie Smitley, Chianne Burgin

200 Free- 1^st Hannah Lunde

50 Free- 2^nd Chianne Burgin

100 Fly- 1^st MacKenzie Smitley

100 Free- 1^st Hannah Lunde, 2^nd Anna DeGarmo, 3^rd Hannah Arth

500 Free- 2^nd Jessica Limle

100 Back- 2^nd Chianne Burgin

100 Breast- 1^st MacKenzie Smitley, 3^rd Hannah Arth

400 Free Relay- 1^st Hannah Lunde, Anna DeGarmo, Chiannne Burgin, Mac Kenzie Smitley

BOWLING: BOYS BEAT LOGAN, LADY CAVS FALL TO CHEIFS

Chillicothe’s top three finishers gave the Boys what they needed for an 81 pinfall victory over Logan Saturday,  2307- 2226 at Shawnee Lanes. Robbie Vest led the Cavs with a 434 series, Marquis Jackson had a 425 series and Jarrad Zeisler had a 415 series.

Logan defeated the Lady Cavs 1841-1774. Summer Finley led Chillicothe with a 416 series.

Chillicothe faces Zane Trace Tuesday at 5pm at Shawnee Lanes.

WRESTLING: Cavs Finish 8th of 18 at Miami Trace 

Chillicothe placed 8^th in the 18 team Miami Trace McDonald’s Invitational Wrestling Saturday.

Sheridan was the tournament winner, besting host Miami Trace by six points.

The Cavs finished 14 points behind 7^th place Circleville, the team Chillicothe faces in the second round of the State Dual Meets this Wednesday.

Coach Mike Peck was pleased with his team’s effort. “Of the 11 (Cavalier) wrestlers to attend, all won at least one match, which is a solid accomplishment in this tournament.” Chillicothe was 17^th in the 2012 Miami Trace Invite.

Last week, Peck quoted assistant coach Adam Steele saying the Miami Trace tournament is a good measuring stick for knowing where the Cavs stood against future opponents.

Chillicothe also finished ahead of SEOAL members Warren and Gallia Academy, who they’ll meet in two weeks in the league meet at CHS.

Christian Collins (160) had the top finish for Chillicothe (2^nd). Caleb Price (132) and Mike Williams (220) had 4^th place finishes while Nick Lawhorn (106), Jacob Price (138) and Tyler Kelley (195) grabbed 6^th places.