The Big Walnut girls basketball team started fast and played solid defense throughout on the way to a 66-22 season-opening win over host Bellefontaine Saturday night.
Abby Brown had a game-high 25 points for the Golden Eagles (1-0), who led 23-3 after the first quarter and 36-13 by halftime. Brown sparked the early surge with nine points in the first quarter and another seven in the second.
Andie Stewart also had a hand in the quick start, scoring 12 of her 15 points in the first quarter.
While Brown and Stewart were cashing in at the offensive end, the defense was getting it done at the other. Big Walnut limited Bellefontaine to five points or fewer in three of the four quarters, including just nine total points in the second half.
Annie Thomas was also solid in the win, finishing with nine points.
Carmen Shumaker, meanwhile, led the Chieftains with seven points while Lexi Robinson and Tayteum Vigansky had six points apiece in the setback.
Next up, the Eagles are slated to play at Worthington Christian Saturday, Dec. 5 at 5:40 p.m.
Olentangy Liberty 53, Western Brown 29
Caitlin Splain connected on four three-pointers on her way to a 15-point night to lead the Patriots past the Broncos and give first-year coach Tom Waterwash a win in his debut Saturday in Powell.
Splain did a little of everything in the win, adding four rebounds, five assists and six steals to her stat line.
Other Liberty (1-0) standouts included Jordan Rich, who chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds; and Gigi Bower, who collected seven points and five steals in the win.
The Patriots are scheduled to return to action Saturday, Dec. 5 against visiting Archbishop Hoban. Tip is set for 4 p.m.
BOYS BOWLING
Freshman Aidan Furukawa finished first among individuals with a tournament-high series of 713 and tournament-high game of 280 to lead the Big Walnut boys bowling team to an eighth-place finish at Saturday’s Best of the Best Invitational.
Big Walnut made it to the championship roll-off before falling to top-seeded Massillon Perry in the fifth game of a best-of-five baker series.
The Golden Eagles finished with a team total of 2,925 in their first outing of the season.
