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By James J. Lidington

Isle of Wight Academy

BLACKSTONE

Junior Russ Wells scored 17 points and senior teammate William Fricke added 16 as Isle of Wight Academy opened its basketball season with a 71-57 conquest of Kenston Forest on Nov. 22.

Newcomer Jabari Thomas pitched in 12 points as the Chargers opened their 2019-20 campaign.

IWA came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 16 of the game’s first 20 points, all by different Charger players. The Kavaliers cut the lead to 9 points, 24-13, at the end of the first quarter.

IWA built their advantage back to 15 points, 43-28, at halftime on the strength of 8 points by junior big man Wells.

Kenston could get no closer than 9 points in the second half after a spate of foul shots made it 48-39 IWA with 1:19 left in the third quarter. But the Chargers responded by scoring 8 of the next 10 points to age a 60-43 lead with fewer than 6:00 to play in the game.

Kenston was paced by Trey Lewis’ 18 points and Jahtavious Houston ’s 14.

The two teams combined for 50 personal fouls in the skirmish.

The IWA girls basketball team also opened play last Friday, defeating Kenston in Jester Gymnasium, 31-17.

The Charger basketball squads were dormant this past week, resuming play against the Kavaliers on Monday, Dec. 2.

The boys varsity and JV squads will host Kenston while the varsity girls and JJV boys and girls teams will travel back to Blackstone.