Members of Karns City's boys basketball team congratulate senior guard Chase Beighley (center) after he became the program's all-time leading scorer in a game against A-C Valley on Monday. Beighley scored 20 points in a 65-45 win and now has 1,566 points in his career.

KARNS CITY — The game was by no means over after the first quarter, but Karns City had built a lead it would not surrender.

The Gremlins jumped out to a 19-6 advantage and never saw the cushion dwindle to less than nine points in a 65-45 boys basketball defeat of visiting A-C Valley Monday night.

Karns City senior point guard Chase Beighley contributed 20 points to the victory, breaking the boys school record for career points in the process. He now has 1,566 points after passing 2005 graduate Tyler Callihan (1,554).

The pivotal first quarter saw A-C Valley star forward Levi Orton head to the bench just 90 seconds into the game with two personal fouls. He returned in the second quarter, but the Falcons had dug a hole from which they never emerged.

“Planning for Karns City, we knew rebounds were going to be key and we had to make smart decisions,” said A-C Valley coach Tony McGarvey. “We only got out-rebounded by a few, but that first quarter killed us.”

It was announced earlier this month that the annual KSAC championship game (which pits the South and North division champions against each other) would not be played due to COVID concerns. But since Karns City and A-C Valley have clinched their respective divisions, Monday's game served as a de facto title game.

Gremlins' coach Chris Bellis liked what he saw in the first quarter, but Orton's return to the game helped the Falcons hang with KC until well into the fourth period.

“That's the first time in four or five games where we've hit a lull,” he said. “But when you're going up against a team that plays hard like A-C Valley, sometimes that happens.”

Orton (26 ppg), the only Falcon averaging in double figures in points this season, and senior guard Eli Penny sparked A-C Valley to within nine points (51-42) of the Gremlins with just over five minutes left in the game.

But KC (17-1) closed out their 13th straight win with a 14-3 run to end the night.

Beighley had no shortage of support. Nathan Waltman tallied 12 points, Luke Cramer 11, Micah Rupp and Cole Sherwin both added 10.

“We've had five players score in double figures this season,” said Bellis. “This is the most balanced team we've had in a while.”

The Falcons (7-5), who suffered their third straight loss, have found scoring aside from Orton harder to come by.

Penny scored nine points Monday.

“Tanner (Merwin), Eli and Broc (Weigle) have all had big games, but it's streaky,” said McGarvey. “When Levi wasn't on the court tonight, we lost our identity.”

The Gremlins will look for their 14th consecutive win Wednesday at home against Union.

“Practice is a good mix,” said Sherwin. “There's a time to have fun and a time to work. They're all competitive.”

A-C VALLEY 45Tanner Merwin 1 1-3 3, Levi Orton 9 5-7 24, Eli Penny 4 0-0 9, Jay Clover 1 3-4 5, Landon Chalmers 2 0-0 4, Broc Weigle 0 0-0 0, Ryan Cooper 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 9-14 45.

KARNS CITY 65Eric Booher 1 0-0 2, Cole Sherwin 3 2-4 10, Micah Rupp 3 4-6 10, Chase Beighley 8 0-0 20, Luke Cramer 4 2-4 11, Nathan Waltman 5 2-4 12, Taite Beighley 0 0-1 0, Luke Garing 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24 10-18 65.A-C Valley 6 13 15 11 — 45Karns City19 14 14 18 — 653-point goals: A-C Valley 2 (Orton, Penny); Karns City 7 (C. Beighley 4, Sherwin 2, Cramer).Tuesday: Venango Catholic at A-C ValleyWednesday: Union at Karns City