By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

The LaGrange Grangers have played their share of thrillers this season against a tough slate of Region 2-AAA opponents.

Friday night against Columbus, though, the Grangers had the rare luxury of a blowout victory.

The Grangers charged to a 15-7 lead after the first quarter, and they didn’t look back on the way to a 62-43 win.

LaGrange led 54-22 through three periods before Columbus scored 21 points in the final quarter.

“Our staff was really proud of the fact that defensively, we just shut them down,” LaGrange head coach Mike Pauley said. “Everything was hard for them.”

Pauley also liked the fact that everyone continued to give an all-out effort, even when it was evident the game was in hand.

“We were able to play a lot of guys, and the intensity level stayed the same,” Pauley said.

Martez Johnson and Dionte Mains each scored 10 points, while Jamius Gunsby added eight points.

Twelve of the 13 players who got into the game scored.

The Grangers (15-7 overall) improved to 7-3 in region play, and they’re a half-game ahead of Northside (6-3) for second place.

LaGrange steps out of region play today to visit Heard County.

Heard County won 75-70 at LaGrange in December.