COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Coming into Friday's night big time MSL-Ohio matchup between Grandview and Worthington Christian, most folks, including us, expected the Warriors to be the heavy favorite to win the Ohio division this season.

Putting the area on notice after a questionable loss to Liberty Union earlier in the week, Grandview dominated the Warriors, winning 66-42.

Jumping out to a quick 11-1 lead after Brian Collier converted his second and-one in the first four minutes, Grandview forced a Worthington Christian timeout with 4:23 left in the first frame.

After taking a 16-6 lead into the second quarter, Grandview increased that margin as they began the frame on a 7-0 run to give them a comfortable 23-6 lead.

Crawling back with a 6-0 run of their own capped off by a tough transition finish from senior ​​​​​​​Derrick Hardin, Worthington Christian cut the deficit to 23-12 with 2:52 left in the half.

Locking down the Warriors for the final three minutes of the half, Grandview used another 7-0 run to ignite the crowd and head into the half with all of the momentum, holding a 30-12 lead at the break.

Despite not hitting virtually any open looks in the first half, Worthington Christian started the third quarter hot as a three from Hardin paired with a couple of free throws cut the deficit to 30-17.

Responding with a big and-one, Grandview senior Lance Trares increased the Bobcat lead to 33-17 before another quick run from Worthington Christian cut it down to 35-23 with 5:04 left in the third.

After Collier sparked a 7-0 run with a spot up three, a mid-range off the dribble and a nice dump off for an easy lay in, Grandview increased their lead to 42-23 with 3:34 left in the third and cruised the rest of the way to this victory.

Following a big time slam from Lachey in transition, Collier knocked down another triple to extend the Bobcat lead to 66-40 and slam the door shut on Worthington Christian.

Leading Worthington Christian with 13 points, sophomore guard DJ Moore got to the rim on many occasions tonight, yet failed to convert on a handful of attempts he is used to making.

Hardin added eight points and junior Isaiah Hazelwood also scored eight, while fellow junior Drew Faieta pitched in with five and two players scored four for the Warriors.

They move to 3-2 after the loss and have a very favorable matchup looming as they host Mount Gilead at home tomorrow.

Collier led Grandview with 21 points, while Lachey added 17, Trares scored eight and Aiden Leslie scored seven.

They move to 4-1 after the win and will have another tough matchup next Tuesday as they hit the road to take on Buckeye Valley.

Brian Collier (6'0 PG / Grandview / 2020): Collier was phenomenal on the offensive end tonight, going for 21 points in the win and attacking the variety of matchups Worthington Christian threw at him all night off the dribble. The senior is a composed ball handler who doesn't let pressure get to him, as he handled the Warriors trapping defense excellently tonight and rarely turned the ball over. With a bit of a stronger build for a guard, Collier can body guys around off the bounce and we saw exactly that tonight as he converted on three tough and-ones in the teeth of the Worthington Christian defense with excellent body control. He also hit two triples off the catch, hit a mid-range off the dribble and made some really good passes leading to easy buckets. We love the way the senior plays as he rarely ever seems flustered and can score from all three levels with consistency. Expect a big season from Collier as he will most likely be fighting with his own teammate for Division IV district Player of the Year honors.

Luke Lachey (6'7 PF / Grandview / 2020): It's not everyday that you see a 6-foot-7, 220 pound future Big Ten tight end who can handle the ball in the open floor, knock down three's and jump out of the gym like Lachey can. The senior was simply too big, too strong and too skilled for Worthington Christian tonight as the Warriors had no matchup for him. Dominating on the glass, altering shots on defense and scoring in multiple ways on offense, Lachey was dominant tonight. He has beautiful footwork in the post, knows how to create space, can finish through contact and is an underrated passer as a big. He scored around the rim tonight, knocked down a three off the catch and took a steal coast-to-coast for a tough and-one, showing that he can score just about every way possible on that end of the floor. There aren't many players like Lachey in the state as his athleticism, size and skill allow him to be a force on both ends of the floor every night.

DJ Moore (6'3 PG / Worthington Christian / 2022): In just his second game back from an injury suffered in the preseason, Moore seemed to have the same explosiveness that he did before getting banged up. The 6-foot-3 guard is an elite ball handler, as he kept Grandview defenders off balance all night with his ability to change speeds, stop and start and make quick cuts off the dribble. He got to the rim on a handful of occasions, but unlike himself, failed to convert on a lot of contested attempts around the rim. Moore used his body to create space for a few tough finishes, but ultimately had an off night finishing as he scored nine of his 13 points from the free throw line. As the sophomore continues to get back into the swing of things, Worthington Christian will only improve as he is the engine that makes the Warriors offense go.