Chardon’s great start to the season continued against visiting Geauga County rival West Geauga on Dec. 27. The Hilltoppers controlled the middle two quarters and knocked down 11 3-pointers in dispatching their neighbors to the southwest, 63-49. The win was the fourth straight and fifth in the las t six as Chardon improved to 7-2. It was also the fifth win in the last six tries for the Hilltoppers against West Geauga. Chardon junior guard Luke Galfidi scored a game-high 24 points to go with eight rebounds and four steals. Senior Bailey Mann, junior Rocco Tarantino, and sophomore Andrew Cole backed Galfidi with 11 points apiece. “We knew coming in it was a big game, and we were just ready to go,” Galfidi said. “We delivered, I’m super proud of us.” @chardonhoops Junior guard Luke Galfidi (Game-high 24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals) discusses the Hilltoppers’ 63-49 win over West Geauga amid a 7-2 start to the season. pic.twitter.com/OI9zITWFLy — Jay Kron (@TownCenter2) December 27, 2025 A back-and-forth first quarter ended in an 18-18 tie when Tarantino beat the buzzer with a triple. Galfidi’s layup off a steal in the second quarter started a 9-4 run to close the first half, which gave Chardon a 32-25 halftime lead. The Hilltoppers strive to play at a relentless speed, and when they’re doing that, nailing shots from the outside and getting layups off turnovers, they can be tough to beat. Cole sank a trey to start the second half that pushed Chardon’s lead to 10 points. The Hilltoppers made the Wolverines pay for four turnovers in the frame that were converted into points. Galfidi scored seven of his points in the third, and the Hilltoppers limited West G to 3 of 8 from the field as they took a 49-33 lead into the final stanza. “So far this year, we’ve had third-quarter slumps, so winning the third quarter was a big emphasis for us,” said Chardon alum and first-year head coach Shane Quin. “That was our best quarter today, so I’m glad of the way the kids came out of halftime and fought.” @chardonhoops first-year coach and alum Shane Quin goes over the Hilltoppers’ 63-49 win over West Geauga pic.twitter.com/hNuBQArmM0 — Jay Kron (@TownCenter2) December 27, 2025 Quin and West Geauga coach and alum Micah Young are the same age and played against each other in this rivalry, with their senior year being nine years ago. “Micah was a tremendous player,” Quin remembered. “I played against him back in YMCA, He probably scored more points than me, but I always (reminded) him that my team got the upper hand.” West Geauga (3-5) is going through a rough patch at the moment, losing four straight and five of the last six. The Wolverines were missing senior guard Mason Pesho, but junior Vince Vecchio filled in ably,  leading the Wolverines with 13 points. “We got a little too sped up, and our offense got a little clunky,” Young said of the decisive third quarter. “Chardon did a good job of pushing the tempo and making us pay for not being able to score on our end. “We didn’t do a good job of weathering the storm until it got out of hand.” West G senior Tyler Fink scored 12 points off the bench, and sophomore Luke Ottman added 11. The Wolverines were even with Chardon on the boards with 22 apiece, led by senior Ryan Mobley’s seven. “That’s life, that’s basketball,” Young said. “You’re going to have ups and downs. What are you going to do to get better and respond? That’s everybody, that’s me, that’s our coaching staff, and our players from one to twelve.” @WestGBoysBBall Coach Micah Young reviews the Wolverines’ 63-49 loss to Chardon pic.twitter.com/mz0j0eKSbk — Jay Kron (@TownCenter2) December 27, 2025 The Wolverines will host Madison on Dec. 30, and Chardon will host Geneva on Jan. 3. The score (Dec. 27) Chardon 63, West Geauga 49 ...read more read less