First Baptist’s basketball teams returned from a long holiday break Tuesday evening with impressive records so far this season but a usual nemesis for both Crusader teams, a larger school from the Metro Conference, was still too much to overcome.

Isle of Wight ran out to huge leads in both contests at Liberty Baptist Church. The Lady Chargers (3-5) opened the game with 12 straight points and went on to a 61-23 win. Isle of Wight (8-2) led 22-3 after one quarter of the second half of the doubleheader and won 79-31.

IWA’s starting backcourt of Amanda Williams and Chelsea Edwards led the way early. Williams hit the first three Lady Charger baskets. She found open spaces on the wings and along the baseline to make a number of short and mid-range jumpers throughout the game.

The Lady Crusaders were hurried and hassled by Isle of Wight’s full-court pressing. It took until Amber Ballance’s trip to the foul line with 0:31 left in the first period to get on the board and until Meredith Overton’s 17-foot jumper in the first few seconds of the second quarter to notch a field goal.

First Baptist gained confidence and made a game of it for a stretch of the second period. The Lady Crusaders cut IWA’s lead to 20-11.

The Lady Chargers rallied to close the first half, with a Williams lay-in at the horn making it 29-12 IWA at the break. IWA kept the run going with an 8-0 start in the first 2:23 of the second half.

Edwards added 15 points, five assists and four steals. Center Ally Van Campen had six points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

Meredith Overton led the Lady Crusaders (4-2) with eight points and six rebounds. Victoria Carr had five points and six rebounds. Morgan Overton had four points, nine rebounds and five steals.

In the boys’ contest center Nathan Sivertson led Isle of Wight with 14 points. Rayner Marfio and Brandon Privette added 10 points each.

Freshman guard Justice Fuller led First Baptist (3-2) with eight points. Ben Joslin added seven points.

The Crusaders won the second period 16-12 but the Chargers resumed the rout after halftime with a 31-5 advantage in the third period.