WATERFORD — For the first time in eight years, the outright Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division title for boys basketball will be making its way back to Eastern High School, as the Eagles posted a 58-39 victory over host Waterford on Friday night in Washington County.

The visiting Eagles (18-1, 9-0 TVC Hocking) — ranked seventh in the latest AP Division IV poll — captured their first league championship since the 2001-02 campaign, doing so in grand fashion after leading wire-to-wire in the 19-point triumph.

EHS took early leads of 2-0 and 4-2 before the Wildcats (4-12, 2-7) — the defending league champs — rallied back to knot things at four with four minutes left in the opening period. The Eagles, however, closed the final four minutes on a 12-5 surge, allowing the guests to take a 16-9 advantage after eight minutes of play.

The Eagles never looked back from that point on, going on a 15-6 charge in the second canto for a comfortable 31-15 cushion headed into the intermission.

Eastern extended its lead out to 44-20 with 2:45 left in the third quarter before taking a 44-23 edge into the finale. The guests also led by as many as 26 points (53-27) with 4:30 left in regulation, but WHS closed the game on a 12-5 run to wrap up the final margin.

Eastern — which won three straight TVC Hocking titles from 2000 to 2002 — also claimed a sweep of the defending champs after posting a 65-26 victory in the season opener for both clubs back on December 4, 2009, in Tuppers Plains.

The Eagles connected on 23-of-54 field goal attempts for 43 percent, including 3-of-10 from three-point territory for 30 percent. The guests were also outrebounded 26-24 margin overall, including an 11-6 deficit on the offensive glass. EHS also committed just nine turnovers in the contest, eight less than Waterford’s tally of 17 miscues.

Jake Lynch led Eastern with a game-high 21 points, followed by Mike Johnson with a double-double effort of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kelly Winebrenner added seven points, while Devon Baum chipped in six markers.

Both Titus Pierce and Tyler Hendrix contributed four points apiece, Jonathan Barrett added two and Brayden Pratt rounded out the scoring with one point. EHS was also 10-of-15 at the free throw line for 67 percent.

Levi Porter paced Waterford with eight points, followed by Chad Offenberger with seven and Levi McCutcheon with six markers. WHS was 6-of-9 at the free throw line, 15-of-49 from the field overall and 3-of-14 from three-point range.

Waterford salvaged an evening split with a 30-24 victory in the junior varsity contest. Matt Whitlock led the JV Eagles with five points, while Brayden Offenberger paced the JV Wildcats with a game-high nine points.

Eastern completes its TVC Hocking schedule on Saturday night when it hosts Federal Hocking at 6 p.m.