Lowellville's girls give gym going-away gift

Danielle Hvisdak had a game-high 19 points as the Rockets went to 7-0 against previously unbeaten Crestview.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
LOWELLVILLE -- Good-bye, old friend. You've meant a lot, but we've got somewhere else to go.
The Lowellville High basketball teams will open play in their new school on Jan. 10, which features a boys-girls doubleheader against Western Reserve.
Half of the teams' departure from their current venue is complete after the girls put their final stamp on the old Lowellville gymnasium Thursday with a 70-48 victory over Crestview.
"That was the positive aspect coming into this game," said Lowellville senior Danielle Hvisdak, who scored a game-high 19 points against the Rebels. "That's probably what motivated us the most, knowing that we were in front of our fans here one last time. We didn't want to let them down."
Spectacular spectators
Although the game, which featured two unbeaten teams, didn't pack the 50-year-old Lowellville gymnasium, it showcased the Rockets' student section. Its members waved "Go LHS!" and Italian flags while wearing togas and chanting "seven-and-oh!" when the game's final seconds counted down.
"We knew we had to win the last game in the old school and we know we have to win the first one in the new school," said Lowellville senior Tami Nero, who added 15 points for the Rockets.
Hvisdak and Nero recalled their most memorable moment in the building -- their first career victory over Springfield, which occurred last year.
But what about Thursday's victory, which ran the Rockets' record to 7-0? It got the vote of Lowellville coach Tony Matisi for the building's best game.
"Two 6-0 teams coming to close this place down," said Matisi, who played his high school basketball at Lowellville. "It would have to be tonight. It was special."
When the girls team plays its next home game, it will step onto a shinier court in a bigger gymnasium, which doubles the 400 seating capacity of the current venue.
"We're excited about moving into the new school, but I really don't want to leave at this time," said Matisi, citing his team's winning streak. "It's mixed emotions."
With its start, Lowellville kept alive aspirations of matching -- and surpassing -- last season's team, which lost in the district championship game to Leetonia.
"We'll move on to new and exciting things," Nero said of the venue change, "but we'll keep winning. We'll keep on rolling, baby."
Hvisdak added, "We feel that no matter where we go, we're still going to play the same way we've been playing the last seven games."
The game
Crestview led 31-27 at halftime, but the Rebels were outscored 43-17 in the second half and suffered their first defeat.
Kate Kestner led Crestview with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Cheryl McCall had 13 points and Katie Kibby 11 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks.
For Lowellville, Dana Donatelli added 16 points and 11 rebounds, earning Matisi's praise, and Amanda Nero had 12 points.
The old Lowellville gymnasium will hold its final game on Dec. 27, when the boys play host to Leetonia. Students will begin classes in their new school on Jan. 6.
richesson@vindy.com