Dream becomes reality

The Bulldogs earned a state tournament berth after defeating Akron East, 53-39.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANTON -- Poland High senior Jamie Dunn sat inside the Schottenstein Center in Columbus last March and couldn't shake the empty feeling in his stomach.
He had been going to Columbus every March with his family since he was 5-years old to watch the high school state championships.
"Basketball is pretty much life in my family," Dunn said.
But his dream of playing in Columbus was slipping away, and he had just one more chance to get there.
A reality: Fast forward one year and you'll find a smiling Dunn standing in the center of the Canton Civic Center court with a net around his neck and a huge smile on his face.
"I have tears of joy," Dunn, whose nickname is "Chubbs," said. "I can't comprehend that I'm going."
Poland shook off a slow start to overwhelm Akron East in the final three quarters for a 53-39 victory in Saturday's Division II regional championship.
"I feel like crying," Poland coach Ken Grisdale said. "You work so hard just to have the opportunity to feel like this.
"You don't know if you're ever going to do it."
Dunn led the Bulldogs (23-2) with 14 points and five assists and junior Bill Bartos added 11 points off the bench as Poland won its first regional title since 1972.
The challenge ahead: Poland will play two-time defending Div. III champion Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in the state semifinal at 2 p.m. Thursday in Columbus.
"We knew all season that we could get there," said senior David McGarry, who added nine points and seven rebounds. "It's my senior year and I wanted to go out with a bang."
Poland started the game with a whimper.
The Bulldogs looked tight through the first seven minutes, falling behind 11-2 with 1:19 remaining in the first quarter. But Dunn scored the next five points to cut the deficit to 11-7 after one.
Then Poland clamped down, holding East to 2-of-13 shooting from the floor in the second quarter to take a 19-15 halftime lead.
"We said at halftime, 'They're not as good as us,' " senior Lou DaVanzo, who had five points, said. "Once we got into a groove, we were fine."
Poland outscored East 17-8 in the third quarter to take a 36-24 lead into the fourth. The Bulldogs hit 10-of-12 from the line in the final quarter to seal the game.
"I was looking up at the clock every second in the fourth quarter," said DaVanzo, who was on the state championship football team his sophomore year. "I was thinking, 'Come on.' "
Senior Jarriel Hitchcock scored 12 points for the Orientals (12-10) and Ken Cremer added eight points and 11 rebounds. Wendall Bates had 10 points.
Bulldog support: After the game, an enormous Poland student section lined the courtside. Dozens were decked out in togas.
"Our fans started following us early," Grisdale said. "They've been our sixth man all season."
As the Bulldogs cut down the nets, the students locked arms and sang Poland High's alma mater.
scalzo@vindy.com