BASKETBALL Seniors steal the spotlight for Stow, while Bland guides Boardman

ASSOCIATED PRESS
It's that time of year to spotlight seniors playing their final home game. Isn't it funny how they usually steal the spotlight anyway?
Take, for example, Stow coach Bob Podges' dilemma. He wanted to honor his seniors but the Bulldogs (15-2) were meeting unbeaten Barberton in the biggest game of the year.
Still, it was Senior Night, so Podges replaced three juniors so he had all five seniors in the starting lineup.
They didn't disappoint, fighting to a stalemate before the first sub came in midway through the opening quarter. And Stow went on to one of its biggest victories in years, upsetting the Magics, 60-49.
Speaking of seniors, one of the state's best is Boardman's Amber Bland. She had a string of eight straight 30-plus point games snapped, settling for a meager 27 in a 64-37 victory over Canton McKinley.
The 5-foot-9 Penn State signee has already passed the 2,000-point mark in career scoring.
Shooting stars
Jake Robinson of Beaver Local scored 19 of his 30 points in the third quarter of a 71-48 victory over Wintersville Indian Creek; and Kevin Weybright scored 32 points to lead Wyoming past defending Div. III state champ Reading 53-44. Niles McKinley's Stacia Ray set a school record with eight 3-pointers in a recent victory over Campbell Memorial.