Springfield ices 20-0 mark
The Tigers capped their first perfect season in 22 years.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NORTH LIMA -- Sandi Kohler was a freshman at Springfield High during the 1981-82 season, which just happened to be the last time the Tigers went 20-0.
"I got to play," she said. "I got to do clean-up duty, mostly."
Not much, but at least she didn't spend the whole season watching an undefeated team from the sidelines.
This time, she did. But she played a much bigger part.
"We knew coming into the season that we had a lot of the pieces of the puzzle," said Kohler, now the coach of the Tigers. "We had the ball handler, we had the size, we had the experience.
"We didn't look at it like were going to go 20-0, but when we looked at our schedule, we didn't think there was a team on it that we couldn't compete with."
Her players agreed. They just noticed it sooner. A month after last season ended, the team had already put up signs that read 20-0.
"We thought we could do it," said senior Sarah Fannon. "Finally, it all came together."
Raiders fall
And it happened Thursday night, as the Tigers (20-0, 14-0) pulled away from Inter-County League rival South Range, 52-43.
It was Springfield's second straight league title (they shared it with Lowellville last season) and 27th straight regular-season win.
The last team to beat them? South Range.
"Before the game, [Raiders athletic director] Don Feren came up to me and said, 'Take it easy on us,' " Kohler said. "I told him these games are always tough. I knew tonight wouldn't be any different."
The Raiders slowed Springfield's standout forward Lindsay Johnson (she had just eight points and three rebounds), but the other Tigers stepped up nicely.
Fannon, who is just 5-foot-5, grabbed nine rebounds to go along with six points, three assists and two steals. Junior Angelina Fiumara scored a game-high 19 points and sophomore Christy Warren had 12.
"It's just a lot of teamwork, working together and working hard every day throughout the season," Fannon said. "It's a great feeling."
Turnaround
South Range used an 11-0 run to turn a 24-15 deficit with 2:40 remaining in the first half into a 25-24 lead in the opening minute of the third quarter. But the Tigers regained the lead on their next possession and never trailed again.
The Raiders got within six, 49-43, with 1:05 remaining, but couldn't get closer. Jodi James had eight points and eight rebounds for South Range (11-9, 9-5). Tara Chizmar also scored eight points.
The teams combined for 44 turnovers, including 23 by the Raiders.
Springfield has won or shared 12 ICL titles since the league started girls basketball in 1974 -- the most by any team.
Kohler has won five of those.
"I could probably say with all honesty that this team didn't have the typical distractions," Kohler said. "The kids are such good friends. They don't really fight. They work really hard. They joke around. The biggest competition is who can make the best funny each day."
That spirit started last season, Kohler said.
"The kids from last year's team are just as much a part of this as this year's team," she said. "Those seniors were great leaders and they taught these seniors how to lead.
"This team has been fun to coach."
scalzo@vindy.com