DIVISION I Multi-faceted Spartans dismiss Harding

A slow start by Amber Bland mattered little in Boardman's romp.
By JOHN KOVACHVINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- There is no doubt that Amber Bland is a special talent and the centerpiece of the Boardman High girls basketball team.
But there also is no doubt that the Spartans are not just one-dimensional, but in fact are deep and multi-talented with an array of players capable of leading the team together or separately.
Proof of that came Thursday night against Warren Harding in a girls Division I sectional tournament final at Alliance High School.
Bland got off to a slow start and Boardman was playing without injured Brittany Durkin, but Diane Snyder, Jessica Moore, April Melquist and Brittany Sirak stepped up for the Spartans and triggered a 67-29 victory over of the Raiders.
Spartans will play Jackson
Boardman (20-1) advanced to a district semifinal next Thursday at 6 p.m. against Massillon Jackson (13-7), which edged Canton GlenOak, 42-41, in another sectional final.
Bland, who is playing on a gimpy ankle, slowly returned to her old self near halftime and finished with a game-high 24 points, while Snyder and Moore scored 12 each. Melquist finished with nine points and Sirak had eight.
"Our team is multi-faceted," said Boardman coach Ron Moschella. "Bland is a constant, you know what you are going to get from her.
"You have to guard [all] our people," Moschella said. "We can shoot."
Desirae Jenkins led Warren Harding (14-8) with 10 points. Janine McDonald and LaBrea Crawford had five rebounds apiece.
But the Raiders were hampered by Boardman's harassing defense, and made only 9-of-43 shots, committed 29 turnovers and were out-rebounded, 48-23. The Spartans were 24-for-47 from the field.
Boardman shot out to a 14-0 lead and expanded the advantage to 36-14 at the half.
"Snyder and Moore got off to strong starts," Moschella said. "Snyder shot the 3 and "[Moore] was all over the boards. She rebounded well. She is getting way better."
Moschella also said Sirak and Melquist turned in strong performances.
"[Sirak] handled the point well," Moschella said.
Snyder hits long range
Snyder made three 3-point goals while Emily Hays grabbed 11 rebounds and Moore 10 as the Spartans dominated the boards, while also playing outstanding defense that prevented Warren Harding from getting anything started offensively.
Moore had six points, Sirak five and Bland four to give Boardman an 18-5 first-quarter lead, and then Snyder scored nine points and Bland six in the second period.
Bland began to assert herself more in the third quarter with eight points to key Boardman to a 51-23 advantage entering the final period.
"[Bland] still is on a gimpy ankle," Moschella said. But, "She wants to play, so she is playing."
However, the coach wasn't pleased with everything.
"We made too many turnovers [25], and at times lost focus," Moschella said. "We haven't played in 14 days, and at times it sort of seemed that way."
He said Durkin has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a knee, and then re-injured it.
"That's been a blow to the team. She was hurt in the 10th or 11th game," said Moschella, noting her playing status is "game-to-game."
kovach@vindy.com