Selfless Spartans trounce Jackson

Boardman's pressure defense was too much for the Polar Bears.
By Chuck Housteau
Vindicator Correspondent
BOARDMAN -- Ever since the Christmas break, the Boardman High girls basketball team has been playing good basketball.
"We're starting to get comfortable with each other," said Boardman coach Ron Moschella. "We're not relying on any one person and that makes us a much better basketball team."
The Spartans had four players score in double figures and their tenacious full-court pressure defense forced 28 turnovers as Boardman defeated Massillon Jackson 75-27 in a Federal League contest at Boardman.
Top scorers
April Melquist led the way with 20 points while Courtney Schiffauer added 18. Staci Wahlman came off the bench to score 15 points and freshman Katie Fiffick added 10 points.
The Spartans and Polar Bears were deadlocked at 9-9 with three minutes remaining in the first period before Boardman went on a 31-5 blitz to turn the stalemate into a 40-14 lead at halftime.
Boardman's defense, led by guards Colleen Mallis, Fiffick and Makala Gasparak, harassed the Jackson players during the entire second quarter and the Bears were without a point in the period until the final minute.
Boardman outscored Jackson 25-3 in the second quarter.
"I thought this game was going to be a lot tougher," Moschella said. "Jackson only lost to Perry by one point and we beat Perry by three but our kids worked really hard over Christmas and I think our kids are all starting to play with confidence.
"We just got it rolling tonight and played some pretty good basketball I thought."
Effort ignites offense
Melquist scored 15 of her 20 points in the first half and it was her effort that ignited the offense while Wahlman came off the bench and scored six points during the second quarter rally.
"I think our defense started our rally but I think our offense played better tonight," Moschella said. "The kids that are the role players are starting to play better.
"We're starting to pass the ball better and we're taking good shots and rebounding the basketball."
Moschella said that while the offense is centered around Melquist, Schiffauer and Mallis, it has been the play of the rest of the team that has the veteran coach most pleased.
"Obviously those three are the heart of the team but the other kids are starting to step up," Moschella said. "Wahlman has been playing well, while Fiffick the freshman is starting to show her oats, Lyndsie Hall is playing well coming off the bench and Gasparak doing her thing, has all made us a better team."
Boardman continued to get a team effort into the third quarter as they again outscored Jackson 23-4.
Schiffauer made all four of her shots while Wahlman had another good quarter with seven points.
Boardman also controlled the boards as Schiffauer grabbed nine rebounds while Melquist pulled down eight and Hall five.
Jackson struggles
The Polar Bears could not find any offensive success against Boardman and struggled to hit on just 9 of 52 shots from the field (15 percent) as Jackson either rushed shots or found Spartan hands in their faces while attempting shots.
Despite the win, Moschella said there is still a lot of work ahead for the Spartans who still have to face their Federal League rival North Canton Hoover.
"We have the meat of our schedule ahead of us," Moschella said. "We just want to play and compete. I want the young kids to learn that and I think that they are really starting to respond to that."
Kyle Baumgartner scored 10 points for Jackson while Taylor Hartung added eight.