Spartans eliminated by McK

Boardman didn't crack the 10-point mark until 3:01 remained in the second quarter.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- Canton McKinley's biggest girls basketball victory in five years has snapped the six-year streak of Boardman and North Canton Hoover ending each other's seasons.
Powered by Porsche Poole's 25 points and six rebounds, the Bulldogs (17-5) bounced the defending state semifinalist Spartans, 51-39, Thursday in a Division I district semifinal game at Alliance High School.
"Any time you beat someone three times, especially a team as good as Boardman, I think that's a great accomplishment," said McKinley coach Gary Trbovich, who was filling in for suspended head coach Mark Hyser.
Because of violating a team rule, Poole didn't start the game and was to sit out the first quarter.
But when Shauntiva Humphries suffered an eyepoke and the Spartans (15-8) jumped out to a 5-0 lead, Poole's penalty was over.
"Sometimes those [penalties] don't last as long as they should," Trbovich said.
Bulldogs recover
Poole scored eight points in the second quarter as McKinley opened up a 20-15 lead.
To put it mildly, the Spartans struggled on offense, making just one of their 10 shots in the opening quarter and three of nine in the second. They didn't crack the 10-point mark until 3:01 remained in the second quarter.
In the second half, the defending state semifinalists fell apart at the free throw line, missing 10 foul shots.
Despite those woes, the Spartans climbed back into the game when senior point guard Colleen Mallis made two 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter to cut McKinley's lead to 30-27.
"It was very exciting," senior forward April Melquist said of the surge. "She made some major threes."
With several key Bulldogs in foul trouble, Mallis believed that the Spartans were about to take charge.
"I really thought we were going to win it," said Mallis, who led the Spartans with 15 points. "[The Bulldogs] played so much worse than they normally play -- I don't know what happened. Our offense didn't do too well."
Poole's did. She made two more baskets to restore a seven-point lead and finished the fourth quarter with 11 points to cap a season sweep of Boardman.
"We beat them three times and got our revenge from last year," Poole said. "They basically embarrassed us last year and we wanted to get a chance to play Hoover again so we killed two birds with one stone."
Assignment accomplished
Trbovich said the one thing the Bulldogs did differently this time was put Bianca Husten on Boardman's top player, Courtney Schiffauer.
Schiffauer was limited to three baskets -- none 3-pointers -- in scoring nine points. Melquist scored 13.
The Bulldogs felt they wore the Spartans down by increased use of their defensive press.
"Any time you press a time, they've got to run and it's going to affect their shots," Trbovich said. "Our defense did that tonight."
McKinley's Octavia Ballard scored 10 points, but dominated the boards, pulling down 10 rebounds.
McKinley's last district final appearance was in 2001 against Boardman. This time, they'll play Hoover (20-2).
williams@vindy.com