Fitch ousted by GlenOak

Fitch senior James Wallace finished his career with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANTON -- Despite Austintown Fitch High's two-win record, GlenOak boys basketball coach Jack Greynolds refused to allow his team to take the Falcons lightly before Friday's Division I tournament game at the Canton Civic Center.
"I don't [dwell on] records," said the coach of the fourth-seeded Golden Eagles. "Everyone on our schedule is a formidable opponent.
"To me, this game was no less important than [top-seeded] Canton McKinley next week," Greynolds said after the Eagles defeated the Falcons, 65-39, advancing to a district semifinal with the Federal League champions.
GlenOak's spark plug was senior Errick McCollum, who scored the first six points of the game and finished with 23.
"We just wanted to come out and jump on them, and end whatever sense of hope they had," McCollum said.
The early going
The Falcons (2-19) were able to hang with GlenOak for about the first nine minutes of the game. Fitch senior James Wallace scored a putback basket and a 3-pointer to cut GlenOak's early lead to 6-5.
At the end of the first quarter, the Falcons trailed 12-7 when Wallace scored on a jump shot. Sophomore Jon Stockman opened the second quarter with his first of three 3-pointers to reduce the Falcons' deficit to 12-10.
Then the Eagles (18-5) showed why they received a seed by posting a 10-0 run. The margin was never less than 10 the rest of the way as the Eagles led 32-21 at halftime and 49-29 after three quarters.
McCollum said that had it been a regular season game, the Eagles might have backed off in intensity.
"But it's playoff time and my last year so I feel I have a sense of urgency -- if I don't win, then I've got to go home," McCollum said.
Fitch has work cut out
After his first season as Fitch varsity coach, Roger Day said, "It's always sad when a season is over. We've got a lot of work to do.
"We've got to get better at fundamentals -- dribbling, shooting. It's going to take a lot of work," Day said.
"We've got some young guys who could be pretty good. They have a lot of heart and play hard, but that can only take you so far. You've got to be able to shoot the ball, especially when you take about the competition we play -- the McKinley's, the GlenOak's. We've got to get better at those things."
Wallace was standout
One of Day's biggest challenges will be to replace Wallace who averaged 24 points.
Friday, Wallace finished his varsity career with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Stockman scored nine while Andrew Warren added six.
For GlenOak, Mark Moore scored 23 points and John Miller had nine.
In the third quarter, Stockman twisted an ankle when he took a jump shot and landed on an opponent's foot.
"I think he's going to be OK," Day said. "The trainer was a little worried about putting him back in because of where the pain was.
"That's one of the guys we have to build on," Day said. "He's a sophomore, hard-nosed and talented. He's got some work to do on some certain things.
"Anthony Warren didn't play real well tonight, but he's another kid we feel very strongly about. He's got a pretty good shot and a good attitude."
williams@vindy.com