Pavlik is a 2000 Lowellville High School grad.

Pavlik is a 2000
Lowellville High School grad.

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

LOWELLVILLE — “Pavlik! Pavlik! Pavlik! Kelly! Kelly! Kelly!” rang through the Lowellville High School gymnasium from the 600-plus students.

Many brandished ghost hands and boxing gloves, and they gave world middleweight champion Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik an exciting, emotional welcome home.

Signs decorated the gym for Tuesday afternoon’s all-school assembly.

Some students waved posters saying “The Ghost.” And at the end of the gym, in huge letters, it simply said “PAVLIK.”

Pavlik, a 2000 graduate of Lowellville High School and the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, earned the WBC and WBO middleweight titles Sept. 29 in Atlantic City, N.J., by knocking out Jermain Taylor in seven rounds.

Pavlik basked in the adulation of the students and a couple of hundred adults from the community.

“The support was awesome,” said Pavlik after the event, during which he spent the better part of an hour shaking hands, giving high-fives and hugs, signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans.

Pavlik guaranteed he would return to the school specifically for an autograph day.

“I feel bad that I couldn’t sign autographs for all of the kids,” Pavlik said.

Pavlik would not single out any teacher at Lowellville who particularly influenced him.

“They all were good. It is a good school. Look at the academic level, and they got me through,” he said with a smile.

A couple of staff members said Pavlik had maintained from early on that he would be the world champion.

Mayor James Iudiciani said Pavlik, when in the seventh grade, told Iudiciani’s sister, Cathy Russo, a teacher at the school, that he was going to be a boxer and be champion of the world.

Jerry Tarcy, a longtime guidance counselor at the high school, said he watched a young Pavlik fight at the former Krakusy Hall on South Avenue in Youngstown.

“He was focused and determined to be successful. He put his heart and soul into it,” Tarcy said.

Last fall, when Pavlik visited the school to support the football team, Tarcy proved prophetic.

“I introduced him as the future middleweight champion of the world,” the guidance counselor said.

Even the little kids at Lowellville know who Kelly Pavlik is.

Third-grade pupils from Theresa Iudiciani’s and Laraine Matisi’s classes wrote letters, as part of an assignment, that were among the items presented to Pavlik during the assembly.

Here are some excerpts from the letters.

U“He’s my favorite fighter. And, I am very proud of Kelly.” Steven Ruozzo.

U“Kelly started boxing as a little kid and worked very hard. Many people said he wouldn’t become the champ, but his hard work paid off.” Joseph.

U“He has made our community very proud. Let’s hear it for Kelly Pavlik, the new champion of the world.” Matt Hynes.

U“After proving himself over and over again, they did not want to give him a shot at the title. His title shot finally arose, and even though he was knocked down in the second round, he was too determined to quit.” Emily Gerlick.

U“The announcer said, ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’. All the people yelled Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, over and over again. After seven rounds, Kelly was the champion. The end.” Kaleigh Huber.

Zack Matisi, student council president, and Jessica Bestic, senior class president, presented Pavlik with a plaque from the school. The boxing champion also received a resolution from Lowellville City Council.

Council’s resolution said that Pavlik has “brought pride to the school and community” and that he is an “inspiration to everyone in the Valley.”

Pavlik thanked the students, teachers and everybody who had a part in organizing the assembly.

“I never thought I would miss school, but I do,” he said.

“If you have a goal and stick to it, everything will be fine. The harder you work, the better things turn out,” he told the students.

alcorn@vindy.com