Families reunite at YSU-OSU game

There were split allegiances: Shaun Lane plays for OSU, Ben Lane for YSU.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

COLUMBUS — It’s a family affair.

Several families got together Saturday to watch Youngstown State University’s football team take on the Ohio State University Buckeyes.

For Denella Stanford of Youngstown, the game had special meaning. One of her sons, Shawn Lane, is a senior cornerback for OSU, and another son, Ben Lane, is a junior fullback for YSU. Both also play special teams.

Stanford said about 11 members of her family from Youngstown and Columbus spent Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium watching the two play. Those from Youngstown traveled Friday to Columbus.

“It was exciting to have all of the family together,” she said. “It was also exciting to see them face each other on the field for the first time.”

The two, who played for Hubbard High School, even got to mix it up a bit in the fourth quarter on a kickoff.

Brotherly contact

“They banged into each other,” Stanford said. “It was a love tap. I’m thinking, ‘Play nice and don’t hurt each other.’”

Stanford said she wasn’t rooting for a particular team, but wanted her sons and the players she knows on each squad to do well.

Rich LaBerto of Boardman and his daughter, Shelly, are YSU season ticket-holders. They made the trek Saturday to Columbus to watch the Penguins play the Buckeyes.

“The excitement level is so high,” Shelly, a YSU graduate, said of the game.

The LaBertos traveled last year to watch the Penguins play Penn State and to the University of Pittsburgh game in 2005.

While they didn’t get harassed at those games, the LaBertos say they were received warmly by Buckeye fans.

“Everyone’s been very nice,” Rich said.

Bartelmay family reunion

Eleven members of the Bartelmay family met in Columbus to watch the game. Some are Penguin fans, some are Buckeye fans and some like both teams.

The Bartelmay patriarch, Merton J. of Canfield, who graduated in 1950 from what was then known as Youngstown College, said he was thrilled to have his three sons and seven grandchildren join him at the game.

“It’s an historic game,” he said.

The last time they were all together was for Ohio State’s last national title win, the 2003 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.

The Bartelmays came to Columbus on Saturday from as far away as Marietta, Ga., and New Buffalo, Mich., for the family reunion.

Among them is Brad, one of Merton’s sons and a minister in Michigan, the home state of Ohio State’s biggest rival.

“I’ve been working to evangelize the good news of OSU,” he joked.

Sheridans long-time fans

Wayne and Marilyn Sheridan, who lived most of their lives in the Mahoning Valley before moving to Savannah, Ga., have been coming to Buckeye games for 55 years. The pair met and fell in love while attending OSU.

Marilyn was very involved in helping to raise money for YSU’s recreation center and the pair attended a Friday night reception in Columbus held by Dr. David Sweet, YSU’s president.

Wayne described the YSU-OSU match-up as “kind of cool,” but added that his “loyalty is with the Buckeyes.”

The YSU game was the first time Tony Lariccia of Canfield has attended an OSU football game in 37 years. For his wife, Mary, this was her first OSU game.

“It’s a big deal,” Tony said. “This is big-time football; bigger than the pros.”

Although the Penguins came out on the losing end, Mary said the team played well.

Lariccia, a Merrill Lynch vice president in Canfield, purchased 16 tickets for Saturday’s game for his employees.

“I had to put in a reservation a year ago to get the tickets,” he said.

skolnick@vindy.com