High seeds have high hopes as the tournament begins

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

IN MARCH 2001, THE CANFIELD High girls basketball team advanced to the Division II state title game, losing to Cincinnati McNicholas at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.

Technically, the Cardinals never had a chance to defend their regional title earned at Barberton. The following season, Canfield moved up to Division I, sending Pat Pavlansky’s Cardinals to the Alliance tournament that has been dominated by North Canton Hoover and Boardman.

This season, Canfield (16-2, 11-1 Metro Athletic Conference) dropped back down to Div. II and has become the Mahoning Valley girls team most likely to challenge for a regional crown and state trip.

“They are a special group,” Pavlansky said recently. “They are the most talented group I have ever had in the gym.”

Canfield is led by senior post player Kate Popovec (University of Pittsburgh) and senior guard Bryanne Halfhill, who hasn’t decided on her college choice. Both have scored more than 1,000 points in their four-year varsity careers.

They, along with senior forward Melissa West, are four-year starters. Popovec also has surpassed 1,000 career rebounds.

“I know that there are a lot of coaches in the state of Ohio, if not the nation, who would love to come to our practice every day with the kids I get to deal with,” Pavlansky said.

But before the Cardinals game plan on Columbus, they will need to win their district tournament at Fitch High that begins Saturday. With the top seed, the Cardinals could be challenged by Southeast (19-0) or Salem (12-6) in the district final on Feb. 23.

The second-seeded Pirates are unbeaten and ranked ahead of the Cardinals in the Associated Press poll of state schools. However, their Portage County League schedule doesn’t have the muscle of teams Canfield has faced (Boardman once and Howland twice).

The Quakers have the fourth seed and one of the two wins against Canfield, a 41-36 victory on Jan. 30.

Asked what a regional trip would mean to her, Halfhill said, “I’m not sure. We haven’t done it in basketball.

“But we have big expectations this year. This year, we are D2 and that’s huge for us. We’re hoping to go really far. ”

Meanwhile, Hoover is again the favorite to repeat at the Div. I district tournament at Alliance High. Paul Wackerly’s Vikings have won this district five times since 2002. Ron Moschella’s Boardman won it in 2005 when the Spartans advance to state.

The Vikings (18-2) have two wins over the Spartans (13-7), including last Saturday’s 69-42 triumph in Federal League Tournament title game.

“We hope to see them again,” Moschella said. “The way we played tonight, we might lose in the first round.”

FYI: Boardman plays Canton Timken in the first round, so a first round upset doesn’t seem likely.

This year, they would meet in the district semifinals on Feb. 21.

Asked if he was surprised the third-seeded Spartans jumped on Hoover in the semifinals, Wackerly said, “Nope. Ron doesn’t surprise me. I’ve known him a long time and I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a good coach.

“I think one year I went up. This might be payback. I don’t know.”

In Div. III, most Valley teams are playing at Mineral Ridge High where South Range (17-3, Inter Tri-County League Tier One champions) and Rootstown have the top seeds.

Ursuline, which owns a share of the Steel Valley Conference title, and United, the ITCL Tier One runner-up, are the other seeds.

Sean Durkin’s Irish (12-7) are playing Mooney (11-8) tonight in the season finale. If Jack Bermann’s Cardinals win, they’ll tie the Irish for the crown. If Ursuline wins, the title is theirs outright.

The Div. IV tournament at Hubbard will be dominated by ITCL Tier Two teams as McDonald (18-1), Leetonia (15-4), Sebring (11-7) Lowellville (10-9) are seeded.

Rob Hilbun’s McDonald won the league crown on Monday with a 52-45 win over the Leetonia.

District play opens Saturday and the semifinals will be contested on Feb. 21. The district champions will be crowned on Feb. 23.

williams@vindy.com