Poland High boys basketball gets acclaim as AP’s top Div. II team

Warren Harding (17-1) finished sixth in the Div. I poll, while Wellsville (18-1) was sixth in Div. IV.

POLAND — Poland High boys basketball coach Ken Grisdale has spent the past 15 years trying to build his program into one of the state’s best.

Apparently, people noticed.

The Bulldogs (18-0) earned 16 of 27 first-place votes to finish first in Division II in Ohio’s final Associated Press poll on Monday.

It is Poland’s first basketball poll title. Chillicothe (18-2) finished second in the voting, 245-225, while two-time defending champion Dayton Dunbar was third.

“It’s awesome for our kids,” Grisdale, the winningest coach in school history, said. “It’s a great honor for people around the state to recognize that we have a quality program.”

Grisdale, who led the Bulldogs to their third state tournament appearance last spring, is 241-101 in 15 seasons as head coach at Poland. The Bulldogs finished second in the 2003 poll behind state champion Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. Poland went 19-1 that year, with a loss to Springfield in the final regular season game.

Grisdale credited his players, particularly seniors like Ben Umbel and Anthony DeFelice, for their unselfishness and work ethic, which led to the team’s success.

“I know how hard the people around here worked,” he said. “It’s a great group of kids and they deserve it.”

Grisdale has kept his eye on the poll during the season — the team gets its share of attention in the hallways — but he also knows it doesn’t matter in the long run. The tournament does.

“The kids keep it in perspective,” he said. “They know it’s nice, but it’s like Ohio State football. You have to go out on the field and win it.

“But it’s nice to be recognized and respected.”

Warren Harding (17-1) finished sixth in the Div. I poll, while Wellsville (18-1) was sixth in Div. IV.