Boardman runs past McKinley

The Spartans will play Hoover in the Federal League title game.

CANTON — After watching tape of his team’s regular season loss to Canton McKinley, Boardman High girls basketball coach Ron Moschella had a simple message for his team on Saturday: Just run, baby.

Courtney Schiffauer scored 20 points and Monica Touvelle added 18 as the visiting Spartans blitzed the Bulldogs in the second quarter en route to a 68-49 victory in a Federal League tournament semifinal.

Boardman (13-6) will meet North Canton Hoover in the championship game at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Alliance High School.

“Last time we played, they beat us with their pressure,” said Moschella, who missed that game when his granddaughter had open heart surgery. “Today, we said we really just wanted to have fun. Instead of worrying about how to score, we wanted to get the ball up and down the floor as fast as possible.

“I think the kids like to play that way. It’s a lot more fun.”

Trailing 14-6 after the first quarter, the Spartans outscored McKinley 25-12 in the second quarter and capped the game with a 27-11 advantage in the fourth quarter. Boardman forced 25 McKinley turnovers.

“I don’t think McKinley expected that,” said Moschella, whose team lost to McKinley 54-46 in the regular season. “They were tired by the second quarter.”

Schiffauer also had 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Darryce Moore, who missed a game earlier in the week with a dislocated finger, added 15 points and sophomore Doriyon Glass had seven points in one of her best games of the year. Glass missed the first half of the season recovering from an ACL injury.

Regardless of the outcome of next Saturday’s game, Boardman will likely see Hoover again. The Spartans, seeded third in the Division I tournament, opted to jump into the Vikings’ bracket early, meaning they’d play in the Thursday semifinal round instead of Saturday.

“That’s the game,” said Moschella, whose team lost the regular season meeting to the Vikings 40-33. “Boardman-Hoover again. It’s been going like this for 10 years. When we got the third seed, we just said, ‘The heck with it, let’s play Hoover.’ If Hoover beats us, I’ve got an early golf vacation. If we win, we’ll play for the district championship.

“That was our choice. Hoover’s Hoover, though. It’ll be a war. But it always is, isn’t it?”

Jackson 42, Fitch 40

MASSILLON — Trailing by 11 entering the fourth quarter, the Falcons (5-11, 1-9) bounced back to tie the Federal League contest twice before losing to Jackson (7-12, 3-6).

Fitch senior Katie O’Laughlin made two free throws to tie the score at 38 with two minutes left. After a Jackson basket, Falcons senior Cassie Banfield scored to tie it at 40.

Jackson raced down the floor and was fouled and tossed in the first of two free throws. Fitch got the rebound on the missed foul shot and called timeout.

The Falcons then threw the ball away on the inbound pass and fouled Jackson, which again made one of two free throws with less then a second remaining to complete the scoring.

“I am proud of the way the girls came back to tie the score twice in the final quarter,” said Fitch coach John Hudson.

Seniors Kayla Hanuschak and Rachel Rouan each scored 13 points for Fitch and Banfield added eight. Courtney Armsey led Jackson with 10 points.