A championship season for spring sports in Valley

Start with a healthy helping of fierce athletic prowess. Season with 10 years of skillful experience. Add liberal and zesty dashes of teamwork, tradition and tenacity.

You’ll then wind up with the Canfield High School softball team’s recipe for success in winning the 2008 Ohio Division II Softball championship.

The Cardinals defeated Clyde 4-1 in last week’s semi-final game and scored a 6-0 shutout victory over perennial powerhouse Celina on Saturday.

We congratulate the Cards on their first-ever state softball title. Their richly deserved achievement brings honor to themselves, their schools and their community.

Talent, of course, served as the bedrock foundation of the championship squad. And the Cards are loaded with it. Their near flawless play stands out in the record books. These indomitable Canfield teens logged a 23-4-1 record this year and a 75-10 win-loss ratio over the past three years.

That talent did not, however, magically gel overnight. Many of the girls on the team have been playing in organized softball leagues since they were in early elementary school. This is particularly true of the seniors, who dominated this year’s championship season. It’s not surprising then that all seven of them left their mark on the state trophy: Each contributed a hit in last Saturday’s title game at Akron’s Firestone Park.

Senior ace pitcher Tricia Bettura (17-2) scattered four hits to toss her third shutout in her final four tournament games. She also struck out 10 and walked none. Melissa West and Bryanne Halfhill connected off Celina for two hits apiece.

“It’s been a senior year for us,” proud Canfield coach Ronie Haurin said. The teamwork among the seniors spread to underclass players, for whom the veterans served as strong role models.

And though the seniors have now graduated and will likely lend their hands to superlative softball play in college, their spirt of teamwork and tenacity will serve the Cards’ squads of 2009 and beyond with the drive to keep the champion Canfield tradition alive.

Track champs abound

Canfield, however, did not have a mono- poly on state crowns in spring sports this season. About one hundred miles south of Firestone Park at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Stadium, numerous Mahoning Valley track and field standouts garnered state titles in a myriad of events.

Leading the way was triple-crown winner Nicole Honsaker of Mineral Ridge. She captured three state titles in the high jump, 100 high hurdles and the 300 hurdles. East High’s James Allen took first in the 100 meter dash, West Branch junior Emilee Zets won the 800-meter run and the Cardinal Mooney boys outdistanced all others in the 4x100 relay. That team included Ray Vinapol, Braylon Heard, Charles Brown and Matt McWilson.

Ashley Galbraith of Struthers captured the high jump and KaiCee Kubicina of Newton Falls came out No. 1 in the discus.

We heartily congratulate the Canfield softball team and our individual track champs. Together, the titles strengthen the Valley’s statewide reputation as a scrapping powerhouse for high school athletics.