Crowd shows its support for Boardman team before big matchup

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Despite a fading voice, Lady Spartans coach Ron Moschella led the crowd gathered at the team’s send-off pep rally in a cheer.

“We are,” the coach yelled.

“Boardman!” the crowd of students, parents, schoolteachers, administrators and community supporters shouted back.

“We are,” Moschella croaked.

“Boardman!” they yelled back.

The Division I regional champion basketball team headed to Columbus after Wednesday’s rally to get ready for their bout against the favored Lakota West in the semifinal of the state tournament Friday at Schottenstein Center at The Ohio State University.

“In 2005 we didn’t get the job done,” Moschella told those who gathered. “Hopefully, we get the job done here.”

The Lady Spartans are the underdogs going into the game, but the team has made a habit of coming from behind, he said.

Principal Tim Saxton agreed.

“They never quit, they never give up,” he said. “This is the toughest group of girls I’ve seen in a long time.”

Freshmen boys basketball players G.M. Passas and Matt Smaldino have seen that toughness up close.

Their team has been scrimmaging the girls a couple of times a week for the last several weeks.

“They’re good,” G.M. said. “It’s a game every time.”

“They’re intense,” Matt added.

The two boys gathered in the gymnasium for the rally along with fellow freshmen Harry Wolfe, Mike Centofanti, Simon Rafidi and David Kennedy.

“I’m here in support of the girls,” Mike explained.

Both Matt and Harry plan to attend Friday’s big Columbus matchup.

Robert Schiffauer, whose daughter Courtney, a senior, is a team captain and plays guard and forward, also plans to go to the game along with several members of his family and many friends. He says he’s pleased with the show of support the team is getting from the school and the community.

Even though the Lady Spartans are underdogs, he’s confident.

“I like our chances against anyone,” Schiffauer said.

When Courtney took her turn at the microphone, she thanked those at the rally and the principal for organizing it.

“We worked really hard this year,” she said. “We may not have the best record, but we played four nationally ranked teams and I think that made us better.”

Darryl and Claudette Moore sat in the gym’s bleachers supporting their daughter, Darryce, a sophomore and the team’s center.

A group of 10 family members will trek to Columbus for the game. The couple also attended last week’s game when the team defeated Howland at the Canton Civic Center in a come-from-behind victory.

“It was electrified,” Darryl Moore said of the civic center’s atmosphere.

They expect a similar environment Friday.

“There’s been a lot of support,” Claudette Moore said.