Experienced Cardinals hold off rivals for MAC title


May 5, 2008 at 10:11p.m.

By Tom Williams

POLAND — It’s hard to imagine a teenager who smiles more than Canfield High junior pitcher Jared Turocy.

With the Metro Athletic Conference crown at stake, Canfield coaches Matt Koenig and Brian Finnigan lifted Turocy with Poland’s potential winning run on base in the seventh inning. Turocy reacted by flashing a grin at his mentors as he changed gloves.

It doesn’t hurt when your support includes 10 members of last year’s Division II state championship team.

Catcher Jake Kucek took over on the mound and induced a groundball out to preserve Canfield’s 5-4 victory that gave the Cardinals (19-2, 11-0) their second straight league crown in the final MAC season.