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Springfield taking steps to success
Springfield vs Patrick Henry
Gallery
Springfield vs Patrick Henry June 6, 2009. Patrick Henry 3, Springfield 1.
Photo
Springfield's Ronnie Bovo loseshis hat while trying to run down a hit off the bat of Patrick Henry's Austinton Bower.
The two-tiered Inter Tri-County League is being credited for helping.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS — Before Friday’s Division IV state semifinal baseball game between Hamler Patrick Henry and Reading, Springfield High athletic director Jeff Dyer said he was pulling for Patrick Henry.
Why?
“It would have been de ja vu all over again,” Dyer said.
Dyer’s preference stemmed from Springfield’s experience at the 1980 state title game, which was against Reading. At that time, the Bill Wesley-coached Tigers fell to Reading, 10-5, for the Class AA crown.
Springfield was also a state runner-up in 1930 in Class B.
“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride,” Dyer said before knowing the outcome of Saturday’s game, a 3-1 loss to Patrick Henry in the championship game.
The 2009 version of Springfield’s baseball program was the latest of those periodic steps of success made over the years.
Dyer said the restructuring of the Inter Tri-County League has helped the program immensely.
“Our league has certainly improved our athletics,” Dyer said. “Going to tiers was a wake-up call, a realization that we have to get better in just about every sport.”
Dyer said the Tigers won’t back down from a challenge from anybody in any division.
“We’re willing to play anybody who’s willing to play us,” he said, noting that Springfield bumped up its baseball schedule this season to play Boardman, Austintown Fitch and Ursuline.
Springfield’s only losses in baseball were to Columbiana (twice), Neshannock and Poland.
“We tried to play Canfield, but we couldn’t get them on our schedule,” Dyer said.
Because of the progressive movement, the Tigers have taken their lumps, especially in boys basketball (against Poland and Canfield) and girls basketball (against Boardman and Mooney).
“But you have to play up to make you a better program, a better team,” Dyer said.
He made an exception for football, explaining that it’s sometimes unwise to venture beyond a reasonable level of competition.
Ironically, Springfield moves up from Div. VI to Div. V in football next fall.
Dyer said the Tigers’ volleyball team reached the regional semifinals last fall before falling to Gilmour Academy, the same school that ousted Springfield’s baseball in the regional title game last spring.
“I’d put our league against any in our area in volleyball,” Dyer said of the ITCL Tier One.
Dyer credits the rise of the baseball program to the Springfield Baseball Association and the school’s athletic boosters.
“Between financial backing and manpower, the facilities we have today are due to those two groups,” he said.
After Springfield’s 1994 state appearance under Richard Cyrus, Dyer hired Cory Gregorino as coach. Gregorino attended Springfield his last two years of high school after leaving Columbiana, which had sports-funding problems at the time.
“He was 25 at the oldest,” Dyer said of Gregorino’s age. “Cory brought Bob Beam on board as an assistant,” Dyer said of Springfield’s current coach, who played at Boardman. Beam has been at the school five seasons with a 115-38 record.
Some names from Springfield’s baseball past are Jerry Huda and Rich Bloomingdale.
“Huda is a big Springfield name,” Dyer said, then added another former athletic Huda: Ed.
Bloomingdale graduated in the mid-1960s and played in the Detroit Tigers’ system.
“Had it not been for a shoulder injury from an auto accident, he could have made it big,” Dyer said of Bloomingdale, who passed away a few years ago.
The athletic director said that a standout player on Springfield’s 1930 team, Frank Percic, went on to coach 30 years at the school.
“He started football at Springfield,” Dyer said of a six-man version of the sport.
With the graduation of seven seniors — four of whom were starters, Dyer said the 2010 team should have a nice core of players.
bassetti@vindy.com