Four men named NEO coach of the year

staff report

After losing the core of a team that went 19-5 last season and without a Division I prospect on his roster, McDonald High boys basketball coach Jeff Rasile entered this season with a group of pretty good players who weren’t afraid to dream big.

They haven’t lost yet.

After losing two Division I prospects to graduation over the past two seasons, Howland girls coach John Diehl threw two freshmen into the fire and came away with a 20-0 regular season, a league title and a berth in the Division I district semifinals.

Lowellville girls coach Tony Matisi did Diehl one better, starting three freshmen on a team overstocked with underclassmen and understocked with size. The Rockets won league and district titles anyway.

For their efforts, all three coaches — Rasile and Matisi in Div. IV, Diehl in Div. I — were named Northeast Inland District coaches of the year.

United girls coach Roger Zeigler, who earned the honor in Div. III, may have topped all of them, leading the Eagles to a 22-2 season that included a league crown and their first regional berth in 29 years.

Read the story in Friday’s Vindicator and on Vindy.com.