Going pink for a cure

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Neighbors | Pam Jadue.Austintown Fitch girls basketball coach Stacie Cepin and her team went pink for Monday's game against Poland to raise funds for breast cancer awareness. The team, from left, is (front) Anissa Hill, Te'Ann Smith; (back) Coach Cepin, Meghan Carney, Stephanie Berdis, Byanca Henderson, Mariah Snowden, Erica Braxton, Marissa Mattozzi and Alexa Lynn.

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Neighbors | Pam Jadue.The Poland junior varsity team showed its support for breast cancer awareness during the ÒGoing PinkÓ girls basketball event at Fitch High School Monday. Pictured in pink are Kylie Janoso, Meredith Testa, Kaitlyn Poland, Christi Bilas, Liz Suess, Kasie Serich and Marissa Trevis.

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Neighbors | Pam Jadue.The Austintown Fitch junior varsity girls went pink for the ÒGoing PinkÓ event Monday at Fitch High School. Pictured cheering on the varsity Falcons are Rachel Davis, Amber Mems, Courtney Davenport, Briana Edwards, Amanda Vestal and Jessica Scott.

By PAM JADUE

neighbors@vindy.com

The Austintown Lady Falcons and the Poland Lady Bulldogs teamed up Monday to raise breast cancer awareness as they faced off in their second game this basketball season at Austintown Fitch High School.

The first annual “Going Pink” event, spearheaded by Austintown girls varsity Coach Stacie Cepin, was a way to raise awareness and donations to help women who have been faced with a breast cancer diagnosis. This is a cause that Cepin has supported in the past and both teams helped her efforts.

Players and spectators wore pink in honor of the event that raised more than $425 for breast cancer awareness. Cepin spoke to the crowd at halftime, mentioning that this was a cause that she has supported in the past.

She held similar “Pink” events while coaching in Indiana and wanted to bring it to Austintown with the hope that it would help to educate young women about the disease.

She introduced friends from the community who were survivors. Then, spectators who were touched by breast cancer stood and were recognized by a supportive crowd of basketball fans.

“I had the opportunity to meet former women’s casketball coach Kay Yow of North Carolina State University and knowing about her struggle with the disease was a real inspiration for holding the event,” said Cepin.

Coach Yow lost her lengthy battle with breast cancer last year after her third bout with the disease.

Other “Pink” basketball events have been held around the country in memory of Coach Yow.

Monetary donations for the cause were accepted at the door with volunteers selling tickets for a basket raffle to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness.

Both teams wore pink warmup jerseys prior to the start of the game. The Lady Falcons wore “Basketball for a Cure” shirts and added pink socks to their uniforms.

The Poland Lady Bulldogs wore shirts promoting “Coming together for a Cure.”

Future Lady Falcons from Austintown Middle School also attended and supported the event. Prizes were awarded before the end of the game with tickets drawn from the basket raffle.

The Austintown Fitch Falcons won the game, 45-23.