Glenwood 8th graders: Too many close games

Now in his fourth season as coach of the Glenwood Middle School eighth-grade boys program, Jim Bennett preaches the team concept to his players while their main objective is to get better each and every time out.

Like their seventh-grade counterparts, they played host this past week to rival Austintown Blue Middle School and then traveled to Austintown for a game with their Red Middle squad, hoping to improve on their 1-7 overall start.

“I feel like we are progressing and improving each time out. A year ago, our eighth grade boys team didn’t win a game during the regular season, finishing 1-15 overall after splitting two games in the post-season tournament.

“We’ve had quite a few close games, more than we care to think about so we’re hoping for a reversal of fortune the second half of the season,” Bennett stated.

Alan Burns, grandson of the legendary Spartan boys basketball coach by the same name, pairs with Branon Williams in the backcourt; Mario DiIullo (whose brother Dom is a member of the seventh-grade team) and Tyler Heintz are the starting forwards with Bryce Saunders clogging up the middle for Bennett’s squad. Off the bench, the coach relies on guards Jimmy Augustine and Justin Maroni; forwards Nick Hura, Dion Santiago and Rudy Tepsick, and post players Corey Saluga and Greg Thomas.

“We have a great group of kids so as long as we keep getting better and progressing like we have thus far, then I feel like we can make some noise the last half of the season,“ Bennett added.