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Ryczaj helps ’Cats to win
By Jon Moffett
Struthers
Adam Ryczaj spent about the first 15 years of his life not really knowing who he was.
Thanks to a surname name with the phonetic-spelling ease of a half-court shot, Ryczaj spent his younger days trying to perfect both his jump shot and autographing his school assignments.
But with what he’s been able to do on the court for Struthers High, people now know his name — even if they can’t say it.
“The announcers have no idea how to say it,” Ryczaj said of his last name. “They just look at it and see a bunch of letters. I even got mixed up with it until about seventh grade.”
Ryczaj (pronounced rich eye) is now a senior. And fans yelled his name during a 68-52 victory against Hubbard High to open up conference play for both schools.
As defending champions of the All-American Conference’s White Tier, the Wildcats were determined to start the year out on the right foot.
“We worked hard and it was good to start the conference play out well,” Ryczaj said. “After losing to LaBrae, we kind of had to pick it up.”
LaBrae has given Struthers its only loss. The Wildcats are 7-1 and undefeated in their lone conference game.
Ryczaj had not only the last name with the most consecutive consonants, but also had 18 points.
He along with the brothers tandem of Nate and Jake Jacubec executed the Wildcats’ inside-outside game to perfection.
When Ryczaj wasn’t drilling buckets inside (he had nine of those), it was Pick Your Jacubec night. Senior Nate scored a game-high 23 points while junior put in 17 more. Each made three 3-pointers.
“It was really nice to have them out there,” Ryczaj said of the Jacubecs. “When they weren’t in, we kind of got a little mixed up and we didn’t really have the shooters outside for me to pass it to when I was doubled.”
Several of those doubles came from Hubbard seniors Kory Hopkinson and Mike Lopuchovsky.
The pair, which would easily make the AAC’s All-Effort Team, each had 15 points and provided the biggest spark for the Eagles (4-4, 0-1).
Struthers coach Joe Savko said it wasn’t a surprise the two brought their A games.
“We knew that they were physical, good athletes and strong kids,” he said. “They played extremely hard, but we knew that going in.”
Hubbard coach Rick Fox said he was proud of his team’s effort, especially that of the senior football teammates.
“I told my kids, I loved the effort and we played hard,” he said. “It’s league play, so we’ll get them again at our place and we’ll be ready for them.”
On a more sobering note, Hubbard sophomore Robert Vargo was helped off the court early in the fourth quarter after sustaining an apparent knee injury.