Boardman stays close, Hoover holds on

By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Stunned by the loss of senior point guard Hannah Romano with what’s feared to be a torn ACL, the North Canton Hoover High girls basketball team watched a nine-point, second-quarter lead evaporate against its Federal League archrivals.

Boardman rebounded from an extremely slow start (the Spartans missed their first 10 shots) to take a three-point lead in the fourth quarter.

But the Vikings responded with a 14-6 surge down the stretch for Saturday’s 49-44 win in the Spartans’ gymnasium.

“They all love Hannah Romano and we lost our focus for a while,” first-year coach Tim Vick said. “That’s what I love about these kids — they are high-character kids and we got it done when we had to.”

Both teams struggled to score in the third quarter, but the Spartans (5-9, 2-5) went ahead 34-32 on Alison Borts’ jump shot.

Her layup opened the fourth-quarter scoring and Brooke Meenachan’s basket gave the Spartans a 38-35 lead.

That’s when Laura Wheeler took charge, scoring six of the Vikings’ (13-2, 6-1) next eight points for a 43-38 lead.

“Down the stretch, we lost our composure, we forgot to go to the basket, we forgot what got us there,” Boardman coach Ron Moschella said. “We’ve got to learn that we’ve got to finish.”

Meenachan had a game-high 21 points as well as three steals and three rebounds. Borts came off the bench to score 11 points and make four rebounds while Missy DeMarinis had eight points.

“They played hard,” Moschella said. “I don’t care what anybody says, I think we’re a good basketball team.

“Obviously, losing Kayleigh Lipke with fouls hurt us big,” Moschella said. “At the same time, they lost their point guard and I feel bad for her.”

Kaylee Stroemple led the Vikings with 15 points and five rebounds. Wheeler scored 11 points and pulled down four rebounds while Kelsey Peare netted 12 points.

It was the first time in 12 seasons that Moschella wasn’t coaching against Paul Wackerly, who is now the Massillon Perry boys coach. Over the years, Wackerly and Moschella have engaged in some classic games of one-upmanship on the sidelines.

“It was weird — in that game, we probably would have been punching each other,” said Moschella of Wackerly, “but we do have mutual respect and talk all the time.

“I do miss him, though. It sounds weird, but I do,” Moschella said.

Vick was pleased with the win.

“I know a lot about this rivalry, most storied in the Federal League,” Vick said. “So to come here ... and come from behind and win says a lot about the character of our kids.

“We’re just deep, basically we just wear people out. We have tough kids. We’re running, we’re pressing, we’re more physical and they have a lot to prove. We’ve got all North Canton kids and we’re 13-2.”