Steelers, Poland teachers hoop it up

March 21, 2014 at 12:05a.m.

POLAND

It was a battle to the end.

Dunking, cheering, terrible towels, jump shots and, most importantly, fun filled the Poland Seminary High School gymnasium Thursday evening with the Poland teachers and administrators playing the Pittsburgh Footballers Basketball team.

In the end, the teachers could not defeat the professional football athletes. The final score reached 101 for the Pittsburgh team to 62 for Poland.

“We are just fortunate that they are able to come here. It’s a great community event,” said Poland Union Elementary School Principal Mike Masucci.

The school raised more than $7,000 in 2012 with the same event.

Proceeds from the event helps Poland Union’s parent-teacher organization and goes toward “enhanced student learning,” Masucci said.

About 1,000 tickets sold at $7 a ticket, multiple autographed items were auctioned off, and a 50/50 raffle was drawn. The school receives 40 percent of the profit made from the tickets and all of the profit from the raffle and the auctioned items.

“It’s awesome. It’s a great fundraiser,” said Superintendent David Jano, who “coaches” the teachers’ team.

In addition to the faculty and administrators playing were Poland Township Trustee Eric Ungaro and Student Resource Officer Steven Kent.

One parent also was chosen to play. Frank Elia, a Poland resident and parent of three Poland Union students, immediately applied to join the team.

“They are supreme athletes, but no matter what, [we have to] go out there and have some fun,” Elia said.

And that they did.

Elia wanted to score at least once and ended up making two shots against the aggressive and quick athletes.

On the Pittsburgh side there were a total of eight players with Antonio Brown, number 84, and Le’Veon Belle, 26, seeming to be the crowd favorites.

“I am very very pleased. I think everyone had a good time,” Masucci said. They were very competitive.”