Graziani, Roberts help

Boardman win again

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Boardman has struggled to put points on the board this season.

But the Spartans looked like a well-oiled machine against Federal League foe Canton McKinley on Friday night.

Mario Graziani rushed for 185 yards and three scores and Benji Roberts added 91-yard for Boardman. The dynamic duo combined for 276 of Boardman’s 315 ground yards as the Spartans turned back the Bulldogs, 21-13 in the final game at historic Spartan Stadium.

Boardman will begin the 2015 season at the site of their new home, which is situated in the northeast corner of their Glenwood Avenue campus.

The victory was the Spartans’ first over the Bulldogs (3-6) since 1995.

“This was a big win tonight, not only for us but the entire community. This stadium has been the site of many great games so it was very special for us to be able to close it out on a winning note,” Graziani said. “The coaching staff put together an excellent game plan, preparing us to win and there was simply no denying us.

“With back-to-back wins now, we want to close out the season next week on a winning note and then look toward next year.”

Roberts, a senior, noted that he started his football career at Spartan Stadium a winner and will end his scholastic career on the upside as well.

“This is a very emotional win for the entire team and we now want to close the season next week on a winning note,” he said. “We didn’t start out playing play as a family, but we’re playing like a family now.

“We bought into what the coaching staff was selling to us, practiced and played hard so we were really prepared tonight. I grew up in this stadium and won my very first game with the Boardman Little Spartans, so for me it’s a great feeling to end my career on a winning note as well.”

After a scoreless first quarter, the Bulldogs struck first in the second when quarterback Lee Hurst Jr. hit connected with Bryce Short on a 74-yard touchdown at 6:14 of the period for a 7-0 advantage.

When Graziani scored the first of his three touchdowns at 2:57 of the period, the Spartans (2-7) had forged a tie at 7 heading to intermission.

Hurst’s 3-yard scamper midway through the third period gave Canton McKinley a 13-7 lead after a missed extra point.

Boardman answered with a Graziani 1-yard run and Adam Deeley’s point-after kick for a 14-13 lead after three quarters.

It was a lead the Spartans never surrendered.

Graziani’s 4-yard run at 9:14 of the final quarter was set up by Roberts, who ran the ball seven times o‚à´n the drive for 71 of his team’s 80 yards.

If second-year Boardman coach Joe Ignazio was still searching for that elusive signature win prior to the game, he exited with a two-game win streak and much-needed momentum.

Boardman visits Uniontown Lake in the regular-season finale next Friday.

“I told the team after the game ‘thank you’ for fighting and giving the stadium the send-off that it deserves,” Ignazio said. “All week we sold to the entire team the tradition; the blood, sweat and the tears of what this stadium has stood for over the years and they bought into what we were saying.

“We’ve been through a lot this year. Our schedule was brutal and I cannot tell you how proud I am right now of the team and entire coaching staff. We’ve battled back from 38 kids last year to 68 right now; many of whom were not involved in the program before. It’s always nice to win at home, but to beat a classy program like Canton McKinley and head coach Thom Daniels definitely puts a smile on your face.”’

McDaniels, who is in his first season of his second stint at the helm of the Bulldogs, watched as his team racked up 299 yards total offense; including 214 yards through the air.

“We’re doing more things the right way and not just on the football field. We’re headed in the right direction,” McDaniels said. “We played more as a team tonight, so it was disappointing for them not to get the end result.”