United Way Holiday Classic at Poland

December 9, 2016 at 12:06a.m.

POLAND

The fifth annual United Way Holiday Basketball Classic returns to Poland High School on Saturday with four games slated for the Bulldogs’ gymnasium beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Two boys and two girls contests highlight all of the action with the host Bulldogs returning with both teams for a fifth consecutive year.

The girls get the day started when Poland takes on the LaBrae Vikings in the opener, followed by the Boardman Spartans who meet ITCL power South Range at 3 p.m.

Boys take center court at 4:30 p.m. when the Girard Indians go up against South Range, followed by Poland as it entertains Boardman in the nightcap.

“For the past five years our Holiday Basketball Classic has hosted some of the best teams in Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. It just continues to gain interest and support,” said Bob Hannon, president of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. “Each year we bring different teams to the classic to compete and this year we are honored to welcome both Boardman boys and girls teams to the competition. All the money raised stays here in the community to help fund early education programs and emergency services.”

The Poland girls went 21-3 a season ago, winning their first league crown since 2003 when they shared the All-American Conference, White Tier title with Lakeview.

“We had no seniors a year ago so we’re already a tested unit,” head coach Nick Blanch said. “We enjoy playing in the classic because it is for such a great cause. There are no losers as everyone is a winner in my book.”

Blanch will rely on seniors Emily Melnek and Jillian Penman with Bella Gajdos and Maggie Sebest, both juniors and sophomore Sarah Bury rounding out the starting unit.

LaBrae is coming off a 12-10 campaign and will be led by seniors Morgan Meyer and Haylie Kiser. Hannah Hill, Marissa Roberts and Alexis Huscroft also comprise the Vikings’ starting unit.

“We aren’t very tall this year so we’ll need to take advantage of our scoring opportunities and play hard from the opening tip,” head coach Larry Sanderson said.

Veteran head coach Tony Matisi’s Raiders are coming off a 22-4 season and in three seasons at the helm, has led South Range to a 67-13 overall mark with three ITCL and two district championships.

“We’re very young and learning on the fly. We’re just hoping that by January, when league play fully kicks in, that we’ll be right where we need to be,” Matisi said.

The Raiders feature Maddie Durkin, a junior on track to score her 1,000th point this year and guard Sami Patrone.

The Spartans will counter with mainstays Lauren Gabriele, Jenna Vivo and Lauren Pavlansky.

“We graduated eight seniors from last year’s team so we are young, but our three senior leaders will provide much needed leadership,” Spartans coach Jeff Hammerton said.

South Range boys coach John Cullen won his 500th game last season, guiding the Raiders to a 17-8 overall mark and the district semi-finals.

Players to keep an eye on include twins Dan and Anthony Ritter, Mark Vennetti, Brandon Youngs, Taymer Graham, Brady White and Jaxon Anderson.

“This is a team that throughout the offseason played for each other, not with each other and that’s the highest compliment that a coach can give his players,” Cullen said.

Girard’s Craig Hannon will start three sophomores in Austin Clausell, Austin O’Hara and Mark Waid with Anthony Graziano and Anthony Backus rounding out his starting unit.

“We’re a really young team and the only way they’ll get experience is to get them plenty of reps, which is our plan in the early going,” Hannon said.

Ken Grisdale of perennial league contender and tournament tested Poland will start two sophomores, a junior and two seniors as he seeks to replace a bevy of experience from the past three seasons lost to graduation.

“This is a great opportunity to assist the United Way with their efforts on behalf of kids and the entire community,” Grisdale said. “This tournament helps everyone realize that there is much more out there than basketball.”

Braden O’Shaughnessy and Kyle Patterson are the two returning Bulldogs letterwinners on whom to keep an eye.

The Spartans are battle tested, returning eight letterwinners to the fold including J.R. Ryan, a first-team all-AAC, Red Tier selection last year and Holden Lipke, the team’s rebounding and assist leader.

“The chemistry is definitely there and so is the experience,” Boardman head mentor Pat Birch said. “We lost three games in overtime a year ago and a couple that came down to the last few possessions. Those are games we need to win this year.”

Doors open at 12:30 p.m. with tickets $8 for adults and $4 for students.

Further information can be obtained by calling the United Way offices at 330-746-8494.