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Morgan Czopur South Range | Girls Basketball
South Range senior point guard Morgan Czopur has made two regional trips with the Raiders’ girls basketball team and two with the softball team.
Which sport does she prefer?
“I like them both, but basketball has been one of my my favorite sports to watch, to play,” said Czopur, who helped the Raiders play in their third straight Division III district title game.
After winning district titles as a sophomore and junior, Czopur’s team lost to Canton Central Catholic, 50-47, in the Division III district final at Struthers to finish 23-3. Cozpur, The Vindicator’s female basketball player of the year, scored 17 points in her final game.
At halftime, the Raiders trailed by 15.
“We started fighting back,” Czopur said. “We knew we were getting in their heads.”
A three-year starter at guard, Cozpur admitted she was surprised when Tony Matisi named her a starter right before her sophomore season.
“I was hoping to at least get a little bit of playing time,” Czopur said. “I remember feeling so nervous but once the [first] game got started I [relaxed].”
She said she learned plenty from the three senior starters: Ashley Sharp, Sara Durr and Jordan Youngs.
“They were all great leaders and they really helped prepare [younger players],” said Czopur, who added that season “I had to step up as a leader.”
She said being a two-time district champion creates pressure.
“We had to work harder,” Czopur said. “People expected us to get there easily. Everyone wanted to beat us ... you just had to put all that aside and work hard.”
Her three varsity seasons also were the first three for Matisi, who joined the South Range program for the 2013-14 season.
“He’s a great guy,” Czopur said. “I’m going to miss him a lot, he helped me so much. He really pushed me.
“He just took our jokes — he knew we were so weird. He never got mad at us.”
Although Springfield is South Range’s top rival in football, Czopur said for girls basketball it’s Crestview.
“When I was a freshman, they were really tough to beat,” Czopur said.
Her favorite subject is English.
“I’ve always liked reading and writing papers,” she said.
Her favorite teacher is Dan Yeagley.
She has not yet decided on a college, but says she wants to play basketball and study sports management.