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Back in time: Irish coach Dickson has been to Falls before
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
Ursuline girls basketball coach Vannessa Dickson has fond memories of the huge gymnasium at Cuyahoga Falls High School.
Dickson was a sophomore in 2004 when Ursuline won the Division III state crown. Two years later, her senior season ended with a loss in the state title game at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Those Irish teams won all four regional games at Cuyahoga Falls.
“That place treated me well,” Dickson said. “We won twice there out of my four years so I’m excited to go back. I’ve a lot of good memories and I want my kids to enjoy those memories as well.”
She agree that the size of the place jumps out to first-time visitors.
“When you’re that young, you walk in there with wide eyes and you’re looking around,” Dickson said. “We’re going to enjoy the atmosphere.”
Dickson’s Irish (15-10) will take on Garrettsville (22-4) in a Division III regional semifinal at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The winner will play either Gilmour Academy or Doylestown Chippewa on Saturday for a trip to Columbus.
“Our kids will be ready and excited for the challenge,” Dickson said.
Ursuline won the district title with wins over Cardinal Mooney and unbeaten Columbiana at Struthers Fieldhouse.
Sophomore Dayshanette Harris powers the Ursuline offense. She’s already surpassed 1,000 career points and is a legitimate threat to finish her career with more than 2,000.
This season, Harris has averaged 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Three other sophomores start: Anyah Curd, Nomiki Williams and Lindsay Bell. The other starter is senior Simone Comer who averages 15 points.
“I won’t feel complete if we don’t get to state,” Comer said. “It’s time to work harder to get down to Columbus. In tournament time, it’s survive and advance.”
Harris was pretty much unstoppable in the 60-44 win over the Clippers, scoring 31 points and making five steals.
“We feed off each other well,” said Comer of Harris. “We depend on each other.”
Ahead six points at halftime of the district title game, the Irish scored the next 12 points for an insurmountable 42-24 lead.
“We had the lead, but we had to push it out,” Comer said of the halftime message. “We’re a second half team so we did what we’re used to doing.”
The game that has inspired the Irish the most, Harris says, is last year’s 60-58 loss to South Range in the district semifinals.
“We never want to feel that way again,” Harris said. “We learned that we never want to lose in that close of a game.”
Dickson says the Irish have been playing in tight contests recently, which should help them withstand sustained offensive attacks by strong opponents.
“We weather the runs, we’ve been in close games probably the last 10 of our season, and they’ve learned from that,” Dickson said. “{After] all those close games, I trust them in those situations. We’ve had great composure.”
Dickson said she wants the Irish to treasure the trip to Summit County, Ursuline’s first to Cuyahoga Falls since 2011.
“We’re going to talk to our kids just about having fun,” Dickson said. “These girls are young, so more than just handling business, we want them to have fun.”