Struthers set to host scrimmages
By Dan Hiner
Mike Wernicki knew his experiences as a Youngstown State men’s basketball assistant would impact the Struthers boys basketball team. But the first-year Wildcats coach started off the court.
Struthers High School will host the first Northeast Ohio High School Coaches vs. Cancer doubleheader today at Struthers Fieldhouse to raise money for cancer and Parkinson’s disease research.
“I’m personally invested in them because I have family members that are effected by both,” Wernicki said. “The other thing is, in the Valley, I don’t think we do enough to do different things other than just play games during basketball season.”
Coaches vs. Cancer is a staple in college basketball, with coaches and players donning pink for cancer awareness. YSU has competed against Kent State and Akron in recent years, and Wernicki’s variation has local ties.
Poland will open with Orange at 5:30 p.m. and Struthers will play Steubenville at 7 p.m. Both games are considered scrimmages, but will operate like a regular-season game.
Poland and Struthers aren’t the only local connection. Orange is coached by Ashen Ward, a former YSU guard who is entering his second season with the program.
Wernicki’s first call was to Poland coach Ken Grisdale in July. The doubleheader was originally intended to be an “Ohio vs. Pennsylvania” event, but Pennsylvania rules prevented the out-of-state teams from participating.
“I was going for the best teams that I could get — obviously understanding that we might not win the game,” Wernicki said. “That’s not what it was about. I was trying to create as good of an event that could raise as much money and raise as much awareness as possible.”
Tickets are $5. All proceeds benefit the Parkinson’s Foundation and the American Cancer Society.