POLAND OH- It was senior night in Poland, and the Bulldogs were honoring their special 3 seniors. Abby Farber, Connie Cougras, and Morgan Kluchar are all watching their time at Poland dwindle. However, they aren’t done yet. Despite a scrappy fight from a determined Girard team, the Bulldogs were able to come away with a 63-52 win.
Cougras shared the team lead in points with Katie McDonald as they both finished with 13. Kluchar was also in double figures with 11. Ava Nicholudis came off the bench and shined bright scoring a solid 10 points.
Gurard was led by a fantastic effort from Seasia Triplett who got a game-high 19 points. Mia Malito was also in double figures for Girard with 12. Abbie Rafferty had a good day behind the arc hitting 3 threes and finishing with 11 points.
Poland stays in league play on Monday as they travel to Lakeview. Girard will host Niles.
Postgame Interview With Nick Blanch:
Postgame Interview With Ava Nicholudis:
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ACFF39D7-4D18-4AFA-9380-B6377F04D992.jpeg8131509Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2022-01-28 16:49:162023-07-14 23:42:36POLAND SHINES ON SENIOR NIGHT
GIRARD, OH- The Lady Indians hosted Hubbard on Monday on a night where there were several cancellations across the area due to weather. The Lady Indians were able to score double digits in each of the four quarters en route to a 49-25 victory.
Mia Malito led in scoring with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Abby Rafferty supplemented the offense by scoring 7 points. Sieasia Tripplet also had 7 points, 10 steals and 6 assist. Seyhan Dede added 6 points. MaKanzee White had 5 points. Allison Durkin added 4 points. Madison Logue had 2 points and Sophia Latell scored her first points in varsity with 2 points.
Helping with the win without scoring were Esra Dede, Aly Wakefield, Airianna Clardy, Abigail Iceman and Alexa Jones.
*Story contributed by Richard Plant and girardindians.org
GIRARD, OH – The Struthers Wildcats have been a team to be reckoned with over the past couple of seasons. They have just come off a regional appearance last season while winning 22-straight games in Northeast 8 play heading into Friday’s game at Girard. Indians coach Craig Hannon was well aware of the team he was about to face and worked tirelessly to draw up a game plan to slow down the Wildcats. That hard work would pay off as Girard overcame the Struthers attack to hold off Struthers 53-50, the Wildcats’ first loss since February 4, 2019, when they lost to South Range 34-32. Hannon was really excited for his players following the upset victory.
“It feels great. I’m happy for our kids, happy for the community, happy for Girard, but more our kids than anything else. They put a lot of work in these last two days to get ready, and we beat a darn good basketball team because that’s what they are. A darn good team and it was an exciting win, and it’s always good to get those on your home floor.”
The game would not start off in the right way for Girard as Struthers used an explosive attack to build up a 22-13 lead at one point in the second quarter. The Indians, however, did a great job responding to the adversity as they answered Struthers’ game with a 14-0 stretch late in the period. The run involved a fast transition game, more notably Mike Palmer’s quick four points to help lead the push. Hannon stayed calm under the pressure and let the game speak for itself.
“I mean, they, Struthers made shots and made it tough on us and we just had to fight through that and battle through that, and I thought our kids did that. There wasn’t much I had to say. We just had to settle down and do what we needed to do.”
The game would come down to the free throws at the end. Both teams struggled from the line earlier in the contest, but the Indians were the team that made them when they mattered the most. They went 4/5 in that late fourth-quarter stretch, ending the game 8/14 from the charity stripe while Struthers only finished 5/15 from the line. Hannon knew that his team would have to make them if they wanted to knock off the NE8 powerhouse.
“Well, you gotta make ‘em. Our mindset is they gotta go in, and we made just enough, but we need to do a little better job of making front ends and taking care of the ball late. ”
The Indians have been led by junior Thomas Cardiero throughout the majority of the season. When he was called upon to make those free throws, he did what he needed to do, going 2/3 from the line during that late stretch as a game-tying shot by Struthers’ Nick DelGratta fell short and all but sealed the verdict. He would end up going 6/7 from the charity stripe and end the game with a team-high 16 points. Hannon was really proud of the way he has developed throughout his junior season.
“He’s been a great player for us since his freshman year, and he’s evolved into just a great all-around player. I thought him and Ronnie Leonard [who led all scorers with 19] was a great battle tonight. Fun to watch and I look forward to more between the two of them.”
The Indians will improve to 8-3 on the year with the upset win as they go to 5-2 in conference play. They will have a short turnaround as they have another game on Saturday on the road at Liberty in the Battle of Belmont. Hannon and his team will take tonight to celebrate before hitting the road in an early afternoon matchup.
“There’s not much time, because it’s at 1:30 tomorrow, so we’ll just come out, try and execute at the same level and do what we can to get a win.
The Wildcats will drop to 6-3 overall as they drop to 5-1 in NE8 play, their first loss in 22 tries. They will also have back-to-back games as they will host a tough Villa-Angela St. Joe’s squad down at the Struthers Fieldhouse. The game is slated for a 7:00 P.M. varsity tip.
YSN’s Noah Ricks got a chance to talk to winning coach Craig Hannon following tonight’s contest. You can watch the full interview below.
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/D9566C82-DBA0-4E66-88ED-04C78E6BF656.jpeg14762358Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2022-01-16 04:37:322022-01-16 04:37:32GIRARD PULLS OFF THE STUNNER
GIRARD OH- No one not named South Range has ever beaten Poland inside NE8 play. And even the Raiders have only done it once since the league started. That trend emphatically continued on Thursday night as Poland thumped an up an coming Girard team 64-28.
Morgan Kluchar led the Bulldogs with 15 points on the night. Abby Farber and Connie Cougras were also in double figures with 10 points each. 10 different Bulldogs got themselves on the stat sheet. Mary Brant, and Leanne Williams both added 7.
Girard was paced by Mia Malito, and Abbie Rafferty who each had 8 points.
Both teams will venture outside the league next week as Poland will host Canfield on Monday, and Girard will travel to McDonald on Tuesday.
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/5F67E220-3431-4539-916A-335071ADB3C6.jpeg8841505Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2021-12-17 15:24:052023-07-14 23:11:46BULLDOGS CONTINUE DOMINATION OF THE NE8
GIRARD, OH – The gym at Girard High School was almost packed as the host Girard Indians and the visiting South Range Raiders squared off in a heated Northeast 8 matchup. Coach Craig Hannon and the Indians would have the upper edge as they held off the Raiders in a nail-biting 58-56 victory on Friday in the conference opener for both teams.
“I thought we played a pretty good basketball game,” Hannon told YSN’s Noah Ricks. “We need to do a better job late in the game, take care of business. I thought we gave up a big lead, but credit to South Range. They played hard for the whole 32 minutes, and I feel good for a Northeast 8 win. They are always hard to come by.”
The Indians opened up a good first half lead thanks to the effort of Thomas Cardiero. The 6’5’’ junior never missed a beat, attacking hard inside the paint and getting good looks and mid-range shots from the elbow. His big-time moment came at the end of the first half when he drained a three to beat the buzzer and build up a 31-25 lead at the intermission. He was dominant the entire night as he led all scorers with 26. Hannon commended Cardiero for his non-stop work ethic that played a huge factor in the close victory.
“Well, Thomas works hard, he puts a lot of time in. A little bit of everything went well for him tonight. He attacked the rim well, stuffed two big free throws for us, made a bunch of threes, so he’s a good player. He’s going to continue to get better and I’m excited to see his growth.
Girard used a slow, methodical offense to control the Raiders defense through a majority of the night. They would build up a 50-39 lead with under five minutes to play, but South Range came storming right back. Dylan Turvey would hit a three from the top of the key to pull within eight. They would then force another turnover and get Mark Naples open in transition from the right wing, who would hit another three to pull it within five at 50-45. Hannon then called a timeout with 4:17 to go to regroup his team.
“Well, part of that was my fault. We went into a zone when we should have stayed in man-to-man. South Range did a good job knocking a few down, but I just told them to stay with it, don’t turn the ball over, make free throws, and I thought we did a good job of that.”
The Indians with the win will improve to 2-1 overall as they start off their conference schedule with a 1-0 mark. They will play back-to-back games as they head to Poland tomorrow to take on Salem in the United Way Classic. Hannon knows that back-to-back games in high school basketball are always tough, but he is confident about his team as they are familiar with the Quakers.
“Just worry to come out and compete. That’s the thing we are going to try to do every game. As long as we come out and compete, we’ll be ok. We’re familiar with Salem. We played them every year in the last three, so I look forward to the opportunity.”
The Raiders with the close defeat will remain winless at 0-4 with an 0-1 record in Northeast 8 play. They will go back home on Tuesday as they will look to pick up their first victory of the year against Jefferson.
Thomas Cardiero with his dominant 26-point performance has been dubbed our YSN Player of the Game. You can watch his post-game interview with YSN’s Bryan Oatridge below. Coach Hannon’s interview with YSN’s Noah Ricks will also be below.
Postgame Interview With Craig Hannon:
Postgame Interview With Thomas Cardiero:
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/7CE4D3B7-A54A-40A8-9CB4-0F731A62F232-scaled.jpeg15332560Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2021-12-12 03:41:532023-07-14 23:04:05GIRARD TAKES THE WIND OUT OF RAIDERS SAILS
GIRARD, OH – It is only early December, but that did not stop the Girard and Jefferson girls’ basketball teams from playing a very good Northeast 8 matchup for everybody to see. In a game that went into overtime, coach Andrew Saxon and the Indians used a strong extra period to hold off the Falcons 44-42 on their home floor and pick up their first victory in the conference on the year.
“It’s a big win,” Saxon told YSN’s Noah Ricks. “We were 0-1, now we’re 1-1. Now hopefully we can pull off a few more. We have two more games coming up before we have a non-league game, so hopefully we can win those two.
After an evenly matched first quarter that saw both teams score 9 on the board, Jefferson got things going in the second period by having a strong 11-2 quarter. Taylor Skinner, the big girl for the Falcons, used a dominant defensive game to slow down Girard’s big girl in Mia Malito. Her aggressive, fundamental defense held Malito in check as she was only held to two points. Malito would end up fouling out of the contest with 1:17 to go in regulation. Skinner ended the night with 15 to lead all scorers.
With Malito being held silent, senior Abbie Rafferty would have to step up for the Indians. Taking over the majority of the point position for the injured Seiassia Triplett (who suffered a foot injury in Saturday’s win against Beaver Local), Saxon relied on her to get sets run and help the Indians come back from a 22-11 deficit in the third quarter. Much needed drives to the bucket and important mid-range shots helped tie the game up at 36-36 at the end of regulation. She would end the night leading the Indians with 13.
“I think, (in) the first half, we played real timid. We weren’t attacking the hoop and we were basically going horizontally, so I just said, you know, take the ball to the hoop, they’re up in your face, and you have got to play vertical. You’re making it easy for the defense when you go horizontally, so we started taking the ball to the hoop a little bit better, and we started getting some putbacks, and we made some baskets. And we shot pretty well from the free throw line, and it’s definitely a plus in a close game.”
The Indians picked up this overtime win after a heartbreaking 48-44 loss at home Monday to Lakeview. They used that lost game as motivation in the second half comeback. Girard also rebounded in spite of Triplett’s injury. Saxon was very happy with how his short-handed team handled this kind of adversity.
“You know, we lost our point guard for a few weeks, our leading scorer, our leading rebounder, and it was an adjustment, and we almost got that game, but I think the girls made a really good adjustment without having her, run the point, and I think the other two girls who run the point did a real nice job. You know, it’s an adjustment when you lose your best scorer, your best player probably, and we really rebounded back ”
The Indians will improve to 4-2 overall as they go to 1-1 in conference play. They end their three-game home stretch with a 2-1 mark as they hit the road to play the Hubbard Eagles. Saxon knows that his team must use these early-season conference games to their advantage.
“We are going to come out. We are going to try to play baseline to baseline, and run them, and move the ball down the floor, and hopefully those shots will fall for us.”
The Falcons with the heartbreaking loss will drop below .500 for the first time this year at 3-4 with a 1-2 record in Northeast 8 play. They are currently on a three-game losing streak as they will go back home next Thursday to take on conference foe Struthers.
You can watch the full interview with Coach Andrew Saxon and YSN’s Noah Ricks below.
Postgame Interview With Andrew Saxon:
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/39726072-F56E-46F3-8790-B535187F921D-scaled.jpeg17112560Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2021-12-10 15:53:552023-07-14 23:01:45GIRARD TAKES HOME OVERTIME WIN
COLUMBUS, OH- There’s no doubt the area is rich in football talent across the board, but Division IV was peppered with elite skill as the All-Ohio teams were released on Tuesday.
Leading the way on the first team was Ursuline’s DeMarcus McElroy who finished the season with 2,191 yards on 315 attempts, a 7-yard per carry average. McElroy also scored 41 times on the ground for the Irish.
Dru DeShields was also listed as first-team talent with his dual-threat weaponry, Dru finished with 3,661 yards through the air, and 40 of those passes going for touchdowns. Drew’s 67% completion percentage on 383 throws was also impressive. We can’t forget about DeShields ground factor either, with over 1100 yards on the ground and 15 additional touchdowns- DeShields only being a junior scares many coaches for the ’22 campaign.
Mason Ludwig had a big year for the Potters in East Liverpool. Ludwig’s 6’6, 280 pound frame has recruiters all across the NCAA salivating, and his first-team selection in 2021 for All-Ohio will only strengthen those conversations.
West Branch’s Greg Rockwell joins his QB on the first-team list. The 6’1, 250 pound offensive lineman checks the box during his impressive senior year on the gridiron.
The First-Team Defense showcased Ty’Req Donlow who created issues for offenses all season long, and a much-deserved accolade for the agitator. Steven Marra was outstanding with 30 touchdowns on offense, but ultimately his defense at linebacker lands him with first-team honors.
The second-teamers in the area stood out with Ursuline QB1, Brady Shannon headlining the squad. Shannon threw for over 2600 yards, and 27 touchdowns for the Irish, while running for 8 more. Similarly, Salem’s Jackson had a stellar year with 2,733 yards through the air and 33 touchdowns, alongside 1,238 yards on the ground and 20 more scores with his legs.
Harvard commit, Dean Boyd of Ursuline also pens his name on the second team with 52 grabs for 916 yards and 9 touchdowns on the campaign. Blaize Exline had a stellar year and ends up on the second team with a 99-catch, 1,216-yard season that culminated with 17 touchdowns through the air, and 11 more scores on the ground, and several records along the way for the Quakers.
From the big boys, Ursuline’s Brian Frasco, and Isaac Lucas made it on the second-team O-line, while West Branch’s Mitchell Coffee was selected on the D-line.
Jakylan Irving of Ursuline represented the Ursuline defensive backfield with a second-team selection, and Ben Tolson of West Branch gained a selection on special teams.
Third Team All-Ohio saw Thomas Egli of West Branch etch his name on the defensive line.
Honorable Mention contained Beaver Local sophomore QB, Austin Cline and Dorian Jackson, East Liverpool’s Devin Toothman, Michael Gordon and Christian Colosimo of Poland, and Jake Dohy and Connor Strain of Girard.
Congratulations to all these young men and their families on representing themselves at the highest level in the Buckeye State.
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CMP_1745-scaled.jpg17072560YSN Staffhttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngYSN Staff2021-12-08 18:19:062021-12-08 18:19:06LOCAL ATHLETES FILL ALL-STATE DIVISION IV ROSTER
GIRARD, OH – Both the Lakeview and Girard girls’ teams started off their Northeast 8 campaigns with a loss, but Lakeview used a strong 14-4 third quarter to help propel them to a 48-44 victory over the Indians.
“Girard’s a good team,” said Lakeview coach Kevin Haynie. “They came in with a nice record. I know they are a little banged up. We had a nice lead, though, in the second half and we just got to learn from that. In this league, any win’s a good win and it does not get any easier.”
After Girard controlled the tempo in the first half to hold a 25-23 advantage going into the locker room, the Bulldogs utilized a very good mid-range game with the likes of Maggie Pavlansky and Brooke Schneider. The perfect shooting forms and drives to the basket helped Lakeview build up a 44-34 lead. Girard, however, went on an 8-0 run late in the fourth to bring it within two. Coach Haynie then wanted to remind his girls that they belonged in the moment.
“I told the girls at the timeout, I said, ‘I’m done. You figure it out. You guys, it’s up to you now. You guys have played enough games. Most of you have a ton of varsity experience. It’s time for you to figure this out. I’m done,’ and I did use a timeout, I told them I was not going to use it anymore, so I did tell them I lied, but I was proud of the effort. I wish we could make our foul shots and close out even easier, but, take the win.”
Lakeview was a team coming into their game with Girard having only scored 177 points and averaging 35.4 in their first five games. The late second-half push helped push the Bulldogs to their season-high in points scored in a game with 48. Some nice steals in the end and buckets in transition by Schneider helped make that happen. Coach Haynie was extremely pleased to know that Lakeview went well above their season average in this early-season conference matchup.
“I know we can shoot the ball, and today, we shot it pretty good, so, I’m glad it’s not 33, because I was looking at the scoreboard, I’m like, ‘Oh, we already beat that 33,’ so I’ll take it.”
The Bulldogs will move back to .500 on the year as they improve to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in Northeast 8 play. They will go back to home on Thursday to play defending Northeast 8 champion South Range, a team that only had one conference loss a year ago and also a team that beat Girard 45-36 last Thursday. Coach Haynie is aware of the tough challenge that his team faces on YSN Live.
“Well, let me tell you, they are aggressive on defense, they get after it, they have got some scorers. We have got to look at film, we have got to learn. The girls have got to watch film, they have got to invest, that’s one thing we talked about. We said those who invest the most are the last to surrender, and it kind of worked into our favor here at the end. We didn’t give up, so we got the win.”
The Indians with the close loss will drop to 3-2 on the year as they remain winless in conference play at 0-2. They will play another home conference game on Thursday as they play host to Jefferson. That game can be streamed on YSN Live.
You can watch the full interview with Coach Kevin Haynie and YSN’s Noah Ricks below.
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/576A4F37-0813-459A-ACEA-F6635A65D0FC.jpeg13812233Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2021-12-07 16:52:202023-07-14 22:56:41LAKEVIEW COMPLETES UPSET IN GIRARD
CANFIELD OH- It was definitely a tough start to the season for South Range. They dropped their first two games to Hoban, and Salem without scratching 30 points on the scoreboard. They came in to Thursday night’s NE8 opener hearing the rumblings that maybe they weren’t going to be contenders anymore. They heard it, and they silenced it. The Raiders came away with a big momentum swinging victory over Girard 45-36.
Emma Cunningham found a rhythm on offense, which will be key for the Raiders continued success. She led the team with 15 points. Lexi Giles, and Grace McQuiston both were in double figures with 10 points.
Girard was led by Mia Malito who finished with 10 points. Senior Seyhan Dede put in a strong 7 points to contribute as well.
The Raiders will try to continue their success on Saturday as they travel to Mooney. Girard Will also be back in action Saturday as they host Beaver Local.
Postgame Interview with Jeff Fishel:
Postgame Interview With Emma Cunningham:
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GIRARD OH- Last season, the Ursuline Irish and coach Keith Gunther ended their 2020-21 season with five straight losses after a big first half of the season that saw them out score their opponents nearly every game. This time, with half their team out due to the State championship, the Irish were playing with some new younger players as they went on the road to Girard high school to take on coach Craig Hannon and the Indians who finished their 2020-21 season with a three and 15 record.
Both teams made it close in the first quarter with the Irish gaining the momentum first with four points from Pankey, one being right after the opening tip. Jaden Payne also came into the game with four points, two of them being free throws. However, the Indians answered right back with momentum on their side from Gus Johnson scoring nine points leading the pack.
The second quarter became a different story with the Indians keeping that momentum rolling with Johnson scoring five points, Bobby Alejars with three points and Ashton Pozega scoring two points as well as Mike Palmer. Meanwhile on the Irish side, Pankey and Vincent Flauto combined for five points and Payne got two free throws ending the half with it being 23 to 19.
In the second half however, it was the battle of offenses with Ursuline getting their teamwork and plays down with Geno Lucente scoring five points, Flauto with eight points as well Payne with eight. However, the fourth quarter was all Girard in the end as they turned up the jets after some tough misses in the third quarter. Johnson had three, one of which was a free throw, Alejars had eight in the fourth, and Thomas Cardiero after only having two in the first half, made a fourth quarter emergence, drawing fouls his way and scoring eight points.
Ryan Fitzgerald also added a saved layup on his end and the Irish did get a buzzer beater but it wasn’t enough as the Indians got their first win of the season 49 to 47 against the Ursuline Irish, and their first opening night victory since 2018 against the Howland Tigers.
Stats
Ursuline:
Nick Bako scored two points from the field, Geno Lucente. Two of three on free throws and seven points. Vincent Flauto with 11 points, Jaden Payne with 14 points and Terrance Pankey with 13, going one for two on free throws.
Girard:
Gus Johnson led the back with 17 points, and one for four on free throws. Bobby Alejars two made free throws and 11 points. Jordan Grant, Ashton Pozega and Ryan Fitzgerald combined for six points. Thomas Cardiero with 10 points and Mike Palmer with four. Chris Cardiero with a point.
Up Next:
Ursuline (0-1) will head to Austintown to take on the Fitch Falcons on Friday, 7pm tip-off. Girard (1-0) will host the Lowellville Rockets, 7pm.
*Contributed by YSNs Ian O’Brien*
https://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AD3ECB26-78A4-46A1-B9F8-872997FC9034-scaled.jpeg18992560Anthony Hartwighttps://ysnlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Default-Email-Signature-2673571-300x70.pngAnthony Hartwig2021-12-01 14:41:072023-07-14 22:46:37INDIANS GET ALL THE LUCK
