Tag Archive for: Girls Basketball

THE THUNDERING HERD

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Lizzy Herdman is one of the new faces to a Lady Bulldog team that returns four out of five starters from the 2018 season. Lizzy’s position was not handed to her. She has worked her way up in the program over the last two seasons. Putting her time in on the JV level and constantly growing. That time is something Coach Blanch respects in a player. Herdman doesn’t have the need of instant gratification, she understands everything has to be earned. Coming in to this summer she was determined to take her place at the varsity level. The coaching staff saw pretty quickly how much of an asset Herdman was going to be. She was rewarded a starting role and in the first game of the season, she showed she belonged by leading the team in rebounds against a physical Champion squad. Lizzy still isn’t satisfied with just getting to start, she says her personal goal as the season goes on is to become more of an offensive impact for her team. She also understands that now as a junior she needs to be a leader of this team. Strong leadership has been a pin of the program over the years and Herdman is determined to continue that trend. It’s been a long time coming for this junior, she’s been building her skills and waiting for her time. Now nothing can stop the thundering herd from dominating down low. 

Anthony Hartwig went down to Poland to talk to Lizzy. They discuss earning her new spot, what she expects from herself going forward, and much more. Get your fix of Lady Bulldog basketball with the latest Player Profile The Thundering Herd.

GILES IN CHARGE

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Every basketball team has a player or two they trust to handle the ball on every single possession. For the Lady Raiders that player has been Lexi Giles for the last two years. A strong point guard that has come in and brought organization to an already highley athletic offense. With a year under her belt Giles has already found herself more confident on the floor this season. She feels a much greater part of the team this season. When asked what her personal goals were for the season Giles simply said, to be more of a team player. Lexi is the kind of player that simply wants to make her team better. She has done just that this season. Lexi is giving the Raiders a huge lift as the second year point guard is always in charge of the floor. One of the things that really got Giles talking was the community outreach program the team has put in place this season. They’ve already made several trips to hospitals donating their time and effort. Giles wants to make an impact on the community and show that her team is more than just basketball players. 

Anthony Hartwig went down to South Range to catch up with the sophomore point guard. They talked about personal goals, the team’s community outreach, and much more. Learn all about one the Raiders premiere players in the latest profile Giles in Charge.

SOUTH RANGE GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP4 WITH JEFF FISHEL)

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Jeff Fishel is well on his way in his first season coaching the Lady Raiders. The team is 7-3 and coming off a week where they beat Niles and played Canfield close on the road. The Raiders now get to look ahead as they host the Holiday Hoops Classic this weekend with games vs West Branch and Salem. 

Anthony Hartwig sat down with Coach Fishel this week to discuss all the things Lady Raiders. They y’all about the comeback that fell just short vs Canfield, hosting a holiday tournament, and much more. Take a listen to Episode 4 of Coach’s Corner with Jeff Fishel.

JACKIE OF ALL TRADES

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Jackie Grisdale is the definition of someone who can do it all. She is on pace to receive 20 varsity letters when her career at Poland is over. That would be a school record. But the question remains how does Jackie avoid fatigue. She says she’s never really had to deal with it. She handles the small breaks she gets, and makes sure her body is always well rested. A true example of an all around athlete. 

As far as basketball season goes, Jackie came in knowing she’d be asked to do more than she was a season ago. She worked all summer on her ball handling and court awareness. As a captain on the team she is also being asked to become a stronger leader on the floor than ever before. As a daughter of coaches, understanding the game has never been a problem for Jackie. She  uses her strong knowledge of the game to strengthen her leadership abilities. She gets her teammates in the best position to score. 

Anthony Hartwig traveled to Poland to catch up with Jackie and talk about her multi sport ability, new leadership tools, and much more. Learn all about one of the Lady Bulldog captain in the latest Player Profile Jackie of All Trades.

POLAND GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP5 WITH NICK BLANCH)

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Since we’ve last talked to coach Blanch, the Poland Lady Bulldogs continued their domination of the NE8 with a win on the road vs Jefferson. They followed that up with a tough loss at Warren Harding. That loss snapped a 31 regular season game winning streak. 

Now for the first time in a while the Bulldogs have to bounce back after a loss. Coach Blanch says Christmas Break could not have come at a better time. 

Anthony Hartwig traveled down to Poland to catch up with Coach Blanch to talk about the loss, reflecting on the streak, and much more. Get your fill of Lady Bulldog Basketball with Episode 5 of Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch.

SOUTH RANGE GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 3 WITH JEFF FISHEL)

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South Range has had an impressive stretch of games since the last time we’ve caught up with coach Jeff Fishel. A close loss to a Poland team that dominated the season series a year ago and wins over Hubbard, Ursuline, and Struthers. Coach Fishel wants the team to stay competitive in a stretch of games where they play 9 times with just 4 practices in that stretch. 

Anthony Hartwig caught up with Jeff after their win over Struthers to update the fans on how the team looked in the last week, what to expect in upcoming games, and much more. Enjoy Episode 3 of Coach’s Corner with Jeff Fishel.

PUMPIN UP THE PARTY

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Izzy Lamparty is officially an upperclassman. South Range fans have watched Lamparty dazzle on the basketball court for two seasons. Now they will see her lead a team as a captain in her junior season. Izzy is fully focused this year knowing that more responsibility is on her shoulders as a vocal and emotional leader of the team. 

Izzy’s personal goal this season had to do with leadership. Being able to rely and trust in her teammates. She has definitely set the tone early in the season, Izzy is averaging 20 points per game already this season and has gathered several double-doubles.  Those stats are things Raiders fans expect from Lamparty after watching her for two seasons, what’s new is her ability to bring leadership on the court. Coach Fishel can trust her to be an extra coach on the court. Helping her teammates get in the best position possible for success.  

Anthony Hartwig went down to South Range to chat with Izzy. They discussed changes coming into her junior season, being a leader, and much more. Learn all about the life of the Raider party in the latest Player Profile Pumping Up the Party.

POLAND GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 4 WITH NICK BLANCH)

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It’s been a couple weeks since we got to catch up with Coach Blanch, and it’s been a busy week for the Bulldogs.  They’ve gone through a tough schedule unscathed and are sitting at on the season. With wins over South Range, Girard, and Boardman things are looking pretty good in Poland. Coach Blanch sees a lot of room for improvement among the success his team has enjoyed this year. They keep looking to take it one game at a time as they trek forward into games against Jefferson and Warren Harding. 

Anthony Hartwig headed down to Poland to get the scoop from Coach Blanch. They discuss the week that was, the upcoming games, and much more. Don’t miss the newest episode of Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch.

BUSHAW AT HOME IN POLAND

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Poland Lady Bulldog senior Sarah Bushaw can describe her team in one word. Family. And what else can can describe a family than a place where you feel at home. Sarah is a person who has moved a bit in life, but came back to Poland and found her home on the court. This season Sarah has found new confidence in a role as an emotional leader. Whether from the bench or on the floor you can always see Sarah boosting up her teammates with positive energy. Coach Blanch says that Bushaw’s positive attitude is second to none. She can turn any situation around and that could help the team down the road if the find themselves in a tough situation. Sarah says she couldn’t have found that confidence without the senior leaders that came before her. That’s why she switched her number to 0 this season. It’s to honor past leaders in the program Bella Gajdos and Elena Cammack. She wears the number 0 as a badge of honor. 

Anthony Hartwig went down to Poland to chat with Sarah. They discuss what the team means to her, a special moment in Struthers, and much more. Catch up with another Poland senior in the latest Lady Bulldog Player Profile Bushaw At Home in Poland.

MASUCCI MASTERS LEADERSHIP

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Poland Lady Bulldog senior Katie Masucci has put extra importance on her senior season of basketball. She knows what the seniors last year put in to this program to put it on the map, and she wants to make sure this group continues that. An admiringly shy person, Katie says that being forced to be a leader has really gotten her to come out of her shell. Of course, having her sister on the same team helps out with that as well. Katie says that having this season with her sister has brought them both closer than ever before. 

Katie has waited her time to be a marquee player at the varsity level. That is a quality that coach Blanch puts above anything else. She spent three years developing, playing out her role, and now she is being rewarded by getting quality minutes in big time situations. The program thrives on knowing and accepting your role as a player, and Katie is someone that is a grand example of that philosophy.

Anthony Hartwig went to Poland to catch up with Katie. They discuss her leadership growth, playing with her sister, and much more. Learn all about the Bulldog senior on the latest Poland Lady Bulldog Player Profile Masucci Masters Leadership.