Tag Archive for: Poland

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.

BULLDOGS PUSH PAST RANGE

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CANFIELD, OH- The South Range Boys Basketball falls to 0-2 in the NE8 after the matchup with Poland 41-35 which moves the Raiders to 2-2 on the year. The Bulldogs would start strong and fast, South Range would fight through the 2nd. But Poland eventually took control of the game, an encouraging push back would help Raiders cut the lead lower until the final buzzer. Chris Brooks and Kris Scandy lead the push back for South Range. Michael Cougras and Zack Kassem led the Bulldogs to the league victory. Cougras added 5 3’s, and 21 of the 41 points came from 3 tonight for Poland. 

Brooks finished the night off with 13 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Raiders. Right behind him was Kris Scandy with 6 points, Dante Digaetano ended with 5 points and 2 rebounds. Eli Taylor, Nate Brown, Justin Marrie all contributed 3 points each and Jake Gehring finished with 2 points and 2 rebounds. Cougras lit the floor up with 3s and finished with 19 points and 3 rebounds. The Kassem twins would contribute 5 and 4 points with 4 and 2 rebounds, respectively, while Andrew Centifanti contributed with great defensive play with 7 points and 3 rebounds. Poland’s disciplined defense was too much for the Raiders, they struggled to get anything to fall and the Bulldogs capitalized.

The Raiders will travel to Hubbard on Friday looking for their first win the conference. Tip-off for the JV will be at 5:30. Varsity at 7:00. Catch it on YSN!

 

*Story contributed by YSN’s Brendan Miller

 

GAME PHOTOS: HERE

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.

POLAND UNITED IN WIN OVER BOARDMAN

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POLAND OH- The Poland Lady Bulldogs hosted the United Way Classic Saturday and won their matchup on the day over Boardman 56-33.

The Bulldogs defense kept on their dominating as they held the Spartans to just 9 points in the first half. Boardman tried and tried to get open looks but it seemed every outside shot was highly contested. The Spartans did not shoot well from behind the arc. The Bulldogs complimented their strong defense with maybe their best offensive output of the season. They were up 30-9 at the break and their offense was starting to stay away from unforced turnovers. Connie Cougras was a big reason they had such offensive balance. She went 2 for 4 from three and gave the Bulldogs a great lift off the bench. The game was pretty much decided at the half. Coach Blanch used an opportunity to get younger kids into a big atmosphere. Almost everyone that got in the game was able to get on the scoreboard. And those that didn’t still get their name in the stat book with rebounds or assists. An entire team effort helped Poland cruise to a 56-33 win.

Jackie Grisdale led the Bulldogs with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Kailyn Brown was also in double figures with 12 points 8 rebounds. Connie Cougras finished with 9.

Poland returns to action Thursday as they travel to Jefferson.

POLAND VICTORIOUS IN CLASH WITH RAIDERS

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Two girls basketball powerhouses met in Poland on Monday as the Bulldogs hosted South Range. Last season these teams were one and two in the final NE8 standings, although both matchups between the two were double figure wins for Poland. That would not be the case this time as Poland scratched and clawed to a close 37-29 win.

It was a back and forth game of runs. Poland opened the game fast on a 10-2 run and looked to be cruising. The majority of the 2nd quarter belonged to South Range though as Bree Kohler got a couple of steals and fast break layups in a 14-5 run taking a 16-15 lead. Poland would not be silenced however as they ended the first half on a 7-0 run to take a 22-16 lead into the locker room.

The Raiders came out swinging to open the third. They spurted out to a 7-0 run themselves to go-ahead 23-22. Poland responded yet again however, they answered the Raiders run with an 11-0 one to close out the third frame.

With a ten point lead going into the final frame Poland looked poised for a win. But the scrappy Raiders team would not go away. They made it 33-29 closing quick before Poland’s defense locked down during the final stretch. Four free throws would seal the deal for the Bulldogs and they escaped a physical fight with the Raiders 37-29.

Jackie Grisdale led the Bulldogs with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Lizzy Herdman has a strong night on the boards with 9 rebounds. Morgan Kluchar was also in double figures with 12.

Izzy Lamparty was the statistical leader for the Raiders with 10 points 5 rebounds. Bree Kohler added 8.

South Range returns to action Thursday as they host Hubbard.

Poland gets back on the floor Saturday as they host Boardman as part of the United Way Classic. Their trip is scheduled for approximately 5:15.

BY THE BROOKE

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Poland Lady Bulldog Senior Brooke Bobbey has had quite the wave of attention in the last couple weeks. She has signed to play softball at St Bonaventure, she has continued to excel in the classroom, and she now leads a basketball team poised to build off of a 26-1 season. 

It’s only fitting that the girl who is number one in her class would wear the number one on her jersey. Time management has been a skill that Bobbey has all but mastered, lettering in all 3 sports she plays while maintaining her 4.0 GPA.  Brooke seems to find herself near the top of everything she ventures in to. But if you ask her, it’s not about being at the top for her, it’s simply about doing everything she does to the best of her ability. That’s how she was raised. She is now a senior leader, and captain to a team that was a couple steps away from punching a ticket to Columbus last season. She looks to lead her team not just in games, but also in practice making sure the intensity level stays up throughout the season. Brooke has set a personal goal to improve her offensive output while keeping focused on her shutdown defense. Coach Blanch says early in the year he can already see a difference in her game. She is shooting lights out right now heading into the start of the season. Everyone in the program is surely hoping that continues. 

Anthony Hartwig caught up with Brooke to talk about this basketball season. They also discuss changes to the team, her support system, and much more. Get your fix of Lady Bulldog basketball with the latest Player Profile By The Brooke.

POLAND DEFENSE SILENCES STRUTHERS

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Defense was the story of the night for Poland. They got their first NE8 win Thursday night over Struthers 50-40.

Poland still is trying to find a solid rhythm in their young season. Lucky for them they have a suffocating defense to hold teams down while they find it. In the first three-quarters of the game, the highest-scoring frame for Struthers was 10. And in the first and third quarters they were held to 2, and 3 respectfully.

On the offensive side of the Ball, the Bulldogs got started quickly with 8 fast points. But then they stalled for a bit as the first quarter bled into the second. Poland’s perimeter game was not as on as it was earlier in the week vs Champion. Poland went 2/11 from three point land on the night. That didn’t stop sophomore Morgan Kluchar from having a great night on the glass. She led the team in rebounds with 10. Helping Poland limit Struthers to one opportunity, and giving them some extra opportunities on the other side. Poland rebounded well as a team totaling in 26, with 4 players having at least 5. The Poland lead was 40-15 in the 4th quarter before a majority of the varsity starters subbed out. Struthers made a fierce rally to close the gap, but Poland still came away with the 50-40 win.

Jackie Grisdale led the Bulldog charge with 14 points. Kailyn Brown had a strong night with 8 points and 6 rebounds.

Emma Elia finished with a game high 19 for Struthers.

Poland returns to action Monday as they host South Range.

POLAND GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 3 WITH NICK BLANCH)

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The Poland Lady Bulldogs are coming off their first win of the season Monday night at Champion. The word coach Blanch used to describe the win was “heart.” It definitely took a lot of heart to beat a scrappy Champion team that kept coming back at the Bulldogs. They had to make plays late, and that’s where their experience kicked in. Now they look ahead to two tough league games vs Struthers and South Range. 

Anthony Hartwig went down to Poland to check in with Coach Blanch. They discuss the win over Champion, the week to come, and much more. Grab a snack and enjoy Episode 3 of Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch.

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?

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The Poland girls basketball program is living on air at the moment. Coming off of a 26-1 regional finalist season, the hopes are high for the Lady Bulldogs. They return 4 out of 5 starters from last year, but lost great senior leadership. One of the players trying to fill that role is senior forward Kailyn Brown. 

Coming off a season where she led the team in rebounds, Brown is ready to put in the work to succeed in her senior season. She knows that now it’s up to her and her fellow seniors to lead this team to victory. She says she learned a lot from watching how the seniors led last season. A an already strong work ethic has been made stronger by the finality of a senior season for Kailyn. She is aware that everything she does means a little bit more this season. The coaching staff sees chances to use her as a guard in some situations which will make her a massive asset. But don’t worry Bulldog fans Kailyn still plans to get in there and fight for rebounds as well. The energy on the court Kailyn says her best leadership quality is the ability to get her teammates excited in big moments. She certainly hopes for a lot of exciting opportunities this season as she’ll do anything to get her Bulldogs to the next step. 

Learn everything about Kailyn Brown in the latest Lady Bulldog Player Profile What Can Brown Do For You.

POLAND ESCAPES THRILLER IN CHAMPION

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The start of the new season for the Poland Lady Bulldogs looks very similar to the start last season when they won by two at Salem. This time around they escaped Champion with a 52-49 win.

The Bulldogs had to deal with a very slow offensive start. Plagued by turnovers Poland couldn’t find a rhythm in the beginning stages of the game. However Jackie Grisdale and Brooke Bobbey both covered up the miscues with three pointers. Poland’s shut down defense didn’t miss a beat, holding down Champion while their offense worked things out. Poland trailed 12-10 after one quarter.

Poland opened the second quarter with a 9-0 rally and it looked like they were going to run away with the game. The Flashes fought back though, answering with a 6-2 run as the half dwindled down. Bobbey hit her second three of the game before the halftime buzzer to give the Bulldogs some breathing room heading into the locker room with a 24-18 lead.

Champion outscored the Bulldogs 16-10 in the third quarter helped out tremendously by the work of Emma Gumont down low. After three the game was tied 34-34 and it promised to be an exciting finish.

After the teams traded points back and forth for the first couple minutes of the fourth, the perimeter game came in to effect for Poland. Grisdale and Bobbey both hit threes late to give Poland breathing room. With a 46-40 lead the Bulldogs found themselves in a position to win the game at the foul line. They struggled though to knock down free throws down the stretch which gave Champion the opportunity to inch closer and closer. The Bulldogs went to the line leading by 2 with about 10 seconds left. They hit one out of two to make it 52-49, but it also gave Champion a last shot opportunity. Grisdale stole the ball away to deny them that chance and Poland escaped with a 52-49 win.

Jackie Grisdale led the way with a strong 26 point performance going 4/8 from three. Brooke Bobbey also finished in double figures with 12.

Poland stays on the road traveling to Struthers on Thursday night.