The Lady Bulldogs after their regional semifinal victory are now 1 win away from a coveted trip to the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. Standing in their way is Akron St Vincent St Mary.
With just two days to prepare for the biggest test of their season, the Bulldogs are putting a premium on focus and endurance. Head coach Nick Blanch knows making sure his players are as fresh as possible is most important. The scene is set in Barberton for a regional championship that is sure to entertain.
So what things went so well in their regional semifinal win? What would yet another net cutting mean to Coach Blanch and his team? And what does each member of the coaching staff bring to the table? All that and more as our own Anthony Hartwig talks with Nick Blanch in Episode 8 of Poland Basketball Coach’s Corner With Nick Blanch
Changes don’t happen without effort. To say that Poland junior Kailyn Brown has put in the effort to make changes would be an understatement. Kailyn has gone from a shy freshman now a consistent starter as a junior.
Now in her junior season, Brown has become an intricate part of a historical Poland Bulldog team. She brings toughness and confidence to an already great lineup. Like colors of leaves change through the seasons, Brown has become a dominant presence for her team.
PHOTO CREDIT: SEMINARY SPORTS+
YSN’s Anthony Hartwig sat down with the junior to talk about her growth over the years, the experience this season has been, and much more. Hear it all on the latest Lady Bulldog Player Profile BLUE TURNS TO BROWN.
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The Poland Lady Bulldogs have achieved their first district championship since 2000 and are hungry for more.
The Bulldog community has rallied around the girl’s basketball team all season and it has paid off. Fresh off their district championship the Lady Bulldogs now set their sights on Akron Buchtel in the regional semifinals taking place in Barberton. The constant attention this season has prepared the team for the bigger stage, and they are ready to put their best paw forward.
What does the district title mean to Coach Blanch? And how long did he celebrate it? What should fans expect from Buchtel and the atmosphere at Barberton? How important will the senior leadership be in these tournament rounds? All will be answered as our very own Anthony Hartwig chats with Coach B on Episode 7 of Poland Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch
The Poland Lady Bulldogs have 2 fresh tournament wins under their belt, but the toughest task may await.
The district championship against Ursuline looms on the Bulldogs. Last year’s tournament game against the Irish came down to a single point in overtime. The stage gets bigger this time around as the winner goes to Barberton for a regional semifinal.
What does Coach Blanch expect from this game? How does the coaching staff deal with the long season of hard work? What does the team bring to the classroom? All is revealed in Episode 6 as our own Anthony Hartwig sits down with Coach B in Poland Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch.
It’s officially tournament time and the Poland Lady Bulldogs are poised for a deep run.
Coach Blanch is making sure complacency doesn’t seep into the team. Nothing is given in the tournament, not even to a team that has gone 22-0 and finished the regular season on top of the AP poll.
What obstacles lay ahead for the team? How tough is the Austintown Fitch district? And what advice would coach Blanch give to players thinking about playing multiple sports? Find those answers and more as our own Anthony Hartwig catches up Coach B on Episode 5 of Poland Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch
The Poland Lady Bulldogs advanced to the regional final Tuesday night with a 59-38 win over Akron Buchtel.
The game started off back and forth. Sarah Bury got the Bulldogs on the board early with a three pointer, and Buchtel was getting good looks inside mostly in transition. It appeared that the beginning of the game was anxious for the Bulldogs. They quickly shook off any nerves though when Buchtel took a 11-7 lead. The Bulldogs ended the first frame on a 7-0 run and led 14-11 after 1.
The Poland defense clamped down hard in the 2nd frame. Buchtel had a hard time just getting into half court sets. Poland turned 3 quick turnovers into 3 quick buckets and just like that they had a commanding 24-12 lead. Buchtel didn’t hit a single shot from the field in the whole quarter and Poland led at the break 27-12.
In the 3rd with their offense now in front of their own fans Buchtel seemed a bit more loose. They cut Poland’s lead to 10 early in quarter 3 showing a glimmer of hope that they could claw their way back into the game. The Bulldogs snuffed that thought out quick however, as Kailyn Brown and Morgan Kluchar got some big time buckets to get the lead back to 15 38-23. The score after 3 was 38-25.
Poland did not let off the gas pedal at all in the 4th. They knew all too well that Buchtel was a team known for 4th quarter comebacks. That would not be the case in this contest as Brooke Bobbey started to get involved scoring 5 of her 7 points in the final frame. Sarah Bury also added a couple of perimeter jump shots to cement the Bulldog lead. Poland would go on to win by a final of 59-38.
Every Bulldog starter scored at least 5 points tonight to lead a balanced offense. Kailyn Brown led the team in scoring with 15 points 7 rebounds. Sarah Bury was also in double figures with 14. Poland advances to the programs third ever regional championship on Friday night against Akron St Vincent St Mary. Tip off is slated for 7:00 at Barberton High School.
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There’s a new Bobbey in town, and this one isn’t driving in Talladega. Instead, she’s helping drive her Poland Girls Basketball Team toward a season they’ll not soon forget. Although, the stellar catchphrase for the Will Ferrell movie can also be used for the unreal moves that Brooke Bobbey brings to the hardwood.
The Poland Junior is taking the pressure of the tournament time in stride. Brooke’s optimism and belief in her teammates and coaches are evident each time she speaks, as you can tell how proud she is of the accomplishments this team has made; yet still remains focused on the proper way to send her senior teammates out.
Brooke’s extremely high character is only one of the many reasons YSN’s Anthony Hartwig sat down with her for this week’s Poland Basketball Player Profile- SHAKE AND BAKE: THE BALLAD OF BROOKE BOBBEY.
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As the Poland Lady Bulldogs continue their journey of victories this season, they’ve been very reliant on the 2019 Senior Class. For leadership, for laughs, for guidance and most of all for their experience. Among those seniors is a young lady who is soft-spoken, yet hard-nosed. Her grit and determination on the court serve almost as a calling card for the Poland Girls Basketball Team.
For Elena Cammack, she is a self-admitted creature of habit, from her rituals prior to the game (slow-moving music, and having her mom wish her “good luck” before she leaves the house.) all the way to her intense focus on the floor that she can drown out a gym full of rowdy and screaming fans. Cammack is proving that her hard work is paying off in a big way.
YSN’s Anthony Hartwig sat down with Elena to discuss her vision on and off the court in this week’s Poland Basketball Player Profile: YES SHE CAMM.
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AUSTINTOWN, OH-The Poland Lady Bulldogs won their first district championship since 2000 tonight with a 65-51 win over Ursuline.
The Bulldogs set the tone quickly as Sarah Bury took the tip away from Ursuline and got a fast-break layup. Poland’s pressure defense forced 7 Irish turnovers in the 1st quarter. Dayshanette Harris fought tooth and nail to keep her team in it scoring the first 9 Irish points. Poland led after a quarter, 24-14.
Poland continued to pressure the Irish as the first half went on. They forced 6 more Irish turnovers in the 2nd quarter and seemed to be capitalizing on every single one. Jackie Grisdale starting to catch fire from the perimeter, she had a big three-pointer that stretched the Poland lead to 29-14. Poland held Dayshanette Harris to just 3 points in the whole second quarter, which is a big reason their lead ballooned to 37-22 at the half.
On the first offensive possession of the 3rd quarter, Harris took it into the lane and hit the deck hard. Irish fans held their breath as she stayed on the ground for a good 3 minutes being looked at by the trainers. She left the game, but Ursuline held strong with her, not on the floor. With about 5:00 to go in the 3rd Harris came back into the game, bandages wrapped on her left elbow. It had no effect on her as she immediately hit a pull up three. Seeing their star fight through an injury inspired the Irish and they went on a 19-11 run to end the 3rd frame, and only trailed 50-41.
The momentum was on the Irish side as the final frame began. The two teams traded a few buckets and then Ursuline cut the lead to seven. A very important moment in the game as the Poland defense made a few tough stops while their offense was trying to get back into a rhythm. Ursuline had to feel like this was their chance to take control of the game but Poland’s defense held strong. With the game at a tipping point, senior Kat Partika sidestepped a defender and hit a 15-foot jumper to put Poland’s lead back in double figures 54-43. Brooke Bobbey would then step up with back to back steals that would lead to layups, and just like that Poland was back up 60-45. Bobbey then hit her first three of the game that gave them a 63-47 lead and sealed the win for the Bulldogs. Poland would go on to win by a final score of 65-51.
The Irish were led by a gritty performance from Dayshanette Harris fighting through an injury to score 30 points. Anya Curd was also in double figures adding 10.
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The Bulldogs had 3 players get into double figure led by Sarah Bury with 17 points 8 rebounds. Jackie Grisdale added 13 points 7 rebounds and Kailyn Brown finished with 12 points 7 rebounds. Poland moves on to play Akron Buchtel on Tuesday, March 5th at 8:00 at Barberton High School.
Sarah Bury Interview:
Nick Blanch Interview:
Kailyn Brown Interview:
Jackie Grisdale Interview:
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Bulldog Pride is alive and well, and so is the winning streak for the Poland Lady Bulldogs.
Late season games can be tricky and tough, the focus turns from one season to the next. Mission accomplished during the regular frame, winning the first-ever NE8 Championship, and ranked atop the state rankings for the first time in program history.
How does Coach keep the girls focused on all the spinning plates? What does it mean to this team to be at the top of the AP Poll?
Our Anthony Hartwig sits down with Coach B for our fourth episode of Poland Coach’s Corner with Nick Blanch.
