Tag Archive for: spartans

TEAR IT UP, THOMAS!

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BOARDMAN, OH – The Boardman Spartans are currently competing in the second round of the 2020 OHSAA Football State Playoffs and in doing so, they have been led by a great group of players who value winning more than individual success. No one fits that description more than junior, Terence Thomas. This season, Terence has been all over the field on offense as a wide receiver but also leading the way from his free safety position on defense. This leadership is key as Thomas is the first player to get everyone motivated and amped up before a game but he also is able to produce big time plays on the football field to get everyone excited from the crowd to his coaches to his teammates!

YSN’s own, Steve Leslie, had the opportunity to sit down with Terence this week via video chat to talk about what the Spartans are looking to do moving into the second round of the playoffs, some goals that he has set for himself and his team, how being a leader on this Boardman team as been this season, what his plans are for after high school, a rapid fire question session about some things people might not know about Terence Thomas, and much more! Take some time to explore this exclusive interview with Boardman Spartans junior star, Terence Thomas!

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MOONEY BRINGS THEIR BEST TO THE PLAYOFFS

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YOUNGSTOWN OH-

After a record of one and five during the regular season, the Cardinals of Cardinal Mooney needed something positive to happen as they hosted Conneaut at Stambaugh Stadium in the first round of the Division five playoffs.  

 

Well, it seems in this game we found what Mooney can do and how they can be dangerous.  They were slow a tad in the first, but then the second they started to blast off.  That’s when receiver AJ Pecchia took off like a rocket 53-yards for the touchdown making it 7-0.  

 

With just over four minutes before the half, it was the senior quarterback Pat Guerrieri finding sophomore Ty Reali for a 10-yard touchdown and man, how those Cards were on fire! 

 

Few plays later, Conneaut quarterback Jake Slayton fumbled while Mike Pastella did an old scoop and score while making sure his teammates were clean and that there was no dirty laundry on the field.  Well, the laundry was folded with no flags, making it 20-0 going into halftime.  

 

The Spartans speared their way into the endzone in the third as Slayton found one of his favorite targets in Kiefer Mandagelo who then took off like the cheetah Tyreek Hill going 35-yards making it 20-7.  Mooney then gave the ball to Davontae Miller seven yards out and later added on with a Brian Phillibin aka Phil Dawson jr field goal with five minutes to go in the third making it 30-7. 

 

The Cardinals got the running clock started in the fourth after Zy’ere Rodgers said it’s a beautiful day in my neighborhood for me, not you, as he went 18-yards to the house as Mooney now led by 30.  Their final touchdown on the night came when Matt Womer punched it two yards out, putting it away for good as the Mooney Cardinals rolled past Conneaut 44-7.  

 

This is big for the school especially when it came to the off-season with the last minute coaching change, it seems now that Mooney has found a bit of their rhythm back.  This is the Cardinals first playoff win since 2017 where they beat the Poland Bulldogs 13-7.  Looks like the Carl Pelini college coaching experience is paying off now. 

 

Stats 

 

Pat Guerrieri: 10 of 15 passing for 101 yards and a touchdown.  AJ Pecchia finished with 44-yards receiving and Zy’ere Rodgers ended with 22 carries for 241 yards and a touchdown.  

 

Next 

Mooney (2-5) advanced to the second round of the OHSAA Division Five Region 17 bracket with a trip to third-seed undefeated Garrettsville Garfield (6-0) next Saturday at James A Garfield Stadium.  We can possibly see an upset alert happening next week as those cardinals have momentum on their side. 

*Contributed By YSN’s Ian O’Brien

BOARDMAN VOLLEYBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH ALYSSA BIRCH

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BOARDMAN OH- The Spartans have a ton of senior leadership on their team this season. Seven seniors headline a talented Spartans team. That leadership comes in handy as Boardman navigates their tough schedule. Boardman makes sure to keep themselves tested with the teams they play. One of their biggest games of the season was their five set victory of Canfield. The seniors had not beat Canfield in their high school career, and to win in such thrilling fashion was a big turning point for Boardman’s season.

Spartans head coach Alyssa Birch is gaining experience every year she puts under her belt leading the program. She also has a fantastic coaching staff helping her out. When you ask the players about coach Birch the word that shines through is care. She truly cares for her players not just on the court, but off it as well. That lets her players know she has their back. That’s why she gets the most out of them night in and night out.

Coach Birch called in to Running Point this week to catch up with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig. They discussed her programs mental toughness, her seniors and what they bring to the team, and much more. Check in with Spartans volleyball with episode 1 of Coach’s Corner with Alyssa Birch.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ewIf_smWhc[/embedyt]

 

TORRES BUILT FOR TOUGHNESS

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BOARDMAN OH- Maria Torres has gone through more adversity in her high school career than a lot of athletes will go through in their whole careers. Several injuries have held her back from having healthy seasons in years past. It’s only natural for her to think “why me? which she admits crossed her mind for a minute, but soon those thoughts turned into inspiration to get back on the floor 100% healthy. It wasn’t easy, but after months of hard work and perseverance, Torres has found her way back to the court and is completely healthy. That is great news for her teammates, not so good news for her opponents.

Maria does not just have expectations on the physical side of the game, now in her senior year she is called on to be a leader, both mentally and emotionally. She brings tremendous energy to the Spartans. She has a joking personality that can always be called upon to ease the stress of a tough volleyball match. Coach Birch can count on Torres to be an extra coach on the court, something that is so important in volleyball when most of the team’s adjustments need to come on the fly, and without the safety net of practice. The Spartans are a tough hard nosed bunch, and they can attribute that to the mentality Maria brings to the gym every day. She brings toughness.

Maria sat down and talked with YSN’s own Anthony Hartwig. They discuss what it has been like coming back from so much adversity, what her expectations were this season, and much more. You will not want to miss the latest Spartan volleyball player profile “Torres Built For Toughness.”

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0A0dTijCzs[/embedyt]

 

CANFIELD REMAINS UNBEATEN

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CANFIELD OH- The Canfield Cardinals finished the 2020 season undefeated after a victory against Boardman on Friday night.

Canfield’s young Quarterback Broc Lowry continues to dominate, as he led the offense to 35 points and a touchdown run. Junior running back Michael Crawford had one of his best nights of the season, punching in two touchdowns.

The Spartans struggled offensively, scoring only 7 points. Canfield improves to 6-0, as they will
take on the winner of Kenston and Marlington in the second round of the playoffs. Boardman finishes 3-3, and will play at home in the first round against Cuyahoga Falls.

*Contributed by YSN’s Richie Juliano

BOARDMAN FOOTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 2) WITH JOE IGNAZIO

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BOARDMAN OH- The Spartans seem to have found a rhythm as the season goes on. They have been able to show improvement from week to week all season. Like many other teams in the area, Boardman has the opportunity to end the season with a record above .500 if they win in Week 6. It will be the toughest test of the year for the Spartans, as they travel to undefeated Canfield to do battle with the Cardinals. Boardman has a ton of momentum from a 34-17 win over Mooney in week 5, and that could make them a dangerous team. The Spartans also know their first round playoff opponent, as they will host Cuyahoga Falls on Friday, October 9th.

Spartan coach Joe Ignazio called in to Running Point this week to catch up with YSN’s Ron Potesta. They discuss the momentum the team has after two straight wins, their big matchup with Canfield, and much more. Spartans fans be prepared for Week 6 with Episode 2 of Coach’s Corner with Joe Ignazio.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcNorxJEL6o[/embedyt]

SPARTANS START THE WEEK OFF RIGHT

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POLAND OH-

Boardman traveled to Poland Monday night to defeat the Bulldogs in 3 sets. The Spartans were lead by Maria Torres with 10 kills, 11 digs, 3 blocks and 3 aces. Katie Stamp has 11 kills on the night to accompany her 9 digs. Setter Raegan Burkey contributed 25 assists while adding 4 digs and 2 aces. Outside hitters Kathryn O’Horo and Jenna Olexa each had 5 kills, and Gia Ditullio and Lanny Kilpatrick both added 7 digs a piece. Kamryn Duritza rounded out the night with 7 assists. The Spartans are now 6-6 on the season.Sarah Forsyth led the Bulldogs in kills with 3. Addy Gentile grabbed 3 blocks. Kenzie Szolek had 7 digs to lead the Bulldog defense.

The Spartans will hit the road again on Thursday to take on the Mooney Cardinals.

*Contributed by Alyssa Birch at boardmanathletics.org

STAMP OF APPROVAL

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BOARDMAN OH- The Boardman Spartans bring one of the more experienced teams in the area into the 2020 season. There are seven seniors on the squad. One of the premiere seniors on the team is Katie Stamp. Katie has been a staple to the Spartans attack for quite some time. She brings power and versatility to the middle of the Spartans rotation. Stamp is a player that has to land near the top of every opponent’s scouting report. She is a technically sound blocker that also moves particularly well as a hitter.

Stamp comes into her senior year knowing that all the younger players will be looking to her and the other seniors for leadership and examples. She doesn’t take that position lightly, she says that knowing that players look up to her keeps her motivated to work hard and do things the right way. Her confidence as a hitter as grown so much since her freshman season. Now, her confidence oozes through every minute she spends on the court.

Katie has tallied 483 kills so far in her career. Those kills are in 225 sets played. She has been very efficient in her career as a hitter, sitting with a hitting percentage of .306. She averages 2.1 kills per set, and has also recorded 60 blocks in her career.

Katie was kind enough to take the time to talk to YSN’s Anthony Hartwig. They discuss going through the uncertainty of summer, Katie’s role as a leader, and much more. Spartan fans wont want to miss this inside look into the volleyball program with the latest player profile, Stamp of Approval.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQTfQQJsuE[/embedyt]

BOARDMAN PASSES TEST AGAINST RAIDERS

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BOARDMAN OH-

Boardman Girls Varsity Volleyball advances to 5-3 on the season with a win tonight over South Range, 3 sets to 1. (25-12 19-25 25-21 25-10). The Spartans were led by Katie Stamp with 17 kills, 20 digs, 3 blocks and 3 aces. Maria Torres added 11 kills, 17 digs and 4 blocks. Setter Raegan Burkey had 34 assists on the night with 18 digs. Jenna Olexa and Kathryn O’Horo each added 11 digs and 6 kills. Kamryn Duritza rounded off the night with 10 digs.

Julie Stachowicz led the Raiders in kills with 6. Reagan Irons collected 15 digs. Jamie Feren set up 11 assists. Julia Blasko had 2 aces.

The Spartan will hit the road on Thursday to take on the Howland Tigers.

The Raiders will host Lakeview. That game will be live on YSN.

Contributed by Alyssa Birch at boardmanathletics.org

SPARTANS SHOCK CANFIELD IN DRAMATIC COMEBACK

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BOARDMAN OH- Aftr two sets on Thursday night against Canfield, Boardman looked dead in the water. That was simply not the case, as the Spartans clawed all the way back from down 2-0 to win in five sets (17-25 17-25 25-11 28-26 15-13).

The Spartans opened the match with a 4-1 lead, and watched the Cardinals rattle off 10 points in a row to take control of the set. Boardman made some runs to get within 3 or 4 but couldn’t make the next step.

The second set had the same story. Canfield kept the Spartans at bay. Every little spurt Boardman would have would be answered by a punch back from the Cardinals. They won sets one and two by the same score 25-17.

Boardman did not let the 2-0 deficit stop their aggressiveness. They jumped out of a cannon in set three to take a 15-3 lead. They took advantage of the Cardinals going on cruise control for a spell. By the time Canfield woke up it was much too late to stop Boardman’s momentum and the Spartans dominated set three 25-11.

Set four was the most competitive. Boardman has all the momentum, but Canfield was awake, and swung well. It was a battle of the middles, as Katie Stamp, and Maria Torres traded blows with Grace Rosko and Erin Chaplow. The Spartans held off three match points down the stretch at 24-23, 25-24, and 26-25. They’d go on to force a fifth and decisive set with a 28-26 victory in set four.

Boardman managed to grab a 14-10 lead in set five to have match point. Canfield fought back to make it 14-13, and just point away from pushing the set past 15. Enter Torres as the Spartan middle ended the match with a kill.

Torres notched a fantastic night with 23 kills and 8 blocks. Katie Stamp and Jenna Olexa both had 9 kills and 20 digs. Raegan Burkey collected 34 assists.

The Spartans will host South Range on Monday. Canfield will have to travel to regroup as they go all the way to Chagrin Falls to play Kenston on Monday.