Friday night was Youth Night at Chardon High.
Game photos click here.
Friday night was Youth Night at Chardon High.
Before and again at halftime, a parade of young beginners in the Chardon Youth Basketball League walked the halls to celebrate.
Before boys varsity action got underway, those same youth crossed paths with the varsity team in a show of togetherness, slapping hands at center court.
Then the young players on that varsity team, led by one grizzled veteran, jumped on the young Kenston Bombers varsity team in the middle of the first period, opening a double-digit lead that Chardon would hold most of the night en route to a Western Reserve Conference victory, 65-54.
Kenston grabbed a short-lived 5-3 lead early in the contest before Chardon went on a 20-3 run paced by senior forward Sammie Sulka’s nine-point barrage.
It’s been a season of growth for both teams, starting numerous players with little or no varsity experience. The win would be the first for either team in WRC action this season, but while glimpses of solid hoops skills were shown by both, Sulka gave the Hilltoppers (4-8 overall, 1-2 in WRC) a decided edge.
Sulka nailed a pair of 3-pointers late in Chardon’s run in the first period for a 23-8 lead, but saw that lead get cut to less than 10 points briefly in the third and fourth. He had plenty of help from his own young teammates, as well as fellow seniors Carson Frost and Andrew Bruce.
“We’re still a pretty young team,” Chardon Head Coach Chad Murawski said after the game. “We start a pair of freshmen and a sophomore, and we’ve also been dealing with injuries of some of the kids during the football season, so it’s been tough putting things together for the kids.
“We have some really good moments, and we have some really bad moments, too. Having Sammie — the last of the Sulka brothers in the last 10 years or so — really helps, too. He just gets things done for us while leading the younger kids as well.”
Sulka finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three steals to lead the way for the Toppers.
Freshman Luke Galfidi has stepped up in a big way as well, running the offense from his point guard position. He added 15 points to go with four boards and two steals, but his key contribution came in distributing the ball to teammates. He dished for nine assists of the Toppers’ 15 total as his team hit on more than 53 percent of their 43 shots.
This kept the Bombers at bay all night as they, too, in a serious rebuilding season for Head Coach Derrick DeJarnette, could never find enough momentum to get back into the game.
Frost added 13 points, while Bruce chipped in with 12 and five rebounds, in a balanced Chardon attack.
Kenston also had balance, but trouble putting the ball into the net proved to be their undoing.
Sophomore Da ‘Von Owens was the only Bomber in double-digit scoring, knocking down 11 points. Chris Collins and Spencer Brownfield each added nine, Tymir Carmona tallied eight, and freshman Jackson Allotta scored seven while dishing for four assists.
Chardon got the ball inside to Sulka much of the time, and his team’s stiff defense stopped the Bombers from doing the same, especially to Brownfield, Aiden Doyle and Ethan Black.
“We’re just so young this season,” Coach DeJarnette said.
With the loss, Kenston dropped to 1-14 overall, 0-3 in WRC action, but the cupboard is not bare either.
The Bombers hit on only a third of their 56 shots, not nearly enough to match Chardon successes.
But the effort was typical of any Kenston-Chardon game — highly intense all the way.
“I’m really proud of our effort tonight and in every game so far,” Coach DeJarnette said. “We just need to keep playing through the rough spots we’re dealing with this season to improve every time out.”
Key players were prominent for both teams, and both could still see improved records this season. As for the more distant future, Youth Night certainly proved solid interest exists in Chardon.
