Correspondent

AUSTINTOWN — Having a season end on the wrong side of a contest is never easy.

But, if Boardman can say anything, it’s that there’s a changed culture for a team that’s already eyeing the 2022 campaign.

Monday evening wasn’t the 10th-seeded Spartans’ evening though, with a 7-1 loss to fifth-seeded North Canton Hoover ending their tournament run in a Division I district semifinal at Fitch High School.

Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Boardman junior Jenna Olexa makes a diving play at shortstop Monday evening against North Canton Hoover.

“We pretty much ran into a buzzsaw there with (Vikings pitcher Sydnee) Koosh, she pitched amazing,” Boardman coach Fred Mootz said following his team’s exit from the tournament. “Ultimately you’ve got to put pressure on her early and hope that she comes unraveled a little bit, but we didn’t do that. They put pressure on us and defensively we made a couple miscues there early.

“When they build a lead like that for a girl of that caliber, it’s tough to fight back.”

Junior Samantha Hoffman went 2-for-3, with fellow junior Dana Haus tallying the only other Boardman hit.

Junior Maddie Lester started the contest, pitching 2 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits and four punchouts. Senior Kat O’Horo came in for relief, throwing 3 2/3 innings, while fanning five batters, and only allowing two hits and a single run.

With Hoffman plating their lone run on an error, Boardman broke a five-game winning streak dating back to early May, along with sending out a trio of seniors that have helped develop Boardman softball over the past few years.

First basemen Nina Scavelli, catcher Morgan Cherne, and O’Horo all played their final contest in the maroon and silver of the Boardman Spartans, but all leave behind something that’s certain to rub off on the younger players on the roster.

“Morgan, she’s caught a ton of games this year, she got dinged up a few times this year, took some shots but never wavered,” Mootz said. “O’Horo shut them down, she came in and shut them down for the most part, and then Nina Scavelli at first base has been lights out the entire season.

“We’re going to miss them, I mean they’re great girls, they’re great teammates, they’re great leaders, and it’s not easy to replace three like this, it really isn’t.”