#4 Lady Leps End Boardman’s Streak During 20-Win Season
4. Lady Leps End Boardman’s Streak During 20-Win Season
This past year’s edition of Lady Leopards basketball was one of the finest yet. The Lady Leps roared out of the gate winning their first 13 games of the season (the best start since a 17-0 start in 2005-06) by an average score of 58-40. After two heartbreaking losses to West Branch and Minerva, Louisville finished the regular season 18-2 after a five-game winning streak. The Lady Leps clinched the NBC outright finishing 12-2 in league play. Louisville also defeated four Federal League teams, Massillon, and Central Catholic in non-conference contests.
Back on February 19 at Harry Fails Gymnasium in Alliance the Lady Leps were thrown straight into a den of Spartans. Boardman Girls Basketball was the queen of tournament openers. Under coach Ron Moschella, the Lady Spartans were 29-0 against opponents they faced in opening state tournament contests. The Leps shutout Boardman for the first three and a half minutes and jumped out to an 8-0 lead, but Boardman answered back with 10 straight points to take the lead. The game remained close near the end of the third period with Louisville leading by a single bucket.
But over the final nine minutes of the game senior leadership would take over. Senior Lauren Bricker scored 8 of her 10 points in the final 9 minutes and canned two three-balls within the next couple possessions to extend Louisville’s lead to 43-37. However, Boardman’s pressure forced several Louisville turnovers and the Leopards only clung to a 49-48 lead with 17 seconds remaining.
Boardman fouled to send Junior Mackenzie Storlie to the charity stripe. She rimmed out on the front end of the one-and-one, but Senior Alyssa Jones barreled across the lane and beat two Spartans to the board. They quickly fouled her and she made her first free throw to earn her a second try. The second shot ricochet off the back of the rim, but like a piercing arrow Jones stormed in to grab her own rebound stabbing the heart of the Spartans. She whipped the ball to Bricker who tossed it to Storlie as precious seconds ticked off the clock. Storlie would make 1-of-2 free throws and a long-distance shot by Boardman at the buzzer missed everything. Louisville escaped with a 51-48 victory ending Boardman’s 29 year streak.
The Lady Leps road their momentum into the Sectional Final against Perry. Louisville turned a relatively close game into a 53-37 victory after blanking the Panthers 12-0 in the final five minutes of the game. Brianna Libertore and Storlie combined for 31 of the Leopards points. However, the Leopards undefeated (6-0) mark against Federal League teams would end in the District Semifinals against the North Canton Hoover Vikings 64-46.
The Lady Leps 2010-11 season is only the third 20-win season since 1990 (records we have gathered before 1990 aren’t completely found if you have any info please contact us) and first since the 24-1 AP Poll Championship year of 1991-92. Leopard Nation would like to congratulate Seniors Lauren Bricker, Desi Givens, Alyssa Jones, and Amanda Sims for their great careers at LHS! The Leps four seniors graduating still leave a solid core of players returning, the Lady Leps should make another great run in the 2011-12 campaign.
Here’s a look back at the 2010-11 Girls Basketball Season:
PICTURES
GAMES
| Game | Date | Opponent | W-L | Louisville | Opponent |
| 1 | 11/27 | at GlenOak | W | 64 | 45 |
| 2 | 12/1 | Lake | W | 50 | 32 |
| 3 | 12/4 | at Minerva | W | 56 | 51 |
| 4 | 12/8 | Perry | W | 50 | 44 |
| 5 | 12/11 | Northwest | W | 57 | 37 |
| 6 | 12/15 | West Branch | W | 56 | 45 |
| 7 | 12/20 | at Alliance | W | 84 | 14 |
| 8 | 12/22 | Massillon | W | 66 | 46 |
| 9 | 12/29 | at Carrollton | W | 55 | 38 |
| 10 | 1/5 | Marlington | W | 51 | 38 |
| 11 | 1/8 | at Canton South | W | 65 | 44 |
| 12 | 1/12 | at Canton Central Catholic | W | 46 | 40 |
| 13 | 1/19 | at Northwest | W | 56 | 47 |
| 14 | 1/22 | at West Branch | L | 43 | 44 |
| 15 | 1/26 | Minerva | L | 41 | 45 |
| 16 | 1/29 | Alliance | W | 66 | 15 |
| 2/2 | Carrollton | POSTPONED UNTIL 2/7 | |||
| 17 | 2/5 | at Marlington | W | 74 | 47 |
| 18 | 2/7 | Carrollton | W | 57 | 38 |
| 19 | 2/9 | Canton South | W | 70 | 42 |
| 20 | 2/16 | Jackson | W | 47 | 44 |
| ALLIANCE DIVISION I | |||||
| 21 | 2/19 | Vs. Boardman | W | 51 | 48 |
| 22 | 2/24 | Vs. Perry | W | 53 | 37 |
| 23 | 3/3 | Vs. North Canton Hoover | L | 46 | 64 |
2010-11 Top Memories Countdown:
11. Girls Tennis Captures 12th League Title
10. Poyser Wins District Championship
9. Comeback in Carrollton!
8. Boys Basketball Beats Hoover for First Time After Nine Tries
7. Baseball Wins NBC Outright and Sectional Championship
6. Volleyball Takes NBC & Sectional Title
5. Track Sweeps the NBC, Boys Earn First Title Since 1973
4. Lady Leps End Boardman’s Streak During 20-Win Season
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Check back on Leopard Nation to see which memories of 2010-11 were the greatest…
