The achievements of the Geneva girls basketball team this season were numerous. The biggest came Monday with the announcement of the Division II All-Ohio team by the Associated Press.
Coach Nancy Barbo, who led the Eagles to their first appearance in the regional tournament along with their first district tournament appearance, was chosen to share Coach of the Year honors in Division II with Rod Chylsta of Ravenna and Ray Neill of Sandusky Perkins.
Barbo was not the only Eagle to be recognized at the state level. Senior post Taylor Webb was named to the honorable-mention list.
Nor was Geneva the only area school honored in Division II. Jefferson senior Lizzy Ziemski was also a special-mention selection, while Conneaut’s Nichele Johnson was placed in the honorable-mention category.
No area girls were recognized on the Division I team, which was also announced Monday. The Division III and IV All-Ohio teams will be revealed today.
Barbo also led Geneva to the Premier Athletic Conference championship in its first year in the conference. The Eagles are the only Division II team in an otherwise Division I conference.
Earning such recognition was a distinction Barbo said was a collaborative effort shared with her coaching staff of husband John, junior varsity coach Rob DiPofi, freshman coach Chip Sorber and her girls.
“It’s quite an honor,” the University of Akron graduate said. “(Having such a degree of success) is not a one-person job. I owe a lot to all my assistants.”
Then there’s the time and energy her players were willing to invest to reach the lofty perch the Eagles (19-5) attained.
“You have to have talent to achieve that,” Barbo said. “Actually, if the girls hadn’t been willing to invest the time and the energy they did and weren’t as committed as they were, it wouldn’t have been achieved.”
The credit largely goes to others for the award Barbo is receiving, in her estimate.
“You never go into coaching for personal honors,” she said. “You want your players to achieve all they can.
“I certainly didn’t go into coaching for the honors. It’s just to help the girls reach their potential.”
Sports
Related Photos
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TAYLOR WEBB (45) OF GENEVA AND LIZZY ZIEMSKI OF JEFFERSON (25) were each accorded special-mention All-Ohio recognition by the Associated Press on Monday, while Eagles coach Nancy Barbo (below) was named as one of three Coaches of the Year in the division. WARREN DILLAWAY
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NICHELE JOHNSON of Conneaut earned honorable-mention All-Ohio recognition in Division II from AP on Monday. WARREN DILLAWAY
Discussion
Area’s D-II Fab Four honored
Webb, Ziemski, Johnson, Barbo earn All-Ohio recognition
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Falcons impress
The Jefferson Falcons used an 8-2 early run and an 8-0 late run, both in the first quarter, backed by hot shooting, to open a big lead on the Conneaut Spartans that reached double digits early, paving the way to a solid 65-47 Falcon win Tuesday night at Falcon Gym.
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Eagles knocked off perch
The Geneva girls led at the end of every quarter but the final one Tuesday night. And that may turn out to be somewhat symbolic of their season in the Premier Athletic Conference.
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Lakers done in at Girard
When freshman Craig Randall began practice for Girard on Nov. 4, he walked in thinking he may start for the junior-varsity team.
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Pirates cruise as Eagles ‘lay egg’
Late in the second quarter, Geneva’s Dan Camplese hit a 3 to bring the Eagles within 4 points of the Perry Pirates, 21-17.
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Beavers scalp Warriors
Chandler Smith had the answer. The question — how do you overcome a poor shooting performance?
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Scholastic Schedule:
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8
Girls Basketball
n Geneva at Perry
n Kirtland at Madison
Wrestling
n Jefferson, Grand Valley at PV (6) -
Lakers clinch NAC outright
Pymatuning Valley coach Jeff Compan thought that his opponent was the aggressor on Monday night. But his side still came out on top. And with that, the Lakers clinched the Northeastern Athletic Conference title outright.
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Warriors edge Heralds
With both the Edgewood and SS. John and Paul girls basketball teams struggling to get something going early in Monday’s non-conference matchup, there were certainly plenty of openings for a single player to tip the scales in favor of her team.
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Eagles fly to top seed
Having already clinched a share of the Premier Athletic Conference championship — which they can wrap up outright with a win at North on Tuesday — the Geneva Eagles were accorded another honor Sunday.
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SECTIONAL SUCCESS:
- 1. Jefferson 17
- 2. Madison 11
- 3. Perry 8
- 4. Geneva 7
- 5. Conneaut 6
- 5. Pymatuning Valley 6
- 7. Riverside 4
- 8. Grand Valley 1
- 9. Edgewood 0
- 9. Lakeside 0
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