Curbstone Coaches held their annual Football Recognition Banquet on Sun., Jan. 31 at The Georgetown.
      Boardman Spartan Head Football Coach Joe Ignazio earned Region 8 Coach of the Year honors, and was selected as the Big 22 Coach of the Year. He will be an assistant coach for the North team in the annual North-South football game to be played in April.
      Spartan Assistant Grid Coach Mike Popio Sr. was tapped as the Region 8 Assistant Coach of the Year.
      Eight Spartans were recognized as first team All-AAC selections in the Gold Tier including seniors Adam Deeley, Alex Duda, Mario Graziani, Nick Patoray, Erick Ritz, and Wes Thompson; junior Travis Koontz and sophomore Mike Melewski.
      Graziani was honored as the AAC Gold Tier Defensive Player of the Year and both he and Thompson were honored as Northeastern Ohio Inland First Team selections.
      Duda was introduced as a finalist for the Bryd Giampetro Award, the highest award the Curbstone Coaches give to a football player in the Tri-County area.