At least on a miniature scale, East Liverpool point guard Danny Swoger knows what it's like to walk in the shoes of actor and heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio. Things like that happen in the Ohio River town of approximately 17,000, where there aren't any professional or college sports teams to embrace. Everywhere you go people have to tell you what we've done. It's not uncommon for fans to drive a couple of hours to watch their football and basketball teams.
Home games are a happening.
The players realize their every move is being studied, especially by the little ones. You have to be responsible. Nick Aloi has coached the Potters to five 20-win seasons this decade and to 216 wins in 13 seasons. The Potters also got over a huge speed bump by beating Zanesville in the sectional. When the Blue Devils were playing in state tournaments in 1995 and '97 and in a regional final in '96, East Liverpool was gnashing its teeth at home.