When the Sharpsville High School boys' varsity basketball team heard that the home of one of their players was demolished in the tornado, they decided they wanted to do something to help.

Sophomore Harold Zook of Clark was at home with his mother when the tornado hit.

"I was watching TV and saw the tornado warnings. They said there was a warning in Columbiana County, so I didn't worry too much about it," Zook said. "About 10 minutes later, the lights went out, and I told my mom we should get downstairs."

Zook said he and his mother went to the basement. Zook grabbed the dog and went to shut the door, but the door flew back open. He felt himself lifted up, then something hit him in the head.

"I woke up on a pile of rubble. There was a board on top of me, and I moved the board and saw the sky."

A little later, Zook heard a neighbor calling out to him. He answered, and the neighbor dug him and his mother out.

Teammate Matt Killa, a senior, was taking a friend home to Milton Street in Clark after the tornado had hit.

"I walked down to see the damage, and everything was devastated," Killa said. "I saw (Zook) trying to gather up a few of his things. I was really suprised to see him."

Killa said he called the coach and told him about the Zook house.

"I thought it would be great if we could help out," he said.

So did coach Rob Spon.

"I made the suggestion at practice," Spon said, "and just about the entire team turned out."

Killa said the team managed to get the debris cleaned up by Wednesday and then started helping the next-door neighbors.

"We were just lending a hand," Killa said.

Others in the organization were helping out where they could, the coach said. The Basketball Boosters had planned on buying new shoes for the team, but after the disaster the team decided they wanted the money donated to the family instead.

"It's really pulled us together as a team," Spon said. "It's taught us that there are more important things in life than basketball."

Zook was just happy for the support.

"I was glad just knowing they cared,' he said.