Well It's about that time the gym lights stay on a little longer after school and the suicides are being run.

With a memorable first season for Head Coach Sly Slaughter, and a Division III State Runner-up finish, what are your predictions for this season?

Team Schedule:

Saturday 11/13 10:00AM @ Copley High School(scrimmage)
Saturday 11/20 10:00AM @ Hiland MS/HS(scrimmage)
Tuesday 11/23 7:30PM vs. Foundation Scrimmage vs Massillon
Saturday 12/4 7:30PM @ Shelby High School
Friday 12/10 7:30PM @ Mansfield Sr. High School
Friday 12/17 7:30PM vs. West Holmes High School
Saturday 12/18 8:45PM @ Hillsdale High School (WQKT Classic vs. Hillsdale)
Wednesday 12/22 7:30PM @ Madison High School
Tuesday 12/28 7:30PM @ Ashland High School
Friday 1/7 7:30PM vs. Clear Fork High School
Tuesday 1/11 7:30PM vs. Norwayne High School
Friday 1/14 7:30PM vs. Lexington High School
Friday 1/21 7:30PM @ Wooster High School
Saturday 1/22 7:30PM vs. Mansfield Sr. High School
Friday 1/28 7:30PM @ West Holmes High School
Saturday 1/29 7:30PM vs. Ashland High School
Friday 2/4 7:30PM @ Clear Fork High School
Saturday 2/5 7:30PM vs. Triway High School
Friday 2/11 7:30PM @ Lexington High School
Saturday 2/12 7:30PM vs. Northwestern High School
Friday 2/18 7:30PM vs. Madison High School
Saturday 2/19 7:30PM @ Wadsworth High School
Friday 2/25 7:30PM vs. Wooster High School

Returning Players:

Zach Wasson 6'6" SR
Max Pirman 6'5" SR
Kyle Zook 6' SR
Daniel Groves 6'1" SR
Tre Simpson 6'1" SR
Derek Graber 6' SR
Cody Rice 5'11" SR
Travis Infield 6' SR
Cody Seiler 6'4" SR

Drew Brenner 6'3" JR
Stewart Turner 6' JR
Jordan Ray 5'10" JR
Antawn Sims 6'2" JR
Devon Winters 6'7" JR
Alex Samson 5'9" JR
Erik Gebhardt 6' JR


Kyle Lichti 6' SO, Who are the other sophomores and or freshman that will be making contributions this year if there are any others?

Are we in the WCAL now? Hillsdale , Norwayne, and Northwestern. I really dont like our schedule. What happened to East and Timkin. Those teams get you ready for your end of the year run...

We have usually played 1 WCAL team and that is usually Northwestern. Before that I remember going to Norwayne to watch them play the bobcats. We have usually played some good teams in the classic, but maybe they didn't have the teams they usually have to come. I don't really like that schedule either, why not play a school like Wadsworth, Timken, and Canton South.

We lost a lot of talent and competitive kids from last year. With that being said, we have plenty coming back. They just need to play as a team. I don't see any Freshman contributing to varsity. JV maybe.

The only two I can think of our zook and summers, but they will most likely be JV.

I saw Winters last week and he looks to be a solid 6-8 more like 6-9 to me...this team could be fun to watch if they can put it all together.

I think Winters will suprise a few people this year. I don't think Zook and Summers are ready for Varsity. JV maybe. The numbers will be up this year also.

Has winters bulked up at all? I remember last year he was a toothpick. We have tons of size this year.

BRF checking in to mark this on his "subscribed" list. No comments at this time, oh....except one....the current coach is awesome!

That he is BRF.....

only 1 home game in the first month of the season.

I agree...there's talent...just need to come together like any team.

Hoping a kid like Jordan Ray can assume the PG role and be an effective distributor.

Team will be inside/out just like last year, but missing that deadly shooter we had in Jake. We have almost ZERO shooters on this team...but plenty of guys who can get out and run.

Run the press and flex until teams submit.

Ray ,possibly Turner at PT. We've always played 1-2 WCAL. I'd say Hillsdale and NWT are no slouches either and will be more of the style we will see in the tournament early. We won't see any teams running it up and down like Timken or East. The part I don't like is playing them early and letting them figure out how to attack our style.

I would love to see Turner at point, man we could really run an up tempo game! He could be like a john wall (of course nothing close to him, but similar speed)

I just hate it that we schedule game #1 the same time as the football finals at Canton on Sat. night.

They would change that if we would be playing. Especially of the offensive coordinator is the head coach.

We would play Friday. I like to go to all 6 finals, but we always schedule Sat. nights when DI plays.

Orr QB, Left out AJ Perez( outside threat) and Turner is not a for sure in B ball yet.

An interesting addition would be Mason. He could fill the Hoobler role. Its been a long time since he's played, but he would be a force.

Chase coming back from injury was a big reason we made that run last year. Max should step up and be more of a physical presence this year. Interesting thought about Mason though, I'm sure Slaughter would find a use for him.

another 5 fouls to use!

Glad to see Bolyard and Corbett gone, but for different reasons - Bolyard 'cuz he was awesome, and Corbett because he was a threat to every opponent's kids' health.

Orrville will be plenty good again this year. If your bigs can run the floor, you'll be tough! Depth is something that is huge in DIII, as Smithville found out the hard way a few years ago. If Orrville can find not only 1 but 2-3 kids to run the point effectively and 2-3 good post players (Wasson and who else?), they'll be tough to beat. Pirman played terribly in the tournament last year, from what I saw (every game except one). If the coach can get him to accept a role inside where I think he adds an actual threat (he was no threat outside), then opposing teams would actually have to guard him. Throw in having 9 seniors and 7 juniors (or something like that), and I think Orrville has every right to be optimistic about this coming season.

Good luck this year, Riders. You made your community (and our area) proud last season.

Pitman,It was a good football er basketball game at COW last year. You hit the nail on the head about Pirman, he could be really good if he accepts the inside role. I'm sure the Titans will be good again as long as Snoddy is there. I'm a big fan of his.

Riderfan;528658 wrote:Chase coming back from injury was a big reason we made that run last year.

Amen, brother. The seed has been planted into MM's head. But right now he is concentrating on the matters at hand!