Rocketman's High School Sports Corner

Midwest Athletic Conference Boys Basketball Preview

Different sport......same results......the Midwest Athletic Conference is far and away (far, far away) the best small school basketball conference in the state........and as I've said in the past, maybe the country ......
Year after year this league has representatives at the state tournament evidenced by their stellar tourney history............

The MAC might actually be down a bit this season as two of the more storied programs (DSJ and St. Henry) look to struggle a bit...........I look for a NEW team to sit atop the league at season's end, but the fight to get to the top will be grueling..........unlike some conferences where the league champ breezes through the league with 0 losses ala Liberty Benton in the BVC, this year's MAC champ will have at least 1 loss if not 2............hats off to the MAC.............zooooooom

Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC)

1. New Bremen...............a very nice tourney run that ended in a tough loss in the regionals last season.......they return their best player and with that big game experience under their belt should be tough enough...........

2. New Knoxville.............the smallest school in the league definitely is picking up the pace this season...maybe just a half step back of Bremen, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if they ~~Knox~~ knock on the door......

3. Versailles....................another Shardo leads the Tigers this year..........they need to find some big bodies to bang with the size of the MAC........if they do, they'll be in the mix.......

4. St. Henry.....................tradition and pride go a looooong way down at Fishmo's Market........they said if I ranked the Redskins any lower I'd be hearing from them.........message understood

5. Minster.........................kinda small to be competing in the Land of the Giants that is the MAC.....good guard play could get them a middle of the pack finish.....

6. Coldwater.....................Coach Kanney will certainly help this team's chances for success........my darkhorse, though it probably won't translate into a league title........

7. Delphos St. Johns..........lost a bunch but they still have the Kaz.....not to be confused with the Koz!.........they'll start slowly, but by year's end will be very competitive.....

8. Parkway........................they return some nice talent, but not much history to draw from..........I'll defer to history........

9. Marion Local..................this WILL BE the pick that comes back to bite me I'm sure..........Flyer fans, enjoy your state championship this weekend..........I really like ML.........I really do

10. Fort Recovery..............a last place team in this league would be more than competitive in most leagues in the state...........how is it that they don't compete in the MAC in football, but they do in basketball?......

Blanchard Valley Conference Boys Basketball Preview

Like the BVC girls........the boys of the BVC just don't garner much state-wide recognition if your last name isn't Benton......the last state qualifier was back in '95 and then you have to go back 20 years to get to the back to back Van Buren teams of Lynn Martin of '85 and '86.............that's it Roxy, and there ain't no more .....it has always been a conference of have's and have nots.........with LB having more than their share since Coach Williman has been there recruiting ........here's how a county-wide sampling of Stinkys regulars have the BVC pegged this year and I'm just going to go along with them because most of them this week are carrying guns.........I'm wearing hunter orange as I post these thoughts...zoooom

Blanchard Valley Conference (BVC)

1. Liberty Benton....................what, who'd you think they'd pick?.........with LB running the Hyde and Seek offense this year I look for the Eagles to cruise at high altitude over the league..........nothing less than a perfect record in the league will do............

2. Van Buren..........................I didn't make this pick, Big Ed did and if he says VB who am I to second guess?.........winter came earlier than normal with a whole lot of frost on the pumpkin..

3. Arlington............................graduated a ton of experience, but in this league it won't matter.......the dropoff in talent after these 3 is severe.....

4. McComb.............................the Panthers will look to stay in the upper half

5. Vanlue................................not sold on this pick, but the Kloepfer boys were in Stinkys for lunch this afternoon.........

6. Leipsic.................................this league preview is going downhill...................fast

7. Pandora Gilboa.....................they'll put a couple of teams to sleep by halftime.......might just get them a win or two because of it

8. Cory Rawson........................don't Bill and Joe have another year of eligibility?

9. Arcadia................................OK, so maybe they won't finish this low............but really, does anybody care?

10. Hardin Northern..................only 239 more days until football begins!

Putnam County League Boys Basketball Preview

Next to the MAC conference, the PCL in my mind is the best small school basketball conference in the state........historically they have more than held their own vs. all comers.......though the state titles are few and far between (MC '50, KHS '81, and FJ '00) the conference has done very well comparatively speaking....
This year will be no different, although I think there are the Big 3 and then the little 5 in the separation department..........

It's also a league that's dear to my heart growing up watching the great Kalida, Ottoville, Continental, and Miller City teams of years past........not disrespecting Leipsic, CG, or FJ teams but those are the power teams I remember as a kid........(don't even start me on my PG Rockets!).........I've talked to many great basketball minds the past few months and made my decisions..............zooooom

Putnam County League (PCL)

1. Continental........................the scrappiest bunch of kids in the conference...........for my money, the best coach also..........mix in some talented basketball players and you've got what it takes to win the PCL......O'ville and FJ both on the road could be their stumbling block to another PCL title.............

2. Fort Jennings.....................this is probably a gutsy pick whereas most "in-the-knowers" think Ottoville will win the league.........at the end of last season the Muskies were playing some of their best ball and they return a nice nucleus to compliment the "Konkrete King's" last season.......(you heard that here first!)

3. Ottoville...........................IF they can consistently get the ball inside to U of Findlay-bound Wehri the Big Green will be formidable........they do lose two players that will be verrry hard to replace though, and I just gotta tell Howie............"NO DEAL"........

4. Columbus Grove..............snuck up on people last year..........won't happen again, this year they'll be ready for the Eric Maag show..........Cinderella wore scarlet and gray last season.........this year she's a BUCKEYE...........

5. Kalida.............................probably a pretty safe pick in this spot.........maybe up or down a position, but I feel pretty comfortable with slotting the Wildcats here..........

6. Miller City.......................if there's a wildcard or darkhorse in the PCL it's got to be the Mac & Rita's crew.........2nd yr. coach Dusty Pester gets a season of experience under his belt and the MC boys could surprise a few............

7. Leipsic...........................the Vikes have been quiet the past few seasons..........tucked away up in the NE corner of the county not much news gets out.............alas, not many wins goes in either..........

8. Pandora Gilboa...............for the past 25 years I could have put them in this position each year and been right on most :( ...........the Rockets just aren't built for the rugged PCL..........they actually would fit in well with Holgate, Antwerp and some of those other BB teams..........(Boring Ball)...........real comfortable with this pick............

Northwest Conference Boys Basketball Preview

The next league stepping up to the plate is the NWC.......for years Crestview owned this league's basketball glory..........sure, Lincolnview had a couple year run back in the late 90's but by and large it has been the Knights to lose.....(they usually lost in the sectionals ;) )..........with the addition of LCC, the emergence of Spencerville, CG and now Ada things look to be pretty interesting...........last year the Bearcats from the 'Ville looked to be the class and it might turn out that way again ............hope you enjoy the rankings and if you happen to see me at a game this year please stop and say.......... "zoooooooooom"

Northwest Conference (NWC)

1. LCC.............................a few weeks ago on Sports Overtime with MM I predicted the Tbirds would take down the NWC this season.......he went with Spencerville which was the easy pick, but I picked the new bully on the block..........let's see here :) .........so far LCC has won football, golf, and volleyball titles in their first year of eligibility in the NWC..........I've got to believe that whatever size trophy case they put next to that chapel in the new addition won't take long to fill.........get ready for another piece of hardware.....

2. Spencerville..................they've got the best one-two punch in the league in Nourse and Bowers......(no, not THAT Bowers :rolleyes: )........but they have games on the road at CG, Ada, AND LCC.........not exactly a mixture for success...........

3. Ada..............................Points should be scored in abundance, but like their football team I don't know if they can stop the run up the floor for easy buckets...........they also play at LCC this year ....(who the heck was crazy enough to give LCC all these tuff games at home?)........slot them third, with an outside chance...............

4. Columbus Grove...........Grove wore glass slippers last season as everything went their way........it was a magical ride for the Bulldawgs but I don't see Cinderalla wearing Grove's colors this year......

5. Crestview.....................tough, hard-nosed kids...........usually very basketball sound...........in year's past this might have been a good enough team to win another crown...........the NWC has changed folks and whether you like it or not, the color blue has another hue......

6. Paulding.......................anyone could pick the top of the heap in the NWC...........as they say the cream always rises to the top..........the Rocketman though is able to dissect the middle of the pack teams and determine their true worth...........the Panthers could surprise a few teams this season, and the long drive to Paulding could be dangerous to their basketball health.......

7. Delphos Jefferson..........another team trying to rise from the smoldering ashes.........the Jeffcats were young last year and they could get to a #5 finish if things go well............

8. Bluffton.........................the Pirates won't be taking any booty home with them this year....

9. Allen East......................in a 10 team league some team has to finish down in the backwaters........the 'Stangs will be one of these teams to just tread water.........

10. Lincolnview..................I like the Lancers (I really do :) )..........I just don't see them getting off the snide this season........better days are ahead for the blue and gold.............

Western Buckeye League Boys Basketball Preview

1. Wapakoneta..........overall the most talented team in the league.........it will take some quirky things to happen for the Redskins not to lay claim to the title.....

2. Ottawa Glandorf....will be under-sized against most opponents but I just believe that their past 20 year history has to count for something....

3. Van Wert..............I like Coach Froelich's style.......his teams always play hard, and are fundamentally sound........

4. Lima Shawnee......I'm not buying what the Indians are smoking in the Lappin wigwam this season.......over the last 10 years they've had the talent but lacked the will to win..........unless something's changed I peg them fourth

5. St. Marys.............I always peg a darkhorse so I guess the Roughriders are it this year..........tough place to win and actually have pretty good history on their side........

6. Celina.................one of the more famous homerdomes in the NW Ohio area.........it's dark and has a dungy feel inside.........just enough to take the opposing team's minds off of the game at hand....

7. Defiance.............years ago as a kid I remember Kirk Lehman playing for the Bulldogs........if he can coach just half as good as he could play he will get this program back on track..........

8. Lima Bath............it's time for Bath to make a stand on whether they still belong in the WBL........their girl's programs are outstanding while the boys just ain't gettin' it......

9. Elida....................tossup between the 'Dawgs and Kenton for the basement..........don't believe for a second that ex-Coach Adams didn't know what he was doing when he announced his intentions to move his act to UNOH next season.........

10. Kenton...............they will win at least 2 league games, mark it down.........they've got a nice young post player who just might be able to carry this team to a couple wins in the WBL......