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Who will get the title this year?

SOC I is loaded with talent this year. Eastern returns a few players from their title run last year, Notre Dame returns almost their entire squad from last year. Clay returns most of the players that were in their rotation near the end of the year. If the players from Green play, they will be a seasoned group. Symmes Valley loses Tibbs, but returns Taylor and a few others that played well on the varsity level. East loses the Garrett twins, Rawlins, and Haywood but returns Crager who played exceptionally well last year. New Boston loses 5 seniors, all of which played varsity last season, they return Levi Horsley and Shane Buckley, both started every game last season for coach Stapleton. They have a new comer named Drake Thompson and everyone is expecting big things from him. Western is a question mark because they are losing players due to graduation.

My pre-season pick to take the title is New Boston. I look for these boys to be very tough to beat not only at home, but on the road as well.

Good run down Varsity. Thanks for the updates on what everyone has coming back. It sounds like the league will be very competitive with several teams having the bulk of this years team back (not the case for Eastern). What position does the Tigers new addition play?

I think my pick would be clay just for the fact of who they have coming back which they have 7 players returning that played varsity returning for them and they have to most experience

Eaglesnest wrote:Good run down Varsity. Thanks for the updates on what everyone has coming back. It sounds like the league will be very competitive with several teams having the bulk of this years team back (not the case for Eastern). What position does the Tigers new addition play?

Well most schools he would be a 3 or so but at newboston he will more then likely play the 5

loaded with talent? lol...

60'6", you don't think there is any talent in the SOC I. I assume you are joking or just a punk kid. There is a lot of talent in this league and there has been a lot of talent come out of this league. Granted, we don't get many teams with 5 Div 1 players on a squad, but the SOC 1 has produced a few players in the past and I suspect the will put a few more in the future in the College ranks. Cam Thoroughman comes to mind, who else did you see from the local area in the NCAA tourney this year, and if my memory serves me, he was a SOC 1 product. So save your LOL's for something funny or else you just look a bench sitting whiner.

This year Clay should run away with the league, but with hardly any young players showing up at open gyms it looks to be a tough year for the JV and Freshman teams. As for the Varsity players they have been lifting 3 days a week and goin to Waverly's open gyms when they get the chance. If they continue to work like this it could be a great year for the Panthers, I could see Symmes Valley, Eastern, and Green being tough competion as well this year, it will be interesting who will step up for Eastern

Livin LRG wrote:This year Clay should run away with the league, but with hardly any young players showing up at open gyms it looks to be a tough year for the JV and Freshman teams. As for the Varsity players they have been lifting 3 days a week and goin to Waverly's open gyms when they get the chance. If they continue to work like this it could be a great year for the Panthers, I could see Symmes Valley, Eastern, and Green being tough competion as well this year, it will be interesting who will step up for Eastern

Livin Large,

I agree with your post heading into this season Clay would have to be the favorite. As reported in an above post, Green has most of their team back as does Symmes Valley (losing Tibbs will hurt) but Symmes always has a good crop of athletes. Someone said Notre Dame has their entire team back so look for them to compete as well.

However, I still look for Coach Fitch to put a very competitive squad on the floor. Thornsberry is back and Lands showed much promise as a Freshman. But, you have raised the question that Eagles fans are wandering...Who is going to step up for the Eagles as most of the contributors to the SOC Championship team were lost to graduation. If the youth step up, then the Eagles will be a dangerous team I believe. Time will tell.

The SOC 1 has put out some good players in the past and have had some very good teams. But this league is not loaded either, as someone put it. I dont really see this league being very strong next year as a whole. Too many teams losing too much. I think clay should be pretty good returning a lot of their talent from last year. Notre Dame returns a lot and will have a very strong freshman class next year. They will be better. I dont thnk 60ft. 6in. was bashing, at least I didnt think so. Just saying that the league is not loaded. There will be some good players and some decent teams, but nothing overly impressive in my opinion. I think every team in SOC 1 lost in the sectionals last year so they arent really loaded.

Thanks Eaglesnest. New Boston's Drake Thompson will probably run anywhere from the 3-5 in coach Stapleton's system. He is a versital player that can jump out of the gym and step back and knock down the 3 as well. He is only about 6'1 at most but I am telling you now, this kid can dunk with ease. His wingspan is probably close to that of a 6'4 center. He will be tough. What makes him better IMO is point guard Shane Buckley, this kid is a "true point guard". He looks for the open man everytime he brings it up the court. If anyone remembers New Boston's Josh Howell from a few years back, Buckley is a spitting imagine of him on the basketball court. Just younger. Coach Stapleton loves having a point guard that can manage a game.

Varsity,

If Drake is that good, the Tigers will also be "in the hunt" for a title. It is starting to sound like the league will be very balanced and life on the road brutal. I doubt anyone runs the table as Eastern Pike was fortunate enough to do this past season.

Heywood is only a junior and will be a senior I thought, unless he transferred out which i have not heard of happening. So East will return him as well as Craiger who both will more than likely start for the Tartans

Tartanblue wrote:Heywood is only a junior and will be a senior I thought, unless he transferred out which i have not heard of happening. So East will return him as well as Craiger who both will more than likely start for the Tartans

Yeah they both should start imo i think Craiger is the best player on that team next year

I agree with claypantherfan. Crager will be the best player on the East squad. And I also agree that no one will run the table like Eastern did last season. This upcoming year should be very competitive night in and night out.

Haywood is still at east.He played some solid games for east last season .Would love to see him have a breakout senior year!!!Crager is only a freshman and will continue to get better with more experience

Rocky, you obviously haven't made it out of southern ohio. Thats all I can say. Sure maybe the SOC 1 will be competitive within itself, but against other area conferences, and especially compared to schoolds around the state...its going to be very weak...Maybe in the past but I'm talking about THIS year...so I have one last thing to say ""LOL"

I think it will be what coach dose the best with his team, with all schools being about equal with returning players.

60ft.6in. wrote:Rocky, you obviously haven't made it out of southern ohio. Thats all I can say. Sure maybe the SOC 1 will be competitive within itself, but against other area conferences, and especially compared to schoolds around the state...its going to be very weak...Maybe in the past but I'm talking about THIS year...so I have one last thing to say ""LOL"

Try to stay on subject 606. The comment was made by Varsity that the SOC I was loaded with talent and you LOL'd that. (guess thats your highest level of thought). No one said anything about them being competitive outside the SOC I, so your debating with your self about things you percieved in your own mind that were said. I still think your out of line saying there is no talent in the league.

Symmes Valley will be a top 3 team.