2011 Ohio Cardinal Conference

• OQB

  

  Well it's never to early to start talking about the league.
  
  Who returns who?
  Who is rebuilding?
  Who will be the surprise team?
  
  
  Let's get it started!
• OQB

  

  My prediction:
  
  Orrville
  Lexington
  Ashland
  Wooster
  
  Clear Fork
  West Holmes
  Senior
  Madison
  
  The last 4 could be in any order....
• THE4RINGZ

  

  I think West Holmes will be a better team next year, they paid their dues this year, and have a coach now who is able to build off of a season like this.
  
  Wooster will be decent DA and a couple of absolute.burners who were under classmen this year will make them fun to watch.
  
  Orrville is battle tested, but I saw a billboard on route 30 indicating they need linemen.
  
  Ashland and CF have some big shoes to fill due to graduation, but have solid programs and have people ready to step in and continue.
  
  Senior and Madison are always question marks in this league.
  
  Lexington disappointed me last season at times. Getting consistent should be a goal.
  
  But like every year, the OCC Champ is a question mark until Week 10 and that is how we like it.
• riders1

  

  As of now it's an 8 team race, we'll have to see how the next 8 months go. There could be some significant housing shortages and billboard improvements in that time
• CCRolly

  

  ...and here's hoping one large coaching vacany to fill real soon...
• riders1

  

  DII All Ohio is out. Congrats to Ashland's Marcus Fuller 1st team, Chris Thomas 2nd team , Cody Hickey 3rd team , AJ Peters and Jacob Dixon Special Mention ALL OHIOANS I think I mentioned them all, hope I didn't miss any.
  
  http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/division-ii-all-ohio-list/6f0c52611f824fa783bcadeb6b4b3062
• Mr. 300

  

  Knights will still be extremely young. I look for some improvement in all areas, but the bottom line is they'll still be green as next year's sr class is still pretty small in numbers as well as playing experience.
  
  Ashland always reloads as does Orrville. Wooster could be getting scary again, which will keep Mac at the helm. It will all depends on who puts in the work now preparing for next year.
• 5knots

  

  Congrats to the kids, well deserved honors for all.
• GoJPM!

  

  I think Ashland will struggle some next season. I think Orrville will be the pre-season favorite to win the OCC. After that, maybe Wooster? I would expect Mansfield Senior to improve some more and Madison has to get better. Don't think Lexington will be any better than they were this year. They are soooo overrated as is their head coach. My friends from The Valley tell me Clear Fork is going to take their lumps next season but should be back in 2012.
• OQB

  

  Lexington benefitted a lot from that Mansfield Senior situation a few years ago...a lot of kids moved out and went to Madison/Lexington....I think those 2 playoff years for the Minutemen were evident of that...had a little more talent than usual and had better coaching than the previous school. This year who knows how well they would've done without all those injuries, but we will see how they do next season. I know I hated playing Coach Payne's Minutemen....it was like playing a bunch of little Paynes, with that same attitude he has.
  
  Coach Valentine is a great coach over there in Ashland, he always seems to prepare his teams well...they have started a great tradition, and those "rebuilding years" will start becoming "reloading years". They will be slow to start, but don't count them out.
  
  Wooster seems to have great athletes year in and year out, but the one thing that everyone outside the situation sees a coaching change is needed.....time will tell, and I would bet money on McCreary will be back. Should have another year like this one...playoffs in question though.
  
  Clear Fork has a good thing going in the Valley. They finally got 2 HUGE monkeys off their back in beating Orrville for the first time in 11 meetings, and winning the OCC. I look for them to be in a rebuilding year with a lot of young players starting. They will have some upsets in the conference though, they do EVERY year.
  
  Madison/West Holmes/Senior are about in the same category....All have players coming back, coaches are the same from the previous year, and they will be well tested going into next year. One of these teams could surprise us.
  
  Orrville will reload like they do every year. Main area of focus is Offensive line...graduated 4/5 starters. Also graduated Simpson a back to back 1,000 yard rusher, and all around great player Pirman who could beat you many ways. We return all skill guys including WR/DB's Turner and Brenner, Monheim and Davis at RB/LB, QB Lichti (who now has 14 games under his belt going into his junior year). Dylon Lemon TE/OLB, Kicker Dylan Tanner (5 fg's this past year) Ronald Lehtomaki OL/DL, Trevor White DL.
  
  All are possible newcomers:
  Senior/Junior Newcomers:
  Lareece Woods DB 5'10" 175
  Zach Haley OL/DL 6'2" 210
  
  Nick Graber RB/SS/OLB 6' 175
  Dakota Herrington OL/LB 6' 180
  Chase Infield TE/DE 6'3" 180
  Ryan Neer TE/DE 6'5" 195
  
  Sophomore newcomers will be:
  Alex Hoover OL/DL 6'1" 180
  Joel Zook RB/DB 6'1" 165
  Tyrone White WR/DB 6' 175
  Trevor Summers OL/LB 6'1" 185
  Connor Davis OL/DL 6' 215
• OQB

  

  ttt