Could this be the year Oak Harbor turns the corner? With a senior-laden team that is very experienced and has some versatile athletes, this may be the year the Rockets move into the upper-echelon of the Sandusky Bay Conference.

“Our expectations are pretty high this year,” said head coach Rob Collier, who came over from Lorain Clearview two years ago. “We have experience, we have athletes, (and) we have depth.”

The program has fallen on hard times in recent years. Last season, the Rockets finished 5-16 and, the year before, won just two games, going 2-19.

One of the few good things that happened during those years is the seniors on this year’s team were able to gain some experience. It is actually similar to the situation these seniors faced with the football program. During their sophomore and junior years, the football team struggled, but the players were able to gain some valuable experience that helped to develop them, enabling them to have a successful senior season. Collier is hoping the same thing happens on the basketball court.

“These seniors have had a tough stretch,” said Collier. “(Hopefully), we’re able to take the next step and learn how to win. These kids proved some things to themselves mentally and physically in football this year. ”

Playing in the SBC, which produced last season’s Division II State runner-up in Port Clinton, always makes things interesting.

“There’s no night off,” said Collier. “You’ve got to be ready to play on a nightly basis. (This year), I could see the league champion having a couple losses. That shows the balance of our conference.”

Despite the hard times the program has endured recently, Collier believes that the future looks bright for Oak Harbor.

“The hard times the program has had to go through the last three, four years, we feel that it’s over.”

Collier believes the Rockets can take the next step.

“We want to compete for a conference championship. We want to win a game in the playoffs. We want to become a winning program.”

While Collier does not see the team having a standout player, he believes the team will receive contributions from a variety of players.

“I think we’ll have six or seven guys that can average between eight and 12 points.”

Defensively, they will employ man-to-man and occasionally throw in some zone.

For the Oak Harbor Rockets, it is going to be a gradual process under new coach Brad Hemminger, who replaces Dick Heller.

Competing in the Sandusky Bay Conference doesn’t make things any easier.

“The SBC is probably as tough as I’ve ever seen from top-to-bottom.”

The Rockets were picked to finish seventh by the coaches in the league. Hopefully, being picked to finish near the bottom of the league will provide them with some extra motivation.

When I asked Coach Hemminger what it will take for his team to be successful this year, he said just one thing.

“Our defense must get better.”

You hear coaches preach over and over again about defense, but, the fact remains, it’s the basic foundation for success, and Hemminger knows it.

As for now, the goal is to continue to move forward.

“They’ve made some nice progress. We’re just going to take it one game at a time. That’s our goal everyday: let’s see if we can get better.”

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