Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Coach: Nick Lance, 10th year
Last year: 19-7 (9-5 NBC)
Key returning players: Brayden Butzin (Sr., C); Michael LaLonde (Sr., IF/P); Karson Lash (Sr., IF/P); Caleb Baker (Sr., P)
With Brayden Butzin and Michael LaLonde leading the way, there's reason for optimism in Oak Harbor.
Butzin, a catcher who occasionally sees action out of the bullpen, was a Division III Honorable Mention All-Ohio last season after hitting .449 to go with two home runs and 27 RBIs.
LaLonde, who is the ace of the pitching staff when he's not playing shortstop, is committed to continue his career at the University of Findlay. LaLonde earned league and district honors last season, going 5-1 with a 1.21 ERA and hitting .329 with 16 RBIs and 32 runs.
Led by the now graduated Brayden Myerholtz, Tim Marquette and Jacob Sandwisch, the Rockets won 19 games last year and advanced to the district finals - falling just one win shy of making it to the regional tournament for the first time since the 2011 regional-final squad.
"We want to win the league and break into the regional," Oak Harbor coach Nick Lance said. "It has been a hurdle of ours."
With a starting rotation like the one the Rockets have, anything is possible.
LaLonde will be joined in the rotation by Nolan Bickelhaupt and Caleb Baker while Karson Lash, Brennan Butzin, Gavin Witt and Fischer Conn are the relievers.
Centerfielder Cooper Schultz leads off, and he is followed by LaLonde and Butzin. Lash plays second base, Rife is the first baseman, and he is followed by Bickelhaupt, designated hitter Garrett Perkins, third baseman Brennan Butzin and rightfielder Jaxson Overmyer. Gavin Witt plays left field.
Lance sees what most of the coaches in the NBC see, which is Lake and Eastwood as the top two teams with Oak Harbor, Maumee and Otsego being in the mix.
The Rockets are one of the biggest teams in Division V after the OHSAA expanded to seven divisions during the offseason.
"That obviously gives more teams a shot at a state title, but the early road might be more difficult," Lance said of the changes.
