Eagles have tradition on their side
Eagles lose scoring but return toughness
- The Eagles lose three key players from last year’s 23-2
- Adams brings 10 points per game back
- Sharp shooting Derek Burkhart rounds out the returning letter winners
- Kirkpatrick averaged four points and four rebounds a night
NORTH ROBINSON – It has been a while since the Colonel Crawford Eagles have had a down year, and they do not expect 2015-16 to be one.
Although the Eagles lose three key players from last year’s 23-2 district runner-up team, tradition never fails. It has been five years since the Eagles finished with a losing record. In that time, Eagles coach David Sheldon has seen talent come and leave, yet the Eagles continued to win.
“We are going to rely on our guard play and our tradition of success,” Sheldon said.
Guard play is what led the Eagles to the district championship a year ago. Todd Entenmann and Dylan Gulley were at the forefront, but they are gone. The award-winning guards averaged a combined 33 points per game. Entenmann, the Northern 10 Conference player of the year, averaged 21 points a night.
Along with Gulley and Entenmann, role player Nick Kemper has graduated. The 2015-16 Eagles will be missing 39 of the 60 points per game the Eagles averaged last year.
But the Eagles return a trio looking to fill in gaps left from the historic 2014-15 team. Owen Adams and Will Kirkpatrick, the Eagles' dynamic football duo, will bring their talent to the hardwood fresh off a historic run on the gridiron.
Adams brings 10 points per game back. He was second team all-N10 and honorable mention District 6 a year ago. Kirkpatrick averaged four points and four rebounds a night as the Eagles' sixth man. Sharpshooting Derek Burkhart rounds out the returning letter winners. He averaged six points, two rebounds and two assists as a junior.
Aside from the three, the Eagles return a lot of role players.
“Our biggest weakness is going to be our varsity experience,” Sheldon said. “We will carry four seniors, five juniors and three sophomores, so we have a nice blend of youth and experience.”
Adams, Kirkpatrick, Burkhart and Casey Miller will be the veteran leaders. Miller appeared in 10 games last season, averaging two points.
The Eagles return talent from the junior varsity level. Last year’s team finished 18-4. Those players will look to make an impact at the varsity level and bring along some height. Junior Heath Starkey stands 6-feet-8 and will be the length needed inside.
Sophomore Harley Shaum is 6-4, junior Jaret Tinkey and sophomore Hayden Bute are 6-3.
The preseason polls had the Eagles tied for second with Buckeye Central. Upper Sandusky was picked as the favorite to take the N10 title by one first-place vote.
“Upper will be good and Buckeye Central returns a lot of talent,” Sheldon said. “Wynford will be up there, too.”
Colonel Crawford will look to build on last year’s defensive attitude. The Eagles possessed the N10’s No. 1 defense giving up just 41.3 points a night. They held opponents to a miserable 28 percent shooting from beyond the arch. The Eagles forced 15 turnovers a game.
But rebounding was an area in which the Eagles struggled. They averaged an N10 worst six offensive rebounds a game.
The Eagles tip off their season a bit late due to the football playoff run. Colonel Crawford will be at Crestline on Dec. 2 for the season opener. The Mac will see its first home game Dec. 5 as the Eagles host Mohawk.
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Twitter: @JakeFurr11