Class A

1. Merritt-State Runner-up with everyone back-Could move up a class

2. Weleetka-Will be very good and athletic

3. Cheyenne-Will still be very good and defensive as usual

4. Glencoe-Four back and freshman will be a whole lot better as a sophomore

5. Frontier-Best two players were young and they made a good run down the stretch



others to watch

Velma-Just lose Byford and the others will now play instead of watching

Hydro-Good young group but must find guards

Laverne-Everybody back

Wright City-Still very talented

Okarche-Enough said always good

1. Cheyenne-until they stumble should stay at the top. Have to find a point guard but will have more size.



2. Merritt-Know how to get to the big house and will be hungry for a title next year.



3. Glencoe-Should be a bit better but better learn to play better defense.



4. Laverne-were playing very well to finish the season and should be a force next year.



5. Okarche-will be a top all year just like usual.

Couple things-Just because you have 9 seniors does not make you great, They lost two really good players in Carver and Krecthmeyer and the bench did not look that outstanding at state,



Also it seems every year could be Okarche's year to some people.



I think they will stay in the top 8 and have another chance to go back to the state tournament but not one of the favorites. Heard they did add another great coach in Aaron West, Ray's son, who has been at Lomega. Is Ray grooming his replacement?

Haven't heard of coach West son coming to Okarche. I know that Haley Myers was brought on to replace a retiring Cheri Myers but for some reason they don't feel like she's ready. Who knows their thought process and time frame. If that happens he might be coaching with his dad for a number of years? Not a bad combination to coach a high school team though! Large schools only wish to have that kind of coaching ability - makes you realize how important basketball is in Okarche.

Hydro-Returning all but Raines, but he was a key player, so I don't know how they will do without him. Merritt-Also returning four, with the exception of Vanburen. Daugherty will be highly praised in the preseason. Glencoe-Again, returning four. Their two weaknesses, defense and poor schedule, are detrimental to them though. Okarche-Only returning two, but talented core and staff add-on will be a force to be reckoned with.
Cheyenne should not be placed on the list. Losing Thrash and Smith will hurt too much. Their tough schedule will have them knocked out of the top eight early, if they are even fortunate enough to start there.
And for the record Laser, Coaches who scouted and watched films on Okarche from earlier in the season know that they got off easy at the state tournament. Okarche was much better than the state tournament made them look. Due to horrible shooting percentages among other things, their season was ended early.

So Mustang, you are saying that Okarche was the best team at the state tournament? Who got off lucky? Merritt made them look slow and I felt like the best team won that game. I also thought Okarche did a great job against Wright City who was incredibly athletic. Cheyenne does have a tough schedule but it will help them in the playoffs and coaches understand tough schedules. Point in case, Okarche in the Three Rivers Conference and Frontier who will play anybody, are not penalized for losing tough games that are close.

I'm not saying Okarche was the best team in the tournament. Okarche was better than Merritt. Okarche shot horrible, couldn't get a play into motion, and other things. Yes, Merritt was good, but they simply showed up while Okarche didn't. And Okarche was penalized for playing a tough schedule, unlike others. Okarche lost to four games to four state tournament teams. After losing to Hennessey in the Three Rivers Tournament, they fell two spots and never went back up. Cheyenne lost to Hammon, a Class B team, and stayed number one. Now I know who ended up winning the state tournament, but Cheyenne in no way was the best team. Velma, Wright City, Okarche, and Glencoe I would all place ahead of them.

Mustang, you left off Weleetka who was probably the most athletic team in the entire tournament. According to your philosphy the two worst teams in the state tournament wound up winning silver and gold. How does that happen? Was is just luck? Perhaps the schedule in the west is tougher than you think and teams are prepared for the playoffs.

i dont understand how you(mustang1) can say the worst 2 teams in the state tournament went home with gold and silver thats a little bit odd. if you want to be the ''so called better''team then win the game you are given! put a full game together against a solid team! find a way to win! thats ridiculous! and another team you left out of your top teams(weleetka) was the 2nd best team in the tournament. to be the best team you actually have to win! i know that sounds crazy!

We aren't talking about how people played we arent talking about who has the best excuses for why they lost we arent talking about the regualar season, districts, regionals, or area and how everyone played up until then! Yes Velma was undefeated, Yes Weleetka was very athletic, Yes Okarche was well coached and Yes Glencoe was very talented but if you havent noticed They DID NOT come home with a GOLD BALL or even a silver for that matter!! Cheyenne was obviously the best team THaT big Gold thing that apparently belongs to Velma or other teams according to you people happens to reside in a trophy case in Cheyenne! They had the target on their back all year long and still won BIG! You can sit here and boast about how good Velma, Okarche, and all the other teams in the State Tournament were and if they would have played better they wouldve won?!!? Blah Blah Blah!! Guess what they didnt win! Velma couldnt get past the team Cheyenne beat 4 times this past season and Merritt doesnt even have a big man that can touch Byford! But you dummies get on here and brag about how Velma is a better TEam?! Please Explain?