Oran Eagles rebuild after a strong four-year run

One of the most talented and successful baseball classes graduated from Oran High School last season.

The group of Nathan Seyer, Tyler Cookson, Trey Graviett, Ryne Wood, Patrick Friga, Tyler Nelson and Joey Bickings played vital roles on back-to-back final four teams for the Eagles. Oran finished third in 2002, and last season the Eagles made the final game only to come up short once again.

"We did everything I thought we were capable of doing until that last ballgame," Oran coach Mitch Wood said.

Oran will start its rebuilding process with the opener 4 p.m. Wednesday at Delta.

With seven seniors lost to graduation, Oran will have to rely on an inexperienced group in order to continue the school's winning ways. Oran has only three players returning with experience: Matt Seyer, Garrett Roslen and Brent Graviett. Graviett was injured before the basketball season and may be limited during the baseball season.

Wood said following the departure of the class of 2003, the talent level at Oran will fall more in line with other Class 1 schools.

"Right now, we're back to probably the way we were about four years ago," he said.

A new crop of players does not mean the Eagles are ready to give up their stranglehold on the Class 1 District 2 title just yet. With the senior leadership of Roslen and Seyer and the contributions of younger players, Oran will try to bring home its third straight district title and fifth in seven years.

"They still think they're pretty good," Wood said. "The first goal is to win the district and hopefully do something beyond that. There's a lot of tradition around here in baseball."

Players who saw some time on the field last year include sophomore Joey Williams and juniors Trevor Irwin and Craig Friga. Seyer and Irwin project as Oran's top starting pitchers coming into the season.

The younger players don't have to look far for inspiration. During the team's spring practices several former players stopped by to give the team a hand. Wood said it helped the younger players to be around last year's seniors again.

"When those kids are around them you can tell the difference in how they play," he said.

Current seniors Seyer and Rosein also are capable of bringing out the best in the team.

"They make the kids better," Wood said. "It's a plus that they know what's going on and what we're capable of."