Roberts Out as Dragons Girls Coach.

 Written Thursday June 30th at 8:30 PM
Updated Thursday July 14th at 5:20 PM

Well there will be a new coach coaching the Orion Girls Basketball team this winter.

Orion head coach Steve Roberts was not retained as head coach of the Dragons effective immediately.

Roberts coached the Dragons for 16 years, including a trip to the Class A State Semifinals in the 2008-2009 season, and recently got his 200th win over Royal Oak last season.

However what pegged Orion was the internal issues that have affected the program and it has been a problem in recent seasons.

This was a messy divorce as it wasn't Orion Athletic Director Bill Reiss that made the decision to let Roberts go, it was the Orion Central Office in downtown Lake Orion that made the decision to make a change.

The new coach will have a very talented team to work with this upcoming winter. Also Orion is one of the favorites in the White and a top contender in a district they host this season. The Dragons will have Maddie Novak returning along with Tessa Nuss, Sophie Wyborski, Delaney Bryce, and a strong junior class all back.

The Dragons finished 12-9 last season losing an overtime game to Waterford Mott at home in the district semifinals.

Also not to mention the sub-varsity teams have been a combined 37-2 last season and 38-2 two seasons ago.

The early favorites to replace Roberts have to be Kevin Kopec and Bob Brydges, both of them are on staff and is very popular choices. Kopec, whom teaches in the school district has coached JV for the Dragons since 2007 and is currently coaching the summer league team. He has had two 20-0 seasons and has went 38-2 in the last two seasons. Brydges has Varsity experience, coaching at Bloomfield Hills Lahser and is currently the freshman coach at Orion. He has gone 37-2 in his two seasons back coaching in his hometown.

But you never know what will happen here.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for complete coverage on this story as it develops.

State Quarterfinal Preview-Dragon Softball.

Written Saturday June 11th at 11:00 PM

The Dragons will have their hands full heading into Tuesday's State Quarterfinal game against Farmington Hills Mercy, here is a matchup preview heading into the game.

The Marlins (40-2) whom is ranked number two in the State have gotten all the hype, focus, and attention that has surrounded them all season, some of it deserved from shows like State Champs. Farmington Hills Mercy won the Catholic League for a second straight season and have been primed to get back to East Lansing since losing to Caledonia last season in the State semifinals. The Marlins have a very good team surrounding them led by Brighton Native, and Mobile (South Alabama) bound senior Abby Krzywiecki. Krzywiecki is likely going to be the Miss Softball in the State of Michigan, averaging a .565 batting average with 20 home runs, and 90 runs batted in. Farmington Hills Mercy also has a very talented starting pitcher in Andrea Elmore whom is 28-1 this season, having an earned run average under one run per game. The Marlins also have solid players as well in Anna Dixon, Cari Padula (going to Kalamazoo- Western Michigan next season) whom were both a combined four for six against Walled Lake Northern in their 11-1 rout of the Knights in the Regional Final and also Farmington Hills Mercy has Nicole Belans whom played well against Walled Lake Northern as well along with all-Stater Sophie Van Acker. 

The Dragons (35-5) meanwhile just won their first regional final since 2004 and is ranked sixth in the State really hasn’t got much attention nor the respect they deserve from shows like State Champs but they do bring a balanced attack to the party. Orion though has had its moments in the tournament feature their own power hitter in Shelby Misiak and young hitters such as Kassidy Carson, Carley McGhee, Erin Schroeder, Mackenzie Roy, Mackenzie Case, Tessa Nuss, Susie Bielecki, Jamie Bell, Bethany Gardner, and Peyton Shadaia. The Dragons do have a senior pitcher in Sierra Gonzales whom is a big game pitcher herself and Lexi Aguilar is not bad herself. Orion has gone through some very good teams in Clarkston, Oxford, Groves and Romeo to get here.

This will be the first meeting of the season between Orion and Farmington Hills Mercy.

PROJECTION: Farmington Hills Mercy is very good, very talented, very athletic, and deserve the attention they have gotten from State Champs and the rest of the media. Yes, Abby Krzywiecki is likely going to win Miss Softball for the State but according to my source the Marlins can be had, it depends on any given day. Orion has not gotten no State love lately besides the local media and could make history if they pull this one off. The experts say that the Dragons don’t match up well with the Marlins but looking at the matchup here, both of these teams I would say are about even, both have played tough schedules, won league crowns, and won tournaments. The only difference is the Marlins have playoff experience on their side and have well known players who been while Orion has not. This could be an offensive shootout or a defensive slug-fest pending if the Dragons offense shows up. I’m tempted to take the upset here, I think Orion has what it takes to get to Elmore and keep Krzywiecki and the rest of the Marlins off balance but they must be on the offensive pedestal because Farmington Hills Mercy has the talent to get to Gonzales.