Local athletes meet the press at media day

PERKINS TWP. — Area winter sports athletes got the chance to meet the press in a new event on Sunday. A media day was held at Cedar Point Sports Center in conjunction with BCSN Erie to allow local coaches and athletes to share their hopes and goals for the season ahead. "The big thing is giving (the kids) exposure," Norwalk girls basketball coach Brock Manlet said. "The girls side is catching up in terms of exposure, but to have them come to a media day and enjoy this and have them be in front of people asking them questions is always cool. It's nice to see them be able to go through that." A total of 12 Sandusky Bay Conference schools stopped by with some combinations of their boys basketball, girls basketball, wrestling, swimming and bowling teams. The 12 schools: Perkins, Sandusky, St. Mary Central Catholic, Margaretta, Huron, Vermilion, Danbury, Port Clinton, Edison, Norwalk, Tiffin Columbian and Gibsonburg. The Register spoke with many of the attendees in preparation for the annual basketball season preview section, which will come out Wednesday, Nov. 22. A bunch of first-year coaches were among those in attendance, allowing local media a chance to speak with them on the eve of the season. That included Huron's Toby Miller and Edison's Dan Campana and Chelsey Meagrow. Campana and Meagrow were in the same graduating class at Edison. "A lot of my favorite memories, period, in my life, came in this league and at these places," Miller said. "I just want to make those special memories with the kids that I'm leading now." A quartet of Perkins football players were at the event representing the Pirates boys basketball team. Mikey Young, Braylon Collier, Weston Sturzinger and Joey Diederich will play in a regional final on Friday night in Elyria against Glenville. "I wasn't sure how many kids I'd be able to get because of football, but I put it out there, and every one of them said they'd love to be a part of this," Perkins coach Eric Kochendoerfer said. "They're excited about it, a little nervous, too." Three defending district champion basketball teams were among those on hand. Margaretta's girls went all the way to the state final four as regional champs. Norwalk's girls were regional finalists, and Sandusky's boys played in a regional semifinal. Winter sports regular season action gets underway Wednesday, Nov. 22 with girls basketball action. Boys basketball officially tips off Friday, Dec. 1. Swimming's first competition date is Monday, Nov. 27. Wrestling can start Thursday, Dec. 7. "They're putting in time, because they know it's gonna take massive effort to get where we want to go," Danbury girls coach Joe Miller said. "I'm just super excited about the season."