By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

After finishing sixth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference last year and currently sitting 4-2 entering Saturday’s CCC-Opener with Southern Oregon University and Oregon Tech; the Warriors look to continue their positive-trend in 2015-2016.

Carrying momentum from defeating Oregon Tech and Eastern Oregon on the road in a second half push to end the season, they beat a Top 25 NAIA Division-I teams in Cal-Maritime and Montana-Western and battled hard with Lewis and Clark State.

From a player’s perspective, it’s all about unity with how many of the guys returned from last year to this year.

“I feel like our team ended on a really good note last year, we went on a big run so we have a lot of confidence from that.,” said Junior Toby Roth.  “We have a lot of the same guys.

“I’m really happy with the team this year  and the unity that we have, that’s been a big part of our team this year.  All the guys are really close and we’re playing really well as a unit.”

For Cody Crow, a senior captain for Corban, he liked how everyone has improved and the weapons they’ve picked up along the way.”

“We’ve improved individually as well as a team,” said Crow “We’ve gained some good players in the offseason as well as Cyrus Ward and AJ Monterossi, we’re coming together as offensive threats for us.”

From a coaches side, Warriors Head Coach Steve Masten added to that by mentioning how they’ve upgraded to this point of the season.

“I thought we made a lot of improvement,” said Masten on last year.  “This year, we upgraded.  We got a little taller, more athletic and deeper.

“We had a good preseason, now we’re ready for league.”

With quick, crisp passes during a full-court passes and the Raiders of Southern Oregon University the next day; the goals and expectations for the Warriors is simple:

Make some noise and improve in their sixth-place finish from 2014-2015.

“Our goal is to get better every game to improve on last years record, as well as to host a playoff game,” said Crow. “We haven’t hosted a playoff game since 2005 I believe.  So that’s one of our main goals.”

How will they do this?  Achieve at least a number-four spot in conference to host a playoff game?

By using their depth with their roster as a main component with their talents and experience.  Depth was a negative for the squad last year.

“The deeper part is the biggest thing, I got nine or ten guys I feel comfortable playing,” said Masten.  “It’s necessary in our league when you play Friday and Saturday.

“The last couple of years we didn’t really have that and I think that’s going to be really good in league as we progressed through the season.”

As practice continued with running through particular plays they’ll run in opening weekend, Corban will hope that 2016 will be the Year of the Warrior.

Tip-off against SOU is at 7:30pm at Ashland High School.  They will also be playing at OIT Sunday night at 730 in Klamath Falls.

PHOTO GALLERY (PICTURES BY JEREMY MCDONALD)

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81!

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