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ORAN -- Although they return most everyone from their first state trip in 44 years, the road back to Columbia won't be an easy one for the Oran Eagles.
Oran, who finished fourth in Class 2 last season, will be without their top two scorers and leading rebounder as they try to continue their run of three-consecutive district titles -- a feat that is the first in school history.
The Scott-Mississippi Conference player of the year in Alex Heuring and Kody Moore both graduated but they leave a team that returns four who made an impact on their 27-5 record.
Heuring led the team in both points and rebounds with averages of 15.7 points and 8.4 rebounds. Moore added 15.6 points per game and was a 40 percent 3-point shooter.
"A lot of little things they did like leadership will be missed. We can't replace them," Oran head coach Joe Shoemaker said about Heuring and Moore. "We have to try and have our guys do the things like rebounding and attacking the paint to make up for what they did."
Oran lost to the eventual state champions, Salisbury, in the semifinals at Mizzou arena last year. They lost their third place game as well, 65-63 to Iberia. Their run, according to Shoemaker, has gave his team something to look forward to as far as what they expect if another postseason push is in their future.
"It gave us confidence playing in bigger games," Shoemaker said. "Hopefully they learned that if they rebound and defend, they can get to a place like that. We have several guys with that experience coming back."
Leading their returners is senior Seth Ressel.
Ressel (6-0) averaged 13.3 points and 3.3 assists a game last season and made the game-winning shot to send his Eagles to state during the quarterfinals. Fellow senior Chance Tenkhoff (6-1) also started for Oran last year.
Junior Hunter Schlossar progressed late last season and has emerged as a possible second scoring option for the Eagles this season. In three games prior to the final four, Schlossar (6-2) averaged 13.3 points per game.
Juniors Jacob Priggel (6-0), Thomas Trankler (5-10) and Anthony Pobst (6-4) are expected to round out Oran's starting five.
Oran will begin the season with the 58th annual Oran Invitational Tournament, which starts Monday, Dec. 2. The Eagles are the top seed and will play Bell City in the opening round.