Pirates’ swagger high

Rocky River ready to make a splash in the GLC this season

Something about this Rocky River team feels different than those of the past.

The results on the court are different, to say the least.

The Pirates are 4-0 to start the season — the best start the program has seen in eight years — and most recently beat Great Lakes Conference power Holy Name in what can only be viewed as a signature win, considering they haven’t beaten the Green Wave since Dec. 18, 2015, in a 7472 double-overtime affair.

“We had a really great practice that week,” senior Luke Coyne said. “We knew what we needed to do to win . ... We were confident going in. Us going into it knowing we’re better than everybody thinks, I think it’s kind of an underdog mentality. We embrace that. We take it to heart that people don’t believe in us and I think that went into it.”

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s different about this group than previous Rocky River teams, considering much of the team looks virtually the same as last season.

The Pirates return four of five starters, including Coyne, and feature three seniors, four juniors and a sophomore.

Perhaps it’s the varsity experience finally paying off, or years of familiarity on and off the court pushing the team from average to somewhere resembling great.

“We just all made a choice. Like we all want this season to be different than those in the past,” junior Cristain Dean said.

RANDY MEYERS — FOR THE MORNING JOURNAL Elyria Catholic’s Jarred Logan shoots over Connor O’ Toole and Luke Coyne of Rocky River during the second quarter at Elyria Catholic last year.