When Olentangy Orange senior captain Nolan Perry went down with a season-ending upper-body injury during the opening game last season, thankful was the last thing he was feeling.

Nearly a year and a half later, Perry sees that injury as something that not only made him stronger, but also an obstacle that brought the team together.

“Obviously I wasn’t on the ice, so I spent that time getting close with the boys, developing relationships so that way when I did come back, we were using that to improve our team,” Perry said. “Now, we’re a really really tight-knit group of guys. We’re all super good friends. That has really helped us.”

Nolan’s dad, Brian Perry, thinks that those obstacles turned into important lessons for Nolan.

“I think he had a unique opportunity to do a lot of observing. When it’s all said and done, I think it will have made him a better player,” said Brian. “He learned some life lessons. It’s an unfortunate experience, but it wasn’t something that came without some good lessons as he becomes an adult.”

Now, going into the Olentangy Orange Pioneer Classic, the tight-knit group has more confidence than ever after knocking off Walsh Jesuit last weekend and Olentangy Liberty on Tuesday. First year head coach Dylan Grey has been instrumental in bringing the team together.

“He’s really lit a spark for the team,” said Brian Perry. “He brings everything that we were missing. Him and Grant Hendrickson, the assistant coach (Orange class of 2022), it’s been a really good mix.”

The Pioneer Classic, which Olentangy Orange hosts annually, is a 30 team, 60 game tournament during MLK weekend. 

“One of the cool and unique things about the tournament is the timing of it,” said Brian Perry, who is also the tournament director. “Everyone’s gearing up for their postseason run, and they’re using the weekend as a gauge to see what they’ve got, what they need to work on, and what’s gonna carry them in the CBJ Cup and the state tournament.”

Orange faces Mentor to start the Classic on Friday, and then faces off with Canton-Akron and Miami on Saturday. The results of those three games will determine the opponent for Sunday. You can find the FULL schedule for the tournament HERE.