The Ohio Machine didn’t have the season they were hoping for in year one but have set the tracks for a solid future. With attackman Steele Stanwick at the helm the Machine already have a superstar. Ohio used the first overall pick in this year’s draft to add another star to their arsenal.
The big name of the draft has always been Peter Baum, and the Machine are excited to see what he can add to their offensive unit. The Tewaaraton Award winning attackman led Colgate with 97 points in his junior year. A Portland, Oregon native, Baum will look to balance the Machine attack unit which now has Stanwick, Chazz Woodson, and draft picks Logan Schuss and Marcus Holman.
Schuss played his college ball at Ohio State, another local talent featured on the Machine. He led the Buckeyes with 31 goals and 25 assists last season, so he’s a player that can not only score but can dish it off as well. With the talent that he will be surrounded by that could really come in handy.
Marcus Holman out of North Carolina was selected by the Machine right after Schuss, the third attackman that Ohio drafted. He’s had three solid seasons with the Tarheels, so he’s no fluke. He’ll be serving as the team’s lone captain in 2013, the first time that has happened since 1990. He can play both midfield and attack, and with the way the Machine have stacked their attack unit it’s likely that he’ll see more playing time as a middie.
The Machine even addressed a need that both they and their sister team Charlotte Hounds had trouble with all season: face-offs. Ohio selected Denver fogo Chase Cararo with their fourth pick. He was eighth in the nation last year in face-offs won, which means one thing for Ohio. These great talents they have acquired are going to have the ball.
The Machine made it clear that they had one major weakness that needed to be addressed, scoring. With their picks they add to an offense that was filled with many players most would consider solid secondary scorers. It wasn’t surprising that an expansion franchise didn’t have a ton of depth, but with their first two drafts they are really stockpiling on young talent. Adding these players with guys like Stanwick and Kiel Matisz could hint towards Machine domination in a few short years. People always talk about building through the draft, no matter the sport. I can’t see a better example than these Ohio Machine.
