All teams in the winter sports season are in full practice mode and working hard. There are high expectations for girls’ basketball, boys’ basketball, and wrestling. Hopefully, they can all bring home some district and conference championships.

            The girls’ basketball team will be looking different this year with a new coach, offensive system, and some new freshmen that will make an immediate impact. Coach Allen is the new girls’ basketball coach, and which he came from NC arch rival Farmington. Allen has brought with him discipline, hard work, and not to mention the ways of winning district and conference champions from Farmington. Though, the Raiders will look different there are some keys players returning to the squad: Kassi Hovis, Jamie Bullock, Rilea Huff, and Marissa Bess. A new coach, system, a strong freshmen class, and returning starters should lead to a big and bright season for the Lady Raiders.

            The wrestling team, sadly to say, had a disappointing season last year with only a few positive occurrences. Though, this year should a completely different story. All the wrestlers have become better and more experienced. The Raiders are stronger all the way from the little guys to the heavyweights. The team brings back Cody Compton, Taylor Decker, Brock Harrison, and many others. This year’s team will be based on upper classmen with little help from any freshmen. The wrestling team had the most successful season in school history in 2007 and they hope to bring North County back to the top.

            54 to 50, this the final score of the 2008 district championship resulting in the boys’ basketball team in a losing cause. Last year’s team had a huge success winning many games but could not win the “big” one last year. They lost key players like Sean Henderson, Chuck Schwartz, and Nick Fields but this year’s team should have an equal amount of success. Returning starters include: Jordan Thompson, Will Swofford, and Robbie Holland. They also return Derek Emily, who helped the Raiders win many games toward the end of the year. North County will still have the same philosophy which is “run and gun.” Though, NC’s biggest problem last year was defense and rebounding, Coach Daniel Johnson has been working every hard to fix problems to give the Raiders another chance at a district championship. The boys’ basketball team should be entertaining this year, like always.

            The Winter sports season should be a victorious one so come on out and support the Raiders!