Students are hitting the mats and courts in preparation for the winter sports season.
Boys Basketball
The Vikings return four senior starters from last year’s team, which took third place at state. They are Chad Chalich, Deon Watson, Devon Loy, and Ty Higbie.
“We are better this year,” Higbie, senior, said. “We have a lot of height.”
All four of the returning senior starters are 6’2” or taller.
Practice started Nov. 11, and the head coach is Kent Leiss. Open gyms have been going on daily to prepare the team for the season. The team’s goal is to win state, Higbie said. This year, not as many underclassmen are trying out for the team.
“A lot of people put up the sneakers, but that’s OK. We’re all about winning here,” Higbie said.
The complete team will not practice until after the football season is over, since some of the basketball players are also on the gridiron. The Viking’s first game is at Jordan Court against Central Valley Dec. 1.
Girls Basketball
The always successful girls’ basketball team is training hard to make another run at state. The team was second at state last year, and was first the previous three years. The team’s coach, Dale Poffenroth, has a reputation of making the team work very hard.
“We practice hard every day for three solid hours. We are the most in shape team in the state,” Caelyn Orlandi, junior, said.
The team returns three starters, Orlandi, Kyeli Parker, senior, and Kendalyn Brainard, junior, and has very deep talent. Tryouts were Oct. 31, and the team won every game at their jamboree at Lakeland High Nov. 8. The girls’ team played its first game Tuesday. No results were available at press time.
Wrestling
After successfully defending their state title last year, the wrestling program once again is ready to win. Practice began Nov. 14.
“A lot of seniors graduated last year, but we have some good wrestlers coming up,” Matt Howard, senior, said. “Our team goal is to win districts and then advance on to state.”
The team returns two varsity seniors, Howard and Garrett DeMers, and a number of varsity underclassman, and is led by Coach Moffat. The Vikings always produce a strong team in Idaho.
“We practice hard every day to become the best we possibly can, and that is why we are such a solid team,” Howard said.