Orcas Vikings ready for another successful year

Last year, the Vikings won the league title and district championship.

by Marty Zier

Sports contributor

Head coach Corey Wiscomb created quite an expectation for the boys basketball team this year after a highly successful season last year when the Vikings won the league title and district championship.

The buildup to last season has created an exciting buzz in the community around the team and despite losing a large number of starters, Wiscomb is confident the success will continue.

“After graduating seven seniors we are definitely not the team that we were last year, but we don’t see that as an insult in any shape or form,” he said. “That’s the challenge that falls on every team, every year – to carve their unique legacy into the stone. We still have six seniors on the team that are well aware of what a successful team feels like. They know how to play with heart, and have a great love of the game. It absolutely rubs off on all members of the team.”

Last season the Vikings had a full roster of 25 players, but seasonal class fluctuation leaves the Vikings with only 15 players this year. However, a reduced aggregate group has not diminished Wiscomb’s expectations.

“Having a competitive group makes practices intense, and that fosters high levels of play. The coaches nurture healthy competition and it really elevates skills for each player in the gym,” he said. “This season we will need to stay healthy, as we are not as deep as last season. That means taking care of our academics, keeping healthy, and working with our strength coach to prevent injury. The players have made it clear they want a trip to Spokane at the end of the season – a trip to the state tournament. It’s going to be a fun year.”