On Nov. 14, the girls and boys basketball season began with the first week of practices. Both teams are preparing for their first games at Wichita Independent on Dec. 2. The first home basketball games will be on Dec. 13. Both teams are putting in hours to reach their potential this basketball season.

The girls varsity team has two returning seniors: Erica Ebenkamp and Janae Pauly. They are practicing to improve, and Olga Diaz and Siri Bakksjø, juniors who are foreign exchange students from Europe, decided they were going to try basketball out also.

“Basketball is fun, but it’s a challenge,” Bakksjø said.

They boys varsity team has five returning seniors: Gunnar Denney, Josh Dugan, Noah Finstad, Dawson Tarrant and Jacob Winter as well senior Grant Mooneyham who decided to play this year for the first time. The team has more players overall this year, since there are many other returning players as well as new ones and quite a few incoming freshmen.

“We’re preparing and improving for our first game of the season,” freshman Collin Koester said.

Both teams have a competitive season ahead, but assistant coach Justin Regehr said they will be prepared to play to their potential.

“We’ve got quite a few girls going out this year, so practices will be competitive,” he said. “We will get better each day, and we will put our best on the line every game.”