The varsity boys basketball team has high expectations after last year finished with a 20-game win streak and a district championship. The return of seven players led to the sports editor of the St. Louis American, Earl Austin Jr., to call the team “Class 5 contenders.”

“It feels good that he can see the talent on our team this early in the season,” junior Matt Schark said.

“He’s right, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to work hard in practice and take it one step at a time,” senior Matthew Simmons said.

The Vikings know their weakness is losing track of the pace and burning-out for stretches of the game, so they work to make up for it with their ability to score in both transition and the half-court.

“We need to stay more efficient throughout the entire game. We rush ourselves sometimes,” Simmons said.

“The team is very strong at scoring. Anyone on our team can go off at any moment of the game,” Schark said.

In addition to a Feb. 1 regular season rival game Ft Zumwalt West, the Vikings will compete in three tournaments. The Vikings have put up a minimum of 62 points in each of their first three games.

“I’m looking forward to the  Ft Zumwalt West game,” Simmons said. “They talk a lot of trash, so I’m ready to go out there and shut them up.”

“I’m hoping win can with both the Joplin and MICDS tournament,” Schark said.