By NICHOLAS KIMBALL

Staff writer

Boys basketball

First-year head coach Kyle Kroeker will have three returning starters from last season — Wyatt Plenert, Lincoln Wichert, and Anders Weisbeck.

“This season we would like to build on the experience many of the returning players received last season,” Kroeker said. “We hope to bring toughness and chemistry to the court.”

Hillsboro basketball has a deep and lasting tradition that the team would like to continue. Dedication to improving in the off-season was there this summer, and the team is eager to compete.

“The keys to success will be our ability to play hard-nosed defense and replace the scoring production lost form last year’s seniors,” Kroeker said.

The Trojans’ first game of the season will be on the road this Friday against Sterling.

Girls basketball

The Trojans finished fourth at state last year, and the core of that team is back this season with head coach Micah Ratzlaff.

“We will look to rely on that core as well as add a couple of upperclassmen and a couple younger girls to make an impact this year,” Ratzlaff said.

Zaylee Werth and Savannah Shahan, two all-conference performers, will return alongside returning starters Anslee Brewer and Kingzley Ratzlaff.

Other returning players are Bailee Gawith, Talia Jost, and Addison Jost.

Newcomers to the team include Amyah Werth and Ella Potucek.

“We will compete hard every night with the expectation of winning,” Ratzlaff said.

The Trojans’ first game will be Friday at Sterling.

Wrestling

Seventeen wrestlers are being coached under head coach Scott O’Hare, who is in his 21st season this year.

He has 10 starters from last year (nine boys and one girl).

“We will have a relatively young lineup with only two seniors and three juniors that have varsity experience, a couple with limited experience,” O’Hare said.

They do return three state qualifiers from a year ago — Anthony Fickes, Aaron Hein, and Sutton Redger — and will lean on them to provide leadership going into the season.

“We need to get great leadership from our experience wrestlers, see marked improvement from our other returners, and hopefully a few of our experience freshman can show that they are ready for the jump to high school competition,” O’Hare said.

Wrestling will be the first sport to kick off the season for Hillsboro. The first match will be on the road Thursday in Minneapolis.