Sport: Girls basketball

Head Coach: Brittany Cox

Captains: Callie Scheier, Destiny Griffin, Brooke Schaffer and Catherine Byun

Undaunted by losing some seniors from previous seasons, the girls basketball team is looking forward to the season ahead. Sophomores Briauna Booth, Alana Gary and Shakira Baskerville have stepped up to the plate, improving drastically thus far and contributing to the team’s outstanding success at the Mary Garber Tournament. Although they are ecstatic over their win at the tournament, head coach Brittany Cox stresses that no opponent is to be overlooked because each game has equal importance, and the most pivotal game will always be the next one. Cox also believes that as long as the team stays focused on improving daily they will succeed.

Photo credits: Nathan Newsome

Sport: Girls track and field

Head Coach: Nathan Newsome

Captains: Lindsay Absher, Zavera Basrai and Kendall O’Neal

While the girls track team lost three distance runners and one sprinter from last season, the young yet talented group still seems promising. Returning from last season are sophomores Bailey Reutinger and Eliza Broce, senior Zavera Basrai and heavily-recruited senior pole vaulter Lindsay Absher, who recently committed to Purdue University. In addition, senior Kendall O’Neal will return to lead the sprinting and hurdling portion of the team. With senior leaders and young talent that will be present on the team for at least two more seasons, Newsome expects the team to make it into the top five at state championship meet.

Photo Credits: Tracy Aladwan

Sport: Wrestling

Head Coach: Jason Hooker

Captains: Matthieu Gutierrez, Ethan Wright, Kaden Rogers and Andres Perez

With a history of success and a couple of road blocks, the wrestling team looks to pin down another great season. In the past three years, the wrestling team has won two state championships and was runner-up last season. However, this year the team has to face some obstacles. Despite being a younger team with little experience and having some wrestlers not return this season, the group continues to have high expectations with one of the most difficult schedules in the state once more. If this team can stick together, they could have an immense future within the sport. The team hopes to go back to the state playoffs once again but is taking it one step at a time because every match counts.

Photo credits: Jeffrey Thompson

Sport: Boys track and field

Head Coach: Jeff Thompson

Captains: None

As the boys track and field season begins, Coach Jeff Thompson is preparing his team for the many challenges they will face. The team has been focusing on strength training and long distance running to enable the best results throughout the season. While practice continues and the first meet approaches, Thompson is starting to coordinate the athletes to specific workouts enabling them to pinpoint exactly what their possible issues could be and what their strengths are. The team as a whole is working on communication and better teamwork to have a positive season. Thompson believes that if the team can compete competitively as individuals and as a team, then they will ultimately be successful.

Photo credits: Mark Lane

Sport: Swim and dive

Head Coach: Sandy Thomerson

Captains: Kiera Cornatzer, Claire Davis, Jack Joram, Justin Kranis and Griffin Watkins

The swim team has high expectations for an experienced group this season. Eight seniors headline the girls team, a group with hopes to place well in the CPC conference, while the boys team is optimistic as well. Coach Sandy Thomerson hopes to place top 3 at conference and qualify 14 swimmers for the regional meet. Senior Jack Joram, the lone Titan diver, is also ready to dive right in this season. Joram is expected to perform well in the conference and qualify for regionals. The swim and dive teams are certain to make a splash this season.

Photo credits: Alex Reid

Sport: Boys basketball

Head coach: Howard West

Captains: Rotate during the pre-conference and then name the end of season captains later.

From National Basketball Association (NBA) star Chris Paul to former NBA player and collegiate coach Rusty LaRue, who coached at West, to now Winston-Salem basketball legend coach Howard West, the basketball team has a history of success and is striving for more. This year is coach West’s first year coaching the Titans and with over 800 total wins in his career, he plans to lead this year’s team to a solid season. West plans on going deep into the lineup by using many players from the starting rotation and the bench to build the team’s chemistry. With hope for a smooth transition between offense and defense, West plans on taking this team to the state playoffs, but it will not be easy as every game counts in preparation for the start of the conference season. West has seen a lot in his many years of coaching and knows there are a lot of roadblocks when on the journey towards a state championship; furthermore, he hopes that people watching will like the play style of the team and will be excited to watch them compete.