Football:

Coming off a strong 7-3 season, the football team is hungry to get another chance at the playoffs for the second year in a row, something that hasn’t been done since 2010.

The Washington Post has dubbed the Vikings as preseason favorites to win the 4A West region, which would put them in a coveted playoff position.

The team will have to fill a large void left by Maryland recruit Zac Morton, who rushed for nearly 1500 yards last season and set several Whitman rushing records.

The Vikes will compensate for the loss with a more balanced attack, according to junior receiver Jake Kuhn.

“We have a lot of weapons on offense,” he said. “We’re going to throw a lot more this year; it should be fun to watch.”

Tight end Anton Casey, who is verbally committed to play at Brown, will be a focal point in the Vikes’ offense and will look to build on the chemistry he had last season with quarterback Evan Smith.

Girls soccer:

The defending state champion girls soccer team is looking forward to having another dominant season this fall.

Despite the loss of four star players, coach Gregory Herbert says that the team still has a lot of talent and many of his players have matured and worked hard to improve in the off season.

“I don’t expect a drop off this year,” he said. “I expect us to excel at a very high level.”

The team will be led this fall by captains Emma Anderson, Clare Severe, Lindsay Wytkind and Erin Mclanahan who demonstrate strength in all of their respected areas of the game.

The strong team dynamic this year is expected to contribute to their success.

“I think we have come together more as a team, and rely on each other more so than just one or two individuals,” Herbert said. “Everyone’s going to have to contribute.”

Girls tennis:

After a dominant 10-2 season last year, the girls tennis team looks to carry over their momentum to this season, under supervision of new head coach Tricia Wayerski.

Despite the loss of senior stars Kamilla Beisenova and Whitney Cinkala, the Vikings have added six freshmen to the roster, with Maria Adiaconitei and Sarinah Wahl taking over the first and second singles spots.

With senior leadership from Ali Dane and Emilia Malachowski, the Vikes hope to maintain their top three ranking in Montgomery County this year.

The team will try to stay competitive as well as have fun this season.

“As a team, our goal is to do well, but to also improve and have fun because that’s really what intramural sports are really for,” fourth singles player Lauren Evoy said. “I think sometimes we lose sight of that, and purely focus on the competitive aspect.”

Boys soccer:

The Boys soccer team is looking stronger than ever this year and promising enough to make another playoff run.

With a young roster filled with returning starters, the team is hoping to build on last years success and make a run for the state title.

Led by captains Jeff Rosenberg and Ian Atkinson, the team hopes to use their strong offensive capabilities to their full potential.

Playing another major role this year will be forward David Mason who will contribute big time offensively.

Mason, along with Atkinson in goal, were both named by the Gazette as players to watch in this upcoming season.

Girls volleyball:

After a 9-5-1 record in the regular season, the sky was the limit for the Lady Vikes heading into the playoffs. However, their dreams were dashed with a 0-3 loss to Walter Johnson in the second round.

Now, after an off-season’s worth of preparation and training, the girls volleyball team looks to compete for states this season.

The team will return seven players from last season, with several new additions. With half the team being seniors, they hope to succeed on experience as well as skill.