The Seymour boys prepare for their opening basketball matchup with Corydon Central tonight.
The Owls will host the Panthers at Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium at 7:30 p.m. with JV starting at 6 p.m.
The team will look to get on the right track from the beginning and try to get a win before Thanksgiving on Thursday.
As the season began a few weeks back, Seymour has been practicing hard, competing to fill three starter spots that became vacant after last season.
Kirk Manns is heading into his fifth season as head coach for the Owls. He spoke about the first few weeks of practice.
“Our guys are excited to be back and working hard,” he said. “We graduated six seniors from last year’s team. Three of those were three-year starters. There is certainly competition for playing time.”
The Owls come off a 10-13 season, looking to start this season off differently with a win.
Seymour fell to the Panthers last season in the opener by four points with a 63-59 final score. Corydon Central recorded a 20-6 mark last season, falling in the sectional championship to Scottsburg.
The Seymour coach spoke about the importance of starting off the season right.
“Getting off to a good start to the season is paramount,” Manns said. “It builds momentum and confidence.”
The Owls then have a road game at Columbus North on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. before traveling for a Jackson County showdown with Brownstown Central on Dec. 1.
The Owls will be led by eight upperclassmen, including three seniors in Ethan Silcox, Bret Perry and Dametreous Collins and five juniors in Michael Brooks, Brady Harpe, Jaylan Johnson, Parker Thompson and Ross Pumphrey.
Seymour also has five sophomores, Mack Longmeier, Nate Fritsch, Evan Unterseher, Traysean Hawkins and Nolan Bartels.
Max Coates, Charlie Rockey and Jake Dowell are the incoming freshmen for the Owls in 2023.
The Owls coach was asked about some keys for this season if the team wants to have success.
“We need to be who we are,” Manns said. “Limit our mistakes in all facets of the game and do the ordinary things better than our opponents.”
Seymour will look for a successful season and look to win its first sectional game since defeating Jennings County in 2018.
The Owls will seek their first sectional title since 1992.