No girls basketball team in the state of Indiana is more “all-in” on a big season than the Waldron Mohawks.

Head coach Anthony Thomas, who has already announced this will be his final season coaching, has a varsity roster loaded with seniors coming off an 18-4 season.

“When I took over I didn’t know I would make it five years,” said Thomas, 58-35 in his first four seasons. “Five years is plenty. I am ready to get out of it after 20-plus years of coaching in some form or fashion. It feels good to know when I took over the program I built it stronger.”

Much of Thomas’ roster this season is filled with girls he has coached throughout the program. With eight seniors and a junior, Thomas does not have to do much coaching any more. Instead, he can afford to spend more time on smaller details that will reap the program greater rewards.

“We can polish on certain things,” said Thomas. “It makes it fun. The other side is there are a lot of years invested in that. We’ve been together quite a long time. Now we can throw more at them. We are quite confident in these kids.”

Waldron opens the season Friday night ranked No. 6 in the Class A preseason poll from the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association. The Mohawks’ opponent is Class A, No. 5 Blue River Valley, 22-4 last season and a regional finalist. The Vikings’ feature Ally Madden, who averaged 17.8 ppg and 10.8 rpg last season.

Expectations are high in Waldron, but Thomas admits the basketball team is slowly getting up to speed due to the volleyball program winning its first-ever sectional title last month and making its first regional appearance.

Five of Thomas’ top nine were part of that historic volleyball season.

“Volleyball had a great run so we are probably a week behind,” said Thomas. “It’s a tough opening weekend but we will keep working.”

Waldron hosts Tri on Saturday. The Titans defeated Southwestern, 51-31, Tuesday in their season opener. A road trip to Shelbyville (1-0) Tuesday follows with the Mid-Hoosier Conference opener at Southwestern on Nov. 12.

Thomas has settled on seniors Megan Bogemann (8.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg in 2020-2021), Nichole Garner (10.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Hadlie Ross (5.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Bella Larrison (12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) as the core group of starters with the fifth starter a “wild card” that will be determined by the opponent and matchup needs.

“That fifth starter will be whether we need to match up against size or not,” said Thomas. “It will be a revolving door. The plan is to play nine.”

Josee Larrison is the only junior on the roster to compliment seniors Cheyenne Lozier, Mackenzie Shaw, Shelby Fewell and Hallie Ross.

Following the Southwestern game, Waldron stays busy focusing on postseason opponents with Hauser, Rising Sun and Greenwood Christian closing out the November schedule.

The Mohawks visit Class 2A, No. 2 Triton Central on Dec. 3 then host Class A, No. 4 Jac-Cen-Del on Dec. 7 and Morristown on Dec. 10 – both potential sectional opponents.

Waldron closes out the 2021 schedule hosting a tournament on Dec. 28 featuring Batesville, Blackford and Union County. The Mohawks will face Batesville in the semifinal round.

The Mohawks ended a long drought by winning the Shelby County Volleyball Tournament in 2021 and will look to do the same in basketball in 2022, hosting the four-team tournament in which three teams are preseason state-ranked beginning Jan. 6.

Waldron will travel to Eastern Hancock, Lutheran and Edinburgh in January before the final home game on Jan. 27 against Milan.

Then the goal of winning a sectional title becomes the sole focus as February rolls in.

“We have not won one yet (with Thomas as coach) but we kicked in the door in volleyball,” said Thomas. “And if we kick that sectional door in, I know there is (an extended) run there.”