Led by Head Coach Jordan Petersen, the Ellsworth Panthers finished 7-14 overall last year. The Panthers started the season strong before dropping 12 of their last 14 games in the gauntlet that is the Middle Border Conference (MBC) and losing to Hayward in the WIAA Regional semifinal.

Ellsworth is bringing back some experience after a long offseason, and the Panthers are ready to show the rest of the MBC they mean business.

“We’ve had a couple player here and there quarantined form close contact,” Coach Peterson said. “It’s different. It’s plug and play. Whoever you have that week in practice, that’s who plays.”

It’s sure been interesting anyway.

“I’m just happy we’re having a season. we’re going to push through this and do the best we can,” Peterson admonished.

“Things are looking good,” Peterson explained. “We bring back six returners from last year and our top two players in Mason Anderson and Jack Janke. Having that as a constant is huge. To know we have two guys who are all conference performers, and we know can score the ball. And then bringing back guys with varsity experience that can come on and take away some pressure off of Mason and Jack and contribute, that’s huge for us.”

Returning senior Mason Anderson averaged 21 points per game a season ago and picked up right where he left off after he poured in 24 to lead the Panthers to their first win of the season. Anderson also led the team­mates in rebounds per contest, grabbing over eight on average. Junior Jack Janke was second in scoring on the team, averaging 13.1 per contest last season. Janke stayed right on track with 13 in their 61-57 win at Elk Mound last Friday.

“The first game there are always plenty of things to work on, but I was impressed by the way we stayed strong. There were times Elk Mound made runs. Last year, we might have put our heads down if we weren’t playing as well as we liked to. We didn’t do that. We fought through the tough times. We didn’t give us. Sometimes you have to be able to wins games like that, and we did,” Peterson stated. “It was definitely a great lesson.”

The goal is clear: The Panthers want to win the Middle Border Conference.

“We have a lot of guys returning. Our goal is to compete in conference. We’ll be in the mix. We want to win conference. There are a lot of teams that can be in that mix. St. Croix Central is good. Prescott is always tough. Somerset and New Richmond bring a lot back. Osceola and Baldwin are good. The conference is going to be really tough top to bottom.

Long story short, the Panthers will not be looking forward to any off nights in MBC play as they work to bring home some hardware.

The Panthers roster is bolstered by seniors Shane Lange and Josh Bechel, juniors Urban Broadway, Alex Coulthard, Carsen Stockwell, Tanner Pechacek and Spencer Schultz and sophomores Sam Kollbaum, Kaden Schommer and Carson Nugent.

The Panthers opened the conference season Tuesday night and then have a break until Dec. 17-18 when they play Baldwin-Woodville at home and Amery the next night on the road.