By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

SOUTH PARIS – The Vikings knew it was coming.

Despite going unbeaten the first month of the season, the Oxford Hills girls’ basketball team stayed realistic.

As grand as staying perfect was, the Vikings knew what was inevitable in a tough KVAC field.

“I think we knew we were going to have a couple of losses,” said senior guard Brianna Thompson. “I think it just showed us what we need to work on.”

The Vikings started the year 6-0 before losing last Friday at Messalonskee. Oxford Hills is among the top-ranked teams in Eastern Class A and sat fourth overall in the latest Heals.

“I think everybody needs to lose a few games – get a reality check,” said senior guard Annie Foster. “It just makes us come in and want to practice harder.”

Expected as the loss was, so was the success that came before it. Oxford Hills only lost two players from last year’s squad that went 7-11.

“We had a real strong summer,” said Foster. “We played really well together, and we had a lot of time to hang out and bond. So it didn’t surprise me that we started off really well.”

Since much of the team saw playing time last year, the players returned with more maturity. The Vikings are benefiting greatly from that added experience, playing more cohesively and unselfishly.

Oxford Hills’ defense has improved, allowing an average of 37 points, but the offensive numbers are even greater. After averaging 38 points through the first seven games a year ago, the Vikings are now scoring at a clip of 51 points per game.

“Last year, a lot of people were young, and they hadn’t had a lot of varsity experience,” said Foster. “I think the pace of the game was a lot faster than most of us were used to. So I think that year under us helped us grow.”

There’s a comfort level and a confidence level that has emerged this season.

“We know who our shooters are and who can do what, who’s going to contribute the most and who to get the ball to in different situations,” said Thompson.

That teamwork is critical for a team like the Vikings, who lack a dominant post player or a shooting guard that can light up the night. Instead, the Vikings work together.

Foster, Thompson, Kristina Bowden, Terry Bunce, Allison Fox, Kelsey Pelletier and Kari Pelletier have all scored in double figures, yet no player averages 10 points. Kelsey Pelletier is around nine per game while Bowden, Foster, Fox and Kari Pelletier average roughly six.

“We just have a lot of kids contribute,” said coach Craig Jipson. “We have a lot of kids on our team right now that are averaging between four and nine points a game, which is good. The weight of the world isn’t on one kid’s shoulder.”

The Vikings started last year 3-1, but proceeded to drop seven in a row. Included during that skid was a four-overtime loss to Brunswick and defeats against Lewiston and Bangor. Oxford Hills has turned those losses around .

“The Bangor game was huge,” said Jipson. “They’re going to win a lot of games. Lewiston was a big win. They’re going to win a lot of games. We’ve got some wins early that we hope will carry us, but we still have to take care of business. We have to get after it every night and put a few more wins together to make sure.”

After missing out on a tournament appearance last year, the Vikings have helped their playoff hopes, but face the toughest part of the schedule. They play Cony later this month as well as Skowhegan and Mt. Blue in February.

“We just want to go into it with the best record we can have,” said Thompson. “We’re going to work hard every game. I think we’re just taking it one game at a time.”