[11/4/03]Warren Central will have a difficult time sneaking up on people this season.

The Lady Vikes, who finished 14-16 a season ago, made a dramatic run to the Division 4-5A championship in February before getting beaten by Tupelo in the first round of the playoffs.

They did it with five underclassmen starters and little fanfare.

Those same five return, a year more seasoned, but again facing a challenging year.

“We’ll be lucky to win five,” Warren Central coach Donny Fuller said in the same fashion he has every year.

The Lady Vikes may win five by the time December comes around.

Led by super junior Cookie Johnson and rising superstar Ebone Williams, the Lady Vikes will challenge not only for a division title, but also a trip the the Coliseum for the state championship tournament.

“Every year, our goal is to get to the Big House,” said Fuller, whose team last made an appearance on High Street in 1995. “It will be a challenge for us.”

The biggest challenge will be competing with a brutal schedule.

“You look at our schedule, we play the Nos. 1, 2 and 4 teams in the state,” Fuller said. “We’ll have to come ready to play every game.”

The Lady Vikes open the season Saturday against No. 4 Pontotoc before the annual Coca-Cola Classic. Ranked Provine will be the team to beat in that tournament.

Throw in games against No. 1 Callaway and defending Class-5A champion Murrah and the Lady Vikes will get tested often.

In addition, the Lady Vikes were shipped to the South State. Vicksburg and Natchez will join Forest Hill in the division. Clinton moved to the North.

“The good thing is that they moved Murrah and Meridian to the North,” Fuller said.

Hancock County and Moss Point could provide the toughest challenges if Warren Central reaches the playoffs.

Joining Johnson and Williams on the starting five will be forward Carla Latham, and guards Saleda Montgomery and Dorothy Jenkins. Only four seniors make up the Lady Vikes roster.