After a disappointing 11-6 loss to La Porte on Friday, the Valparaiso High School Vikings are still searching for an identity.
With the season winding down, the Vikings have potential but haven’t been able to find a way to fill it. Head coach Tracy Corneil hopes her team figures itself out before the upcoming postseason.
“I still feel like there’s tons to be done,” Corneil said. “I feel like there are things that we do real well but (also) things that we don’t do well that need to be cleaned up. It’s on (the players) though; we put all the tools in place and now it’s up to them to take the reins and want to make a difference.”
While there is room for improvement in nearly every aspect of the game, Corneil feels her team needs to work the hardest in two areas on the field -- but the biggest improvement has to come off it.
“I think we need to be more aggressive at the plate, I think we need to more solid on defensively,” Corneil said, “and most importantly we have to have a stronger belief in ourselves that we can do this.”
The Vikings have five more games to tune up for the sectional, two against Duneland Athletic Conference opponents -- including undefeated Crown Point -- and three non-conference games.
In that time, Corneil hopes her team will find its identity. A talented group with a lot of heart, Valparaiso could make a run in the postseason if the Vikings can play with confidence.
“It’s never say die,” Corneil said of the postseason. “It’s lose and go home, so we have to have the attitude that we don’t want to quit. We have to be up and ready for every opponent, no matter how big or how small. The state tournament changes everything. Nobody cares if you beat somebody twice (during the regular season).
“This team right here, there’s a lot of guts out here and there’s a lot of good stuff here, but they’ve got to bring it out. If they bring, it’ll be good; that’s what I’m hoping for.”