By Kory CarpenterRecord Sports EditorIt is never easy replacing the core of a team while trying to win a postseason game for the first time in nine seasons, and Warrenton Head Coach Mike Uffmann doesn’t pretend otherwise.But even though the third-year head coach lost 75 percent of his scoring from last season and his top two rebounders, he seems optimistic heading into the 2015-2016 campaign.“We should be fighting for a conference title,” Uffmann said. “And our end goal is to win districts.”Last season, the Warriors (13-13) depended on leading scorers Alec Tonioli, Craig Vardiman and Ryan Bradshaw, who averaged 36.7 points per game as a trio. It was Uffmann’s most successful team to date, after winning seven games in 2013-2014.This season, he hopes to finish above the .500 mark and capture that elusive district championship, and he will rely on underclassmen to get it done.Braydan Chmiel is the only senior on the roster, averaging three points and 1.4 rebounds last season.Uffmann called Chmiel his best on-ball defender.Junior forward Trevor Alberternst averaged 5.2 points last season and is the leading scorer returning for Warrenton.“We’re looking pretty good, probably better than last year,” Alberternst said. “We’re playing as a team more.” The team mentality will be a key for the Warriors, who don’t appear to have a go-to scorer like Tonioli.“We’re not going to pick up the slack we lost with just one player,” Uffmann said. “It’s going to be a team effort, but we have the bodies that we can do that.”A deep bench, along with experienced players coming back, will help fill the void as well.“Our depth has stood out more than anything,” Uffmann said. “Trevor has been playing really well after having a great summer. He’s not as timid or shy, he really looks to attack the basket on offense and he’s a great help-side defender.”Despite having one senior on board, the Warriors feature five players with varsity experience.Caleb Strauss, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, averaged 2.6 points and was third on the team with 5.1 rebounds last season.He expects to be a constant presence in the post and the leading rebounder this year.“We’ll have to use our bodies more than our size, but we’ve worked on it,” Uffmann said. “We should win the rebounding battle most games.”Sophomore guard Randy McRoberts played a handful of minutes as a freshman and has impressed early this season.“It was good to get that experience,” McRoberts said. “I was also able to start a couple of games, which helped.”McRoberts averaged 4.7 points for the Warriors last season.Another player who has stood out, according to Uffmann, is sophomore guard Brenden Smith.Smith played sparingly as a freshman, but has appeared to find a spot in the rotation.“He played in a limited role on varsity last year,” Uffmann said. “But he really takes care of the ball and is a knock-down shooter from the outside.”The Warriors tipped off their season in the Winfield Tournament, travel to Elsberry Dec. 9 and get their first look at Gateway Athletic Conference North competition Dec. 18 in the GAC Shootout.Uffmann believes St. Charles West is the team to beat in the conference while St. Charles rebuilds from a Class 4 state championship last season.And if everything goes to plan, he hopes Warrenton is at the top, fighting for a conference title in February.“Our main goal is to get better every day,” Uffmann said. “St. Charles and St. Charles West will probably be the top two dogs, and we feel that we’re right there with them.”

Members of the Warrenton boys basketball team are, front row from left: Brenden Smith, Clayton Schowe, Braydan Chmiel, Dylan Chandler, Jake Tonioli. Back row, from left: Randy McRoberts, Keanan Young, Trevor Albertersnt, Caleb Strauss, Dru Forrest, Daniel Cummings and Gavin Kohr.     Kory Carpenter photo.