The pieces are all in place for a memorable season.

The Aberdeen Central girls’ tennis team has all of its players back from a year ago. Now, the Golden Eagles want to go out and make some noise.

“It’s very nice to have a very familiar team back,” said Central coach John Vogel.

As a result, expectations are very high.

While the Eagles just started practice last week, the season began to take shape last spring when Vogel gathered the players inside Golden Eagles Arena where all of the school’s Eastern South Dakota Conference and state championship banners are on display.

“We met in the gym underneath the banners, underneath specifically the ESD banners,” Vogel said. “I said, ‘Hey girls, look, we haven’t won ESD since 2011.’ And we all decided, that’s long enough.”

Vogel knows they don’t just hand out conference crowns and that his team, which finished fourth at the conference tourney last season, will have to earn it.

“Now, granted, it’s going to be challenging,” he said. “I think ESD is going to be wide open. I think we have a really good shot.”

There’s plenty of reason for that optimism as the Eagles will feature proven talent and leadership at every single position.

The top six returning singles players are Emily Ringgenberg, Carley Comstock, Livia Douglas, Alice Vogel, Laney Gonsor and Avery Tennant. Charlee Galvin played at third flight doubles last season.

Coach Vogel said that while those seven players are all returning, the exact lineup has not been established for the upcoming season quite yet.

However, because Central has so many experienced players, it has impacted the way Vogel has been able to prep for the fall campaign.

“We will do some basic skills stuff, but it is really nice when two-thirds of your team has been playing with me for four years already and I don’t have to spend much time teaching the fundamentals anymore,” he said. “We can get down and actually do some strategy and some more skill work, and that is really fun.”

Vogel said the Eagles have had more players out for the sport during his tenure, but never as many returning battled-tested veterans as the current squad features.

Central has six seniors total out for tennis: Ringgenberg, Comstock, Vogel, Galvin, Jenna Joachim and Ema Rehder.

“It’s nice to have six quality seniors around,” Coach Vogel said. “They’re built-in leaders.”

The Golden Eagles start their season off with a bang on Friday, facing defending state champion Rapid City Stevens during a tournament in Pierre.

“They’re good and they’re bringing most of the team back,” Coach Vogel said.

Time will tell how high the Golden Eagles will soar this season, but one thing is certain: Central will not be able to sneak up on anyone on the court.

“I’m just going to tell them I think we’re going to have a target on our back,” coach Vogel said, “because I already know it.”