The Berry College women's basketball team will tip off their 2021-22 season with a new and youthful look Saturday when the Vikings travel to Demorest, Ga., to face Piedmont in the USA/SAA Classic at 4 p.m. 
 
                The Vikings are tasked with filling the vacancies of many prominent and impactful seniors who have graduated from last season's 5-6 squad, and will try to with young, but enthusiastic team.
 
                Head coach Thomas Johnson, in his fourth year at the helm of the Vikings, says the current seniors are stepping into larger playing and leadership roles.
 
                "We're a young team. We have six seniors with not a lot of game experience, and we also have seven freshmen," Johnson said. "Players will have to adjust to new roles and step up, and some will have to take more leadership roles than they've had in the past."
 
                The 2021-22 team may look a little bit different than Berry teams from the past. 
               
                "We're a smaller team this year, so our speed and quickness will be a plus for us," said Johnson. "Defensively we've always been a pretty good team so hopefully that will continue.
 
                "We have some young freshmen that can really shoot the ball, and with that we'll be extending that three-point line that will help us generate some extra offense that a lot of people can't do," he said.
   
                Because of the mix of newcomers and returnees who, the Vikings must come up with the chemistry, Johnson pointed out, adding that the seniors and upperclassmen will have to get used to their new leadership roles and assume more playing roles.
 
                Giving the Vikings the experience and leadership it needs includes junior guard Sydney Blankenship, who played in all 11 games last year and is the top returning scorer for Berry having averaged 11.6 points.
                               
                Seniors Raven Washington, Kish Chandler, Elizabeth Sierzant and Kennedy Moore also return after playing in every game last year, while Kristin Hunt, Sarah Wright, Ellie Gearing, McKenna Lentych and Skylar Oxford played reserve roles for Berry last season.
               
                "With a young team it will be a little bit of a struggle and challenge early," said Johnson, who will be joined on the bench by first-year assistant coach Destiny Frazier, "but by the end of the season we will probably be where we want to be.
 
                "We tell our team everyday it's a marathon and not a sprint. Hopefully by the end of the season in February we'll be able to reach our peak, and play really well," the coach said. 
 
                Berry starts their season off playing an experienced Piedmont team, one brings back all five starters and has added new players with a lot of potential. 
 
                "Piedmont is a very experienced team, they'll be a tough challenge for a first opening game because of the experience and the depth that they have," said Johnson.

                After facing Piedmont, the Vikings take on USA Conference foe LaGrange on Sunday at 1 p.m. After playing at the Covenant Classic Nov. 12-13, Berry plays its home opener Nov. 16 when the Vikings host Wesleyan for another non-conference clash.