HANNAHVILLE — An experienced Hannahville boys’ basketball team is anxiously awaiting the start of this season.

The Soaring Eagles, who have six seniors on their team of 16, host Mid Peninsula in Tuesday’s season-opener.

“The older boys have been working hard, and they’re looking forward to the season,” said coach Josh Eagle. “It’s a question mark season, but we have an older team for a change. The older guys are positive and will have plenty of opportunities to become young men.”

Seniors include six-foot guards Gage and Damon Sagataw and Warren Gustafson, a transfer from North Dickinson, 6-2 forward Mequon Jackson and 5-6 guards Shaye Halfaday and Xander Spry.

“I think the sky’s the limit for us,” said Eagle. “We’re doing some good things and starting to look more like a program. The older guys are ready to move on and try some different things. This is probably the biggest question mark we’ve had during my coaching career. I don’t think there’s anything they can’t do. It’s a matter of learning from past mistakes and going on to the next play. Our motto is ‘one play at a time.'”

Austin Willis, a 5-10 guard, is the team’s lone junior and 5-6 guard Adolfo Reyes-Crossman is the only sophomore.

Freshmen include 6-4 center Nicholas Sobay, a transfer from L’Anse, 6-2 forward Joe Beaver, 6-0 guard Jayden Sagataw and 5-7 guard Dashawn Metzger.

Additional underclassmen are eighth-graders Sam Beaver (5-8 guard) and Wyatt Boda and seventh-graders Myles Halfaday and Thomas Jesse.

“We have a lot of length,” said Eagle. “We’ll play a lot of full-court basketball. We’ll press and half-court trap and be uptempo for the most part depending on how we match up with other teams. This team has the most speed of any I’ve had, and we have some kids who can jump. I love playing uptempo basketball. I want to see what we can endure. When you get the depth, it’s the only way to go. We have real good kids, but there’s nothing harder than playing against yourself (in practice). That sixth man can be a real kick in your face.”

Eagle anticipates a challenging match-up with Mid Pen.

“They have a U.P. Hall of Fame coach (Mark Branstrom),” he said. “He gets those guys ready to play hard all the time. They don’t give you anything free. Mark will have them ready.”

Eagle also expects some challenges within the Northern Lights League.

‘Maplewood Baptist and Ojibwe Charter are always tough, and Beaver Island is always a challenge,” he said. “Big Bay and Mackinac Island should be improved, and Grand Marais will be young.”

Dec. 7 — Mid Peninsula.

Jan. 5 — at Mid Peninsula; Jan. 7-8 — Beaver Island; Jan. 11 — at Carney-Nadeau; Jan. 14-15 — at Mackinac Island; Jan. 18 — Big Bay de Noc; Jan. 21-22 — at Kinross Maplewood Baptist; Jan. 24 — Munising Baptist; Jan. 26 — at Paradise.

Feb. 1 — at Big Bay de Noc; Feb. 3 — Paradise; Feb. 8 — Munising Baptist; Feb. 11-12 — at Bay Mills Ojibwe Charter; Feb. 25-26 — NLL tournament at Rudyard.