THOMPSON FALLS – With the regular season right around the corner the Thompson Falls Bluehawks basketball team has kept busy prepping for the upcoming competition.

The boys of Thompson Falls began practicing on Nov. 20 and have kept up with their preseason workouts to ensure the squad is ready for the team’s regular season opener.

“Practices have been going well. I like what I see so far,” Thompson Falls Head Coach Jake Mickelson said.

The Bluehawks were scheduled to play their first game of the regular season on Friday, Dec. 5, in Mineral County against the Superior Bobcats, but that game has been cancelled.

Though Mickelson admitted he was disappointed the start of the team’s regular season has been pushed back a week he saw the benefits of adding an extra week of pre-season practices.

“We are trying to put in new stuff and an extra week is only going to benefit us,” Mickelson said.

This will be the first year Mickelson, a teacher at Thompson Falls High School, leads the team from the head coach position and the players are working to learn the adjustments to the teams offensive and defensive plays Mickelson has brought to the team.

The first year head coach has been pleased with the team’s progress and he stated the boys have been taken in a lot of information and executing well on the court.

Mickelson was especially proud of the veteran leadership displayed by the Bluehawk’s upperclassmen in the team’s first week of practices.

The coach added the team’s leadership has grown in previous seasons and is now helping the Bluehawk’s younger players get ready for the upcoming season.

“I can’t wait for our first game,” Mickelson said.

The team will kick off their regular season slate of games at a tournament in Sanders County.

The competition, the Sanders County Invitational will kick off on Dec. 12 at Plains High School.