The sting is still there, and may never go away.

The Warren Central Lady Vikes were less than a second away from advancing to the Mississippi Coliseum with a team that did not return one starter from the previous year.

But a dancing, darting driving layup by a Greenville player – a basket WC coach Donny Fuller and many in the Lady Vikes’ Nation believe came after the buzzer – sent the upstart Lady Vikes back to Vicksburg with a 22-11 record.

So Fuller and the Lady Vikes, who return four starters from last year’s squad, adopted the motto &#8220Leave No Doubt” for this season, which begins on Tuesday in the Vicksburg Warren County Tournament.

&#8220That loss to Greenville will eat at me until we get back to the big round building on High Street,” Fuller said referring to the Mississippi Coliseum, home of the state championship tournaments. &#8220I really thought that group last year worked too hard and did everything they were asked to do to have it taken from them.”

Warren Central, which had advanced to the state tournament the previous two years, is primed to make a return trip this season. With four starters, and key reserve Kaci Harris now a starter, the Lady Vikes are a favorite to make not only a return to the Coliseum, but challenge for the school’s first girls state championship in more than 15 years.

&#8220That’s our goal every year,” said Fuller, whose team is ranked No. 9 in The Clarion-Ledger’s prep basketball poll, the only statewide basketball rankings.

Unlike last season when question marks clouded the early season – WC started two freshmen, two juniors and a senior who had spent her career as a reserve – this season should be more concrete.

Vicksburg Post Player of the Year Sha’Kayla Caples, the only freshman ever to win this newspaper’s top basketball honor, averaged 15.8 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game.

She is already drawing notice from college scouts despite her youth. Fellow sophomore Karnina Bunch, who also started as a freshman last season, will control the point guard.

Brittany Willis returns with her 10 points per game average at shooting guard. Shantta Taylor and Harris will start at the forwards.

&#8220I hope the players’ hunger level is the same as the coaches’,” Fuller said. &#8220We’ll find out on Tuesday.”

The Vikings, meanwhile, enter the season with two bona fide returning players in point guard Shone Ester and center Mario Luckett. The two seniors will need to lead early as the Vikings try to replace three starters from last season.

Coach Jessie Johnson said the talent is there and depth, the only thing he is waiting on is to see how the team comes together.

&#8220We went through a positive learning experience early in the fall,” Johnson said. &#8220We have a lot of guys who are juniors and seniors who haven’t had that much playing time in the regular season.

&#8220Everything is coming along really well.”

The Vikings have seven seniors and three juniors on the 16-man roster, but will face a brutal division schedule that includes defending Class 5A state champion Madison Central.

&#8220They are the team to beat,” Johnson said.

An improved Vicksburg team and a rebuilding Greenville squad also are in the division.