PERU – Mike Kilmartin and the St. Bede Bruins are ready to take the next step.

It’s been 13 years since the Bruins have won a regional title. Last year, in a loaded bracket, they advanced to the regional championship but lost by eight points to Fieldcrest. With three of the five starters returning from last year’s team that finished 23-8, the Bruins enter the season with high expectations.

“We have a lot of experience back,” said Kilmartin, who enters his second year as coach at St. Bede. “Hopefully, that takes us through some rough spots. We haven’t won a regional in a while, and of course that is one of our goals. We were in four championship games last year in the four tournaments you can possibly play in, but we only won once.