Fall sports preview
By FAITH MOLDAN
Bigfork Eagle
The days are getting shorter, and that means it's time for Friday night lights, cheers of "Ace, ace, ace!" 3-mile runs, evening soccer matches and long, cool days on the links.
Volleyball
One of the few unfamiliar faces on the volleyball court this season is new head coach Kelsey Jensen. The Vals return 10 of 12 players on the varsity squad for the first-year high school coach who hails from Whitefish.
"We have such a good group of girls," Jensen said of the experienced squad. Last year's team finished 3-11 overall, including a 2-2 divisional record under coach Yvonne Peck.
Jensen said the girls are taking well to new ideas and concepts that she's presented to them. She said that the team is working long and hard on defense and quickness, as defense and passing are the most important aspects of volleyball.
The Vals' varsity team includes five seniors, three juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Senior Alyssa Fierro and junior Jill Hamilton will anchor the middle-hitter position while senior Ashlee Gordon and junior Rachel Luckow are set to be Bigfork's starting setters. Jensen said prior to the Vals' first matches that the outside and backside positions weren't set yet.
The remaining seniors on the team include Megan Thole, Avery Vogel and Bekah Bell. All three are good defensive players, and Vogel spikes the ball well at the outside position. Roxy Thurman, a junior, is also a threat at the net.
The underclassmen are well represented on the varsity squad with quick and talented sophomores Claire Wilken, Kelly Deaton and Emily Hardman. They are joined by freshman Mallery Knoll, who holds a roster spot on all three teams — frosh, JV and varsity.
Without being able to see a lot of last season's games, Jensen said she was unsure of who would be the Vals' toughest opponent in the Northwest A conference but said she looked for Libby to be good as the Loggers did not lose many players and she added that the Whitefish Lady Bulldogs should be strong too.
Bigfork's varsity team begins its season with two tipoff tournaments and one non-conference match, a benefit in Jensen's eyes.
"The more tournaments the better," she said. "These opening tournaments are good ways to get the girls out there and used to gamelike situations . . . get the kinks out."
Jensen, who said the team will take each game at a time, is assisted by frosh coach Shauna Dunn and JV coach Katie Haferbecker. This is Dunn's first time coaching. Haferbecker previously coached in Bozeman.
"I'm lucky to have them," Jensen said.
The Vals' first home match is September 13 versus Libby. The frosh games begin at 4:15 p.m.
Football
No matter which way you look at it, the football field has been a tough place for Bigfork High School recently. The Vikes ended last season 0-8 and recorded just one win the previous season.
New head football coach Bruce Corbett said he hopes to turn the BHS program around, but has a small number of returning players — just nine — and a small roster as well, with a total of 23 players to do so with.
"We're looking at the preseason as a chance to improve," Corbett said. "The kids see the new commitment and system adapted to them."
Corbett said the Vikes' top 15 players are able to match up with any other team's top 15. Returning for Bigfork, and players the coaching staff expects to contribute heavily, are Donny Tudahl, Brad Bell, Andrew Whittaker, Mason Shoultz and Travis Vincent. All except Tudahl are seniors. Tudahl will play fullback and middle-linebacker while Bell will be wingback and linebacker. Whittaker returns at wide receiver and defensive back.
"We're looking for a chance to use his speed," Corbett said of Whittaker. "We've got some things planned for him."
Corbett described Shoultz and Vincent as all-around athletes. The coaches looked at Shoultz at the quarterback position, but have decided to put him on the line and at tight end.
The quarterback position went to sophomore Carson Sneed.
"He's a natural leader," Corbett said of the young QB. "He's unusually mature for a sophomore."
New to the team this year is senior Roland Benedict. Benedict, who also plays soccer for Bigfork High School, fills the position of kicker for the Vikes. Corbett and the rest of the coaching staff are happy to have him, as Benedict has kicked a 48-yard field goal with distance in practice.
With the small number of players, Corbett said many players will not come off the field and will play both sides of the ball. Numbers have also made it uncertain at the moment whether or not the Vikes will field a froshmore team. Bigfork will need all the healthy players it can get to go up against pre-season conference favorites like Libby Polson and Whitefish. Corbett said his goal for the Vikes is to fall somewhere in the middle of the conference.
"Conference play is really what matters," Corbett said. "In spite of recent tragedy, there's still a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. We can't wait for August 31."
The Vikes open their season against Hamilton August 31 at 7 p.m.
Cross Country
Numbers are up for the BHS cross country teams, much to the liking of head coach Sue Loeffler.
Though the numbers have increased, the amount of experience running varsity cross country has not.
"I feel we're a really young team," Loeffler said. "I see lots of potential."
Sophomores Taylor Schiltz and Shelby Deaton are the only returning runners for the Vals. The Vikes have three returning runners with Phillip Sandry, Bridger Mahlum and Chris Driver. Bigfork has a total of seven girls and nine boys out for cross country this fall.
"We've been doing well with the boys," Loeffler said numberwise. "We continue to recruit the young runners and the kids are encouraging others to run."
Loefller said she looks for the team to run better than last year and all the runners will have some leadership responsibility.
"That's the nice thing about cross country," Loeffler said. "They are all leaders. They push and encourage each other."
New to the team this year are Kyle Hauns, Spencer Jenko, Keenan Evans, Julian Taylor, Evan Jordt and Alex Kirby. Charlene Miller, Hattie Bowen and Kayla Carlson are also new, while Brittany Hall returns to the team after not running last season.
"I'm real pleased with their hard work," Loeffler said. "It will payoff down the road."
The boys' and girls' cross country teams open their seasons in Libby, August 31 at 11 a.m.
Golf
The girls' and boys' golf teams boast returning team members with good chances of qualifying for state, head coach Steve Hullett said.
The boys' team has the only senior — Tyler Butts.
"He's got an opportunity to go to state if he plays like he's capable of playing," Hullett said.
Also returning for the Vikes are Scott Taylor, Zac Bruer, Justin Edwards and Blaine Lattimer.
"They should be fairly decent by divisionals," Hullett said.
The boys' team also includes a large number of freshmen.
Whereas the boys' team boasts large numbers, the girls' team consists of only three golfers — Carson Harris, Amy Gembala and Caitlann O'Dell. The three are not enough to qualify as a team during competition. All their scores will be recorded individually during the season.
Harris competed at state last season and has a chance to go again, according to Hullett. Harris was one of three Bigfork golfers who competed at state last season. The other two — Delbie Wilken and Travis Boughton — graduated. Hullett added that with continued improvement, Gembala and O'Dell could qualify for state as well.
Bigfork opened the season in Ronan August 23 and hosts the Bigfork Invitational September 20 at 10 a.m.
Girls' Soccer
Prior to the Vals' season-opener against Columbia Falls, August 25, BHS girls' soccer coach Steve Koch was still getting his starters in order.
"We're just trying to find the right combination of players and the right chemistry," he said.
The Vals return two seniors — Charlene Miller and Brittany Hall, 10 other players and must mix in six freshmen — Jessica Killian, Taylor McElroy, Quinci Paine, Caitlin Charlebois, Nikki Hagler and Chelsea Lewis.
Koch, who coached the Vals to a 0-6,1-9 record last season, said he is looking for leadership from Miller and Hall. Miller will be one of the Vals' goalkeepers, as will junior Becca Denning. Denning returns with fellow juniors Andie Sorenson, Ariana Shults, Christina Thompson and Jami Podobnik.
A number of the Vals used offseason opportunities to get a leg up on the fall season. Seven members of the team took part in a soccer clinic put on by Duke University Women's Soccer coach Bobby Church and 12 players began their conditioning for the season by training at Crossfit Flathead.
The girls' team has two JV matches on their schedule — August 28 at Whitefish and September 17 versus Polson — though the Vals do not have a JV team. Those matches begin at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.
Boys' Soccer
With second-year coach Keith Koslosky at the helm, and a core of returning players, the BHS boys' soccer team hopes to make a mark in the Northwest A conference.
Thirteen of the 17 players on the Viking roster are returners from last year's 4-6-4 team. Those returners include seniors Roland Benedict, Bobby Denning and Levi Dockstader. Trey Lehrman is also a senior, but a first-year teammember. Dockstader will start as keeper.
The seniors are backed up by six juniors — Zac Hansen, Taylor Ingram, Stuart Koch, Matt McGady, David Meyers and first-year player Matt Vlastelica. Bigfork also returns a good number of sophomores, who now have one year of high school varsity soccer under their belts. Skylar Doak, Alec MacCallum, Derek Minemeyer, Lael Richmond and Ryan Sorenson all return for the Vikes.
Bigfork's number of freshmen is small compared to last season's. Two freshmen — Nate Roberson and Fabian Zavala join the BHS boys' soccer program this fall.
Koslosky said he expects everybody on the team to contribute this season, which begins with tough conference opponents.
"I hope it helps them focus," he said of the immediate conference action.
The boys' team does not have enough players to have a JV team, but they do have four JV matches on its schedule. The Vikes' senior night is October 2 versus Polson at 5 p.m.