SANDERS COUNTY - Monday was the kick-off date for all schools in the county, as Plains, Thompson Falls, Noxon and Hot Springs began their first official practices for fall sports such as football, volleyball, and cross country

Plains High School sports  squads began official school practices at the high school campus and around the town of Plains.

Over at the fairgrounds, the Plains cross country team gathered to go for an evening run, led by Coach Tony Banovich and graduated Horseman and XC State Top-3 finisher Carter Montgomery. Not all of the squad could participate due to lack of submitted physicals, however, Coach Banovich said it was still a good day to run. 

At the high school campus, the Horsemen football squad geared up for an afternoon practice with Head Coach Mike Tatum, offensive coordinator Batt Lulack, and defensive coordinator Jon DuBois. The coaches ran the boys through various drills and agility practices, and Coach Tatum said he was looking forward to the season.

“This is my second year coaching high school football,” Coach Tatum said. “What we can expect is a little more experience. Last year, it was a year of survival because the [lack of] co-op with Hot Springs. Hopefully, we’ll be able to compete this year.”

The Horsemen boast a 22-man team, which will make practices more beneficial with the 11-on-11 advantage. Last year, the roster had just 19 boys, but with two more bodies means more effective practices with offensive and defensive coordinations. Their first game will be Aug. 31 at Mission. 

“Last year, we did some really good things, just not consistently,” Coach Tatum said. “This year is going to be good, with more experience under our belt.”

Inside the recently-resurfaced Plains gym, the Trotters volleyball squad began their first official practice with Coach Kim Earhart and Coach Whitney Tanner-Spurr. The team is described by coaches as a “young team,” with only one returning senior and several sophomores and freshmen. The roster sits tentatively at 16 girls.

“We have a lot of fresh faces and fresh ideas,” Coach Tanner-Spurr said. “We lost seven seniors this last year, and I think we have some new leadership. It’s going to be a rebuilding year for sure.”

As the team practices and prepares for their first game at the Mission Valley tourney Aug. 25, the coaches hope to take the girls through a rigorous training not just physically, but characteristically as well.

“We’re going to work our tail-ends off for one,” Coach Earhart said. “We have a lot of girls that love the sport, and are willing to work hard, and we have the girls that worked a lot over the summer. I see a bigger desire overall [in this squad]. We’re also going to work on character traits.”

The development of a young squad is something the coaches said they are happy to do, since the majority of the squad - save for the lone senior - have played for them over the years. The major factors that will be addressed primarily will be that of good communication, effective hitting and passing, and good attitudes. 

“Within a week, we have to break the team down to varsity and junior varsity, which means we’re trying to develop whole dynamics - passing, setting, hitting - with the chemistry of the team,” Coach Earhart said. “In volleyball, you’ve got to put the right pieces in the right positions, kind of like chess.”

“The most important thing about volleyball that people should realize it’s more than one ‘star’ player,” Coach Tanner-Spurr said. “You have to have at least six players that all know what they’re doing, and they’re not always interchangable. It’s about communication as well as hitting and passing.”

As the girls ran their drills, the coaches watched with eagle eyes and instructed a few on floor and footwork techniques. 

“I definitely see good communication and good team unity here,” Coach Earhart said. “They have good chemistry among all the ages.”

In scenic Thompson Falls, the teams held practices around the high school campus.

Curt Kegel, head football coach, said that there are going to be quite a few changes this year. There are three new coaches on the team, meaning some modifications will be taking place. 

Jarand Koskela will be in charge of the training the linebackers and running backs; Boon Nelson will deal with the offensive and defensive line; Chadd Laws will be working with the receivers and defensive lines; while Kegel trains with the quarterbacks. 

The coaches had the athletes flipping tires, running up hills, and practicing their agility, in order to help gear them up for the season. 

Kegel said that not many varsity players are returning this year meaning that there are many inexperienced players. However, Kegel has high hopes.

“It seems to stack well and I am looking forward to a good season,” Coach Kegel said. 

The team will be experiencing two-a-days for the first two weeks, later switching to a once a day practice. 

As for the cross-country team, runners began their practice, looping around the school and through fields. 

Sarah Naegeli, head coach said that a few preparations have already begun taking place. 

“We had a few kids running all summer, and several ran in the Huckleberry run,” Coach Naegeli said. 

This year Naegeli does not expect to see many changes and the cross-country team is planning to follow a similar schedule to last year.

So far Thompson Falls High School has a full boy’s team, but the girl’s team has not quite been formed. Along with this, Coach Naegeli said that there are a lot of junior high teams this year.

The team has several high school boys and girls returning this season, which has Naegeli excited. 

JA Bohannon and Teresa Nelson will also be coaching the cross country team as assistant coaches.

The volleyball team ran through drills, setting and spiking the ball earlier in the week.  The volleyball team also started two-a-days, training hard for the upcoming season.

Jason Reimer, Athletic Director for Thompson Falls, said he was looking forward to Fall sports stating that the volleyball team will be especially good this year.

“We have a pretty strong volleyball team this year. They went to state last year and have returned 90 percent of the players on the roster so they’re looking forward to a pretty strong season again,” said Reimer.

Allison Vaught, a senior on this year’s squad, said that fans can look forward to “positivity, lots of group togetherness, and building on from last year.”

Kelsey Fitchett, another senior on the squad said that the team is picking up where they left off and coming back strong. 

According to the seniors on the team, the squad is getting ready for the upcoming season with lots of practice, an open gym and some weightlifting in between.

The coaches this year are Sandra Kazmierczak, head coach and Lequita Cavill, assistant coach. 

Reimer said that he holds the season in high hopes and anticipates the start of the school year.

“It’s always good to get a new start and seeing the kids come out. Hopefully they are experiencing some good success and learning a lot both through sports and just in general gaining some good life lessons,” said Reimer. 

“Kids always come back in the fall pretty excited about the sports.”

In Noxon, practices commenced and the Noxon sports athletic director was happy to speak about the upcoming season for the Red Devils.

Matt Havens, the athletic director for Noxon public schools said that fans this season can expect teams to “complete, compete and complete” this season. 

 Football practice began on Friday and according to Havens the senior classes will be changing.

 Along with this, volleyball practice began on Monday, and Havens explained that the senior classes have also changed, allowing room for new players. 

 “I am excited about the new year which means new teams and new athletes, all the way around. Anything can happen and usually does,” Havens said.