Lady Loggers look to close regular season on strong note
Phil Johnson | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 2 months AGO
<p>Pre-game huddle with Dayln Germany, left, Devon Gallagher, Hailley Moe, Hannah England, Mahalah Wedel, Staci Regh and Kelsey Klin vs. Whitefish 10-26-13.</p>
The Lady Loggers volleyball team is getting hot at the right time. With two remaining road contests, the Loggers have a shot at the third seed in the upcoming divisional tournament.
The Loggers (2-4, 7-10) won their last two conference matches against Eureka and Whitefish. Head Coach Cindy Ostrem-Johnston points to the preceding Missoula Tournament as a turning point in the season.
“We held our own against the AA teams in that tournament,” Ostrem-Johnston said. “I think the girls surprised themselves with how well they played. I had a referee at the tournament say how noticable the team’s improvement had been since he saw us earlier in the year.”
The Lady Loggers travel Friday to Polson for a 4:15 p.m. contest. If Libby wins, they will likely earn the third seed.
The girls play Frenchtown, who is 6-0 in conference, at 10 a.m. Saturday. To avoid onerous travel time, the team will stay at a hotel halfway between St. Ignatius and Ronan on Friday night.
The divisional tournament, which takes place from Nov. 8-9 in Polson, is a double elimination tournament between the top five seeds. The top two teams from the divisional tournament qualify for the state tournament.
“This has been a fun team to coach,” Ostrem-Johnston said. “We have struggled with consistency and confidence, but we are getting better. The girls play best when they are relaxed and playing the next ball.”
ARTICLES BY PHIL JOHNSON
Mountain pleads not guilty to seven Yaak burglary charges
Not guilty, seven times over. That was the plea Monday when Zachary Michael Mountain, 19, was arraigned before District Judge James Wheelis. Mountain faces as many as 140 years in prison for his alleged involvement last year in a string of felony burglaries in the Yaak.
Hunters look forward to general season
Crace runs toward state rushing lead
Libby's conference leading rusher puts team on his back
Announcing Libby Loggers football games this year is a predictable endeavor. With the passing game aching from the absence of graduated All-State quarterback Jared Winslow, the Loggers are a committed ground team. Reminiscent of the era when offenses were pleased with three yards and a cloud of dust, the Loggers run game repeatedly rams the ball right into the teeth of the opposing defense.