Pressure ... you know there will be plenty of that once again for Stillwater Christian School athletes and coaches at the Montana Christian Athletic Association state soccer and volleyball tournaments in Bozeman starting Thursday.

Stillwater has won the last 11 state championships in boys soccer and six in a row for the volleyball program. The Cougars are again favored to repeat in both sports.

“There is a high level of pressure,” Stillwater soccer Ryan O’Rourke said of having that success.

“There is always a high level of expectations.”

The soccer team enters play with an 8-3-1 mark.

“They look at it that way,” O’Rourke of his team not wanting to be the one to end the streak.

“I know the seniors do. They don’t want to break the streak on their watch.”

Stillwater soccer is led by a talented group of seven seniors — Woo Jin Kang, defender, Alex Sulzbacher, defender/midfield, Joe King, forward, Jarrett Danz, midfield, Daniel Lambert, defender, Mark Fischer, defender, and Schuylar Kauffman, midfield.  

“A good group,” O’Rourke said.

“They play hard, have contributed to the program. It’s been a good season with them.”

Of that group, King, a captain, has enjoyed a phenomenal fall campaign. He has scored 28 goals in 12 games and scored in every match.

“That’s a pretty remarkable achievement,” O’Rourke said.

“We’ve played some pretty solid teams.

“He holds himself to a high standard,” O’Rourke said of his star player.

“He’s tenacious on the field, a hard worker and ruthless when it comes to scoring goals. A clinical finisher is another way to describe him.”

And if that wasn’t enough ...

“He’s an excellent leader on and off the field,” O’Rourke said.

King will play soccer next fall at Corban University in Salem, Ore.

Stillwater opens state play Thursday at noon versus Foothills Christian School. Those two schools did not play during the regular season.

Of the six schools in the tournament, Stillwater faced three and went 4-0 against them.

The tournament, soccer and volleyball, ends Saturday. The host school is Heritage Christian.

This marks O’Rourke’s first season at Stillwater coaching soccer. He spent six seasons at Glacier, but did not coach last season.

Stillwater soccer (4-0), and volleyball (6-0), are both seeded No. 1 from the Western Division.

The Cougars enjoyed another banner season on the volleyball court, sweeping 7B foes Bigfork and Eureka, knocking off the Glacier JV twice and beating teams from three states.

Stillwater is led by a talented senior foursome — Sarah Paolini, outside hitter, Megha Tannehill, outside hitter, Courtney Beaver, middle hitter, and Sophie George, opposite hitter.

The other senior is Amanda Kauffman, a middle hitter.

Stillwater opens play Thursday at 11:30 a.m. versus Billings Christian School. The Cougars beat them in a preseason match.

Of the other seven schools at state, Stillwater has played six of them. It did not face Heritage Christian.

“There is added pressure for keeping it going, to keep the tradition of winning state,” Stillwater coach Diane Smith said of her program’s state streak.

“You always go to state being nervous, no matter what. In volleyball, it could go either way. We want to come into it working our hardest and, as a Christian school, exemplify Christ in our attitude, abilities and use the talent God gives us.”

Stillwater is led by the powerful 1-2 punch of Paolini and Tannehill at the net.

George does an outstanding job in the back row while setter Dorothy Smith, a sophomore, keeps the offense flowing smoothly. This is her second season as a varsity starter.

“Their unity, that’s the biggest thing for these girls,” coach Smith of the team’s strength.

“They play really well together. They love each other, they work well together as a strong unit. There is also some great leadership within the seniors.”

This marks Smith’s third season as head coach.

Paolini take her talents to the next level in 2015. She is currently looking at Montana Tech, which has shown a lot of interest, along with Mary-Hardin Baylor in Texas, where her mother played basketball.

Montana Christian Athletic Association

At Bozeman

State Boys Soccer

Thursday

Noon  — Stillwater Christian School vs. Foothill Christian School

2 p.m. — Heritage Christian School vs. Helena Christian School

4 p.m. — Mission Valley Christian Academy vs. Great Falls Home School

Yellowstone County Home School has a bye

State Volleyball

Thursday

10 a.m. — Yellowstone County Home School vs. Helena Christian School

11:30 a.m. — Stillwater Christian School vs. Billings Christian School

1 p.m. — Helena Home School vs. Foothills Christian School

2:30 p.m. — Great Falls Home School vs. Heritage Christian School