CLARK FORK — The state volleyball brackets are set by district seeds far in advance, so occasionally one half of the bracket can be extra loaded, as actually trying to seed the tourney would be next to impossible. Such is the case this year.

When Clark Fork (17-9) opens the 1A Division II state tournament on Friday at Borah High School, they’ll open against reigning runner up Lighthouse Christian (14-4), which is a brutally tough draw for both teams.

Should the Cats win and advance in the main draw, they would face the current state champs next, as their half of the draw is loaded with talent. Should they survive that, the championship would await.

Luckily for the Cats, head coach Cindy Derr preaches one point, one set, one match at a time, and if a team plans to contend for a state title, as the Cats clearly do, it will have to beat everyone in the bracket at some point. Derr is no stranger to state, having brought state trophies back to Clark Fork in the past, and has high hopes for this year’s squad.

“I believe that we will make a run at state. We’ve worked hard this year to accomplish that goal,” said Derr. “Our biggest key is to stay calm and believe in ourselves. Take care of our side of the court and not worry about what is on the other side of the court.”

Leading the way will be reigning league MVP and senior setter Brooke Stevens, one of the top players in the region and a player who contributes in all phases of the game.

She’ll set for hitters Hailey Bristol, Ellie Kiebert, Tess Sutton and Ali Sutton, a group of seniors with a host of both varsity and state experience. Anchoring the back row on defense are Ellie Lambert, Aleehia Valliere and Abbie Anderson, with Sophie McMahon also seeing time in the rotation.

It’s a group that has yet to lose playing a team from its own classification, mixing it up often this year with 3A, 4A and even 5A teams alike. It’s also a group with a wealth of talent and equally importantly, state experience. They will be a dark horse in the draw, are battle tested, and won’t be intimidated by anyone.

“I believe this year our team’s identity is to play hard and be a unit and believe,” said Derr. “These girls have worked six years towards this goal and it is time for them to take a step forward and see what they can do this weekend.”

The first match is 10 a.m. at Borah High School.