Things are looking up for the Plains Trotters volleyball team as they head into the 2023 season.

They lost two key players from last year, but return a solid and quick nucleus of players for this season, which began this past weekend with an eye-opening performance at the Mission Invitational tourney in St. Ignatius.

Gone from last year’s team are graduated seniors Piper Bergstrom and Kallen Burrows.

Back with another year of experience and improved skills are seniors Marissay Young, Jaelyn Carr and Teirainy Bellinger. They are joined by juniors Lexi Deming, who won a Class B state discus championship this past spring, and Trysten Larson, along with sophomore standout Kali Tuma.

Two other players who were not on the team last year, senior Blakely Lakko and junior Teager Saner are part of a contingent of 17 players who give the Trotters depth as well as experience.

And there is more help on the way, said head coach Jesse Butcher.

“We also have some young athletes who will round out our roster nicely and give us depth”, Butcher said.

That depth, Butcher said, is expected to be one of the team’s top strengths this season.

“One of our biggest strengths will be our depth,” she said. “We have an athletic crew with multiple people who can play multiple positions. They are also a great group of girls, with great athletes and work ethic.”

Finding the right on-court combinations will be a key to their success, Butcher said.

“Our first order of business is finding the right combination of athletes who can find the chemistry we can build on. We are moving forward and would like to start with a clean slate this year.”

Butcher said Thompson Falls and Eureka are likely the greatest challenges they will face this year, along with Mission, which has a solid group of athletes returning this year.

“Superior will be new to us this year, and we are thankful Bigfork has moved to Class A,” she said of the unbeaten Class B champs from last year.