Thanks to the Plains High School administration, local businesses and other willing volunteers, the Plains Trotter volleyball team hosted a successful one-day tournament at PHS Saturday.

Plains coach Kim Lakko said that Eureka won the tourney and that Valley Christian placed second, with the final pairing of the day determined by pool play.

“I was proud of both the JV and Varsity teams,” Lakko said. “Our JV team played hard. They took third in their morning pool play and played against Flathead Valley for an exhibition match and won. They did a great job. Our varsity team used the tournament to adjust to some unexpected changes and started the morning without a couple of players.”

Although statistics from the day’s play were not available, Lakko said her players adjusted well to playing different roles and that the tournament was a worthwhile endeavor for all involved.

“The tournament was a huge success,” she said. “Many attending teams and the refs who worked the event were very complimentary and want to come back next year.”

Lakko thinks hosting this tourney is a win-win for a small school like Plains. “Many programs maximize this for their programs as one day tournament counts as one game,” she said. “Hosting our own tournament maximizes play time for our kids without the expenses of attending one can bring.”

In addition to the local businesses that contributed, Lakko thanked the many volunteers. “There is a lot of work that goes into hosting a local tournament,” she said. “We had many others who volunteered to take tickets, keep book, run the clock, and help out to pull off such a positive, competitive event for the kids.”

    Plains Trotter Hadyn Rice taps one over the net. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
 Tracy Scott