Craig Daily Press

Photo by Jerry Raehal

Members of the 2007 Moffat County High School volleyball team. Front row, from left: Andi Meckley, Chanda Walker, Rachel Shelton, Amy Whilden, Lauren Roberts, Kelley Syvertson, Kaci Meek and Jessica Matthews; second row, from left: Lindsey Yoast, Megan Trujillo, Arylle Rademacher, Jordan Maneotis, Tasha Romney, Becky Meek, Sara Kruz, Jennifer Harris, Chandrea Lopez, Kelly Edington and Alisha Camp; third row, from left: assistant coach Amanda Tomlinson, Meghan Innes, Sharina Simpson, Amy Dilldine, Markie Workman, Kari Griffin, Angie Charchalis, MacKenzie Maneotis, Ariel Sanchez and head coach Brianna Montgomery.

Amy Dilldine and Angie Charchalis

Moffat County — There’s a unique vibe around the Moffat County High School volleyball team.

Practices have been crisp.

Players are in phenomenal shape.

And based on last year’s results, expectations are high.

But coach Brianna Montgomery doesn’t want to get ahead of herself.

She doesn’t lack confidence in her team, and she has no doubt the team will improve with every game.

Her biggest question, however, is trying to find specific roles for players.

She likes the layout of the roster, she just needs a catalyst.

“I’m looking for leaders to step up and take responsibility,” Montgomery said. “We’ll have success if we have players do that.”

Although Montgomery’s still fine-tuning, on paper it’s hard not to like the Bulldogs. Despite a paltry 8-17 record last season, the Bulldogs were able to advance through the district tournament and into regional play.

Add to that seven returning seniors, including all-league performers Amy Dilldine and Angie Charchalis, and expectations are high.

Montgomery will have a full year coaching the program, compared to last year, when she joined the team six weeks into the season.

Plus Montgomery hasn’t been idle in the offseason.

She filled the end of last year with early morning lifting sessions. Then during the summer, she had open gyms four nights a week and added camps and tournaments throughout the summer. Add in a boot-camp like training camp, and a big season could be on the horizon.

“Last year was just the beginning of what this team’s capable of,” Montgomery said.

With returning state champion Battle Mountain losing a large portion of last year’s talent to graduation, Moffat County should be able to battle for the top spot with Glenwood Springs, Palisade and rival Steamboat Springs.

“Last year we surprised some people. Hopefully this year we can do the same,” Charchalis said. “It’s really about how well we play all season, not just how far we go.”

Even the coach is optimistic about the possibilities.

“I’d like to see us go onto regionals,” Montgomery said, “I’d like to go onto state.”