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After a tough end to its season in 2011, the volleyball team from Little Snake River Valley School is ready to do damage at the state tournament.

The Rattlers have been a perennial state contender in recent years, but have come up short of a state championship. That was the case last year, when they were bounced by Kaycee High School in the state semifinals.

This year’s schedule for LSRV looks similar to past years: filled with Class-1A league opponents and a few tournaments to see foes from other corners of the state.

Head coach Brianna Braun said that means the team will be able to look forward to some of the school’s big rivalry games.

“The schedule looks pretty much the same from year to year, but that mean’s we’ll always have those highly anticipated games,” Braun said. “Playing against Cokeville and Kaycee are always big games for us. They are great teams and those games are usually around homecoming time.”

Incoming senior Morgan Jensen was injured for much of last year, but said she always looks forward to the game against Cokeville High School.

“Cokeville is a big game because they’re probably our biggest competition,” Jensen said. “They’ve won state the past couple years, and we’re always out to take them off that.”

LSRV will play Kaycee and Cokeville Oct. 5 and 6, respectively. Those teams met in the state championship game last year, with Cokeville coming out on top.

Braun feels her team could have been in that game, but didn’t put together its best performance in the state tournament.

“We just didn’t quite play the way I think we were capable last year in those final games,” Braun said. “It was a little bit of a disappointing end to the season.”

Despite the difficult close to the season, Braun said she and her players don’t feel any extra desire to beat Kaycee.

“I wouldn’t say were setting out for vengeance against any team this year,” she said. “We just want to be able to find success at the end of the season. We want to strive for that this year.”

A key part of the Rattlers’ season is several small tournaments the team plays in through its first half, in Saratoga, Wyo., Hanna, Wyo., and Lyman, Wyo. At the tournaments, LSRV gets to see opponents from the other side of the state that it would meet in the state tournament, as well as teams from other classifications

“We do see some of the 1A schools repetitively,” Braun said. “Tournaments are nice because you see some of the teams from across the state who we wouldn’t see again until state.

“The tournament in Lyman is a great one. We see bigger schools like Rock Springs, Green River and Star Valley there. We were pretty successful at it last year.”

Practice for the LSRV team began Monday, and its first game is scheduled for Aug. 24. Braun said she hopes her team can finish off a strong season with a better finish this year.

“The girls always set some big goals for themselves,” Braun said. “I want us to be successful throughout the season and be in good rhythm this year. Last year we were a bit more up and down. I want this team to get past that mental aspect.”

Jensen’s motto for her final year is simple:

“Let’s go in and win.”

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