Trotters storm back, win 2nd in 14C

CHARLO – When the chips were down the Plains Trotters played their best volleyball and emerged from the District 14C tournament in Charlo last week with a solid second place finish.

Arlee wound up winning the two-day tourney and grabbing 14C's top seed into this week's Western C Divisional tournament, Plains battled back to win second after fighting through four tough matches Friday, Charlo finished third and Noxon fourth.

Since only the top two teams advance, the Arlee Scarlets and the Trotters now move on to the Western C divisional tourney. The Trotters will open the Western C tourney playing 13C champion Seeley-Swan at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Manhattan Christian Memorial Events Center in Churchill.

If the Trotters defeat Seeley, the Plains girls will then play the winner of the Manhattan Christian-Ennis match at 7 p.m. Thursday. If the Trotters lose, they will play the loser of the Manhattan Christian-Ennis match in loser-out action Friday at 1 p.m. in the double elimination tourney.

The top two teams from the Western C will advance on to the Class C portion of the Montana All-Class volleyball tournament in Bozeman Nov. 9-11.

Based on their never-say-die performance in Charlo, where they fought through six tough matches, including four on Thursday, the Trotters might just have what it takes to get to Bozeman.

Playing through an emotional day Thursday after having learned that beloved Plains teacher and coach Kenny Marjerrison had unexpectedly passed away Wednesday, the Trotters lost to Arlee that afternoon after having defeated St. Regis earlier Thursday.

"We have no excuses but the girls were definitely not at 100% for obvious reasons," Butcher said. "That day was not our best day though, I will say that."

As forgettable as Thursday was, Friday was unforgettable for Butcher and her Trotters.

"I am super proud of these girls, they definitely left it all out there on the court Friday. We had some pretty pooped players out there by Friday night," she said, "but that's what happens when you play four matches in one day, including three that were back-to-back-to-back."

Forced into the losers' bracket Friday, the Trotters fought past Hot Springs 25-21, 25-16, 25-19 in their

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first match, and defeated Noxon in four sets later on to earn a match against host Charlo in the loser-third match. The Noxon match was Plains' first in their back-to-back-to-back 14C series of matches

Without much quality resting time after defeating Noxon, the Trotters clinched no worse than second place with an epic 25-16, 26-24, 16-25, 21-25, 15-6 win over the Lady Vikings.

Again without much rest, the Trotters then took on Arlee again and fell to the Scarlets in four sets and settled for second place.

The tournament began Thursday morning with Noxon defeating Hot Springs 25-21, 28-26, 20-25, 16-25, 15-5 and Arlee defeating St. Regis 25-17, 25-16, 25-11. Arlee then defeated Plains 25-16, 21-25, 26-14, 25-18 and Charlo upended Noxon 25-12, 21-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-8.

The Trotters defeated Hot Springs and Noxon eliminated St. Regis in loser-out play Saturday morning.

Coach Alisha Pablo's Hot Springs Lady Savage Heat played well at times but an untimely illness or two may have hurt their tournament chances.

MacKenzie Cannon hit nine kills, blocked three shots and delivered four service aces to lead the Heat at the net against Plains, Sage Jackson had 15 digs and Sydney Jackson passed out 18 assists.

Noxon, after coming within a whisker of knocking off Charlo, stayed alive in the tourney in the win over St. Regis. Delaney Weltz floored eight kills and blocked seven shots in that match, Kristina Brown added 12 digs and two aces, and Anna Kaiser dished out 12 assists.

Jessica Thompson put down eight kills and hit 15 digs in the championship match with Arlee, Kara Altmiller blocked eight shots and Rachel Huenink seven, Audrey Brown hit 13 digs, Lindsay Laws distributed nine assists and Natalee Deschamps and Emma Morgan hit five and four aces each, respectively.