Volleyball competitors become teammates

The Mission Bulldogs hosted their annual all-star volleyball game to raise money for the local food bank, bringing together nine schools. Plains, Mission, Ronan, Hot Springs, Polson, Arlee, Charlo, Two Eagle River, and first year participants, Thompson Falls. Bringing together 22 athletes split into two teams, the Lights were coached by Thompson Falls' own Sandra Kazmierczak and the Darks were coached by Charlo's Rhondell Volinkaty.

"I was nervous at first when they asked me to be a coach, but I love coaching and these girls were so fun," said coach Kazmierczak.

Hitting the court as teammates now become competitors, and competitors now become teammates, the game kicked off with the Light team taking the lead, but the Dark team would tie the score at eight points each. From there the powerhouse teams would go point for point, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats with hard hitting action. Soon the Dark team had taken the lead and the first set.

The Light team came out and took a large lead over the Dark team, keeping the serve. Early on, the crowd saw the team take a massive 12 point lead over the Dark team. As best as they could rally, the Dark team would be too far behind to take the second match win.

"Sandra is such a great coach; she knew right away where to place people and what worked best for the team. It was really fun and a new challenge to play against teammates and have competitors be teammates," said Hot Spring senior Georgia Uski, who was on the Light team.

In the third set, the roles reversed and it would be the Dark team who would come out and gain the lead, working together like a well oiled machine, but the Light team was close behind and would bring the score close together before tying the game at 24 points each. But it wouldn't be enough to take the set win from the Dark team.

Like a yoyo, the Light team was on the way up and would come out gaining the first points. They would hold onto their lead for much of the fourth set, making the Dark team work together for the points they did gain. With the score 20-11, the Dark team would gain four more points, but it wouldn't be enough to take the match win from the Light team.

Set five is normally the most exciting, and it was no surprise that each team kicked it into overdrive, with the Dark team taking a quick and early lead. The Light team knew they'd really have to work together to take the lead back. And with the help of Plains' Claire Lakko's serves, the Light team tied the game at nine points each. The teams would go point for point until the Light team took the match win.

"It's my first year being nominated for this, and it felt great. It was a lot of fun and really awesome to play against and with people we don't normally," said Hot Springs senior Brooke Jackson.

The event raised $819 for the Mission Valley Food Pantry.