Page 6
SPORTS PREVIEW/BLACK HILLS PIONEER
August 2012
New coach, new season for Spartan VB BY JASON GROSS Black Hills Pioneer SPEARFISH - Spearfish's new varsity volleyball coach said Monday the Spartans are already ready for a great season. Jayna Morrill recently began her first season in Spearfish. The Spartans selected their varsity roster on Monday; their first match is Friday at Mitchell. “One of our strengths is senior leadership, and we're bringing in a lot of talent,” Morrill said of this season's Spartan squad. “Those (senior) players have a lot of athletic ability and natural talent.”
Miranda Meeker, Taylor Engesser, Samantha Sleep, and Elana Stalder are four of the Spearfish seniors. Morrill said Meeker and Engesser also bring experience to the court; Sleep contributes hard work, and Stalder supplies leadership. The Spartans lost eight seniors from last season's team due to graduation: Hayley Decker, Thea Dittman, Kaci Engesser, Lindsay Jones, Brooke Maybe, Nicole Merchant, Chelsea Rosenau, and Alyssa Wendt. Spearfish fell to St. Thomas More in the opening round of the District 16A tournament.
Morrill said Spearfish would always work on defense this fall. “A team can never be 100 percent on defense,” she said. “We will always need to keep working.” Team chemistry is a Spartans key. Morrill said that comes with practice, trust, and players getting to know one another. Morrill does not anticipate any chemistry problems. “The players get along off the court and are all out for the team,” she said. The schedule features many tough opponents, Morrill said. She added class AA Mitchell
features great athletes and an excellent coach in Deb Thill. How does Morrill view the Black Hills Conference race? “St. Thomas More has been at state the last two years,” Morrill said. “Everyone will be out to get them.” She hopes Spearfish will “lurk in the weeds,” as she put it. Morrill said the Spartans match up well against BHC foes like Belle Fourche, Custer, Douglas, Hot Springs, and LeadDeadwood. She anticipates a great match whenever Spearfish faces a BHC foe.
Having a successful season is easy for Morrill to define. “It comes down to team chemistry,” she said. “Each day will be a new learning day.” Morrill eagerly anticipates having the varsity lineup ready and developing all of the Spartan programs from ninth grade on up. This is Morrill's first varsity coaching job, and she has experienced a smooth beginning here. “The seniors have made it super easy for me,” Morrill said. “Everyone is eager to learn a new system; it makes you feel wanted.”
Spearfish's volleyball squad includes head coach Jayna Morrill, Shelby Dittman, Brianna Grout, Kaitlyn Hinch, Miranda Meeker, Madi Ulin, Samantha Sleep, Lexy Burket, Shelby Totino, Jessica Peterson, Taylor Engesser, Sydney Sleep, Erin Griffith, McKenna Larsen, and Sierra Jewett. Elana Stalder is not pictured. Pioneer photo by Jason Gross
Good Luck Area Teams!
In Support of Our Area
“HOMETOWN” Athletes • Students Churches Organizations and Locally Owned Businesses
Welcome to the end of the day.™ 800.634.3444 AmericInn.com 2312 Dakota Avenue, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605.892.0900
79 Sherman Street • Deadwood 605-578-3636 • Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday until 1:00pm