Sports

Stars ready to repeat successful run

By Tyler Ohmann

09/03/2013

After going 24-14 and finishing runner-up in Region 6 last season the Bottineau Stars will have a target on their backs from the get go in 2013.

Bottineau returns five of six starters and several key bench players from the 2012 squad, which will give them a lot of experience.

“It’s totally different than last year, I’ve got a year in, and the girls have a year of experience of playing varsity volleyball,” said head coach Steve Dunrud. “The five seniors have done a good job all summer long and this fall of leading, being positive and doing their thing.”

Last season was Dunrud’s first as the Stars coach as he took over for Sienna Bullinger, who coached the previous two seasons.

Bottineau had lost the core of their starting lineup from the 2011 season, and were basically starting from scratch with one player that had varsity experience returning.

This year couldn’t be farther from that.

“Last year we probably weren’t expected to do quite as well as we did because we had a lot of new players, and a new coach,” Dunrud said. “This year I’m sure we’ll be picked as one of the favorites, and we’ll have to see how the girls handle that. It’s always easy being the underdog, and they expect a lot of themselves.”

Dunrud said the girls have been working really hard in practice, and had a strong performance in a recent scrimmage.

“The group of varsity girls went to a scrimmage last Saturday (Aug. 24) and they got to play a few matches against other teams,” Dunrud said. “Our setter went down with a sprained thumb, and we had to use our emergency setter, and it was nice to watch how they adapted.”

That setter was senior Bailey Neubauer, who has since recovered. Neubauer is one of five seniors, who all look to contribute this season. Along with Neubauer there are hitters Courtney Gallagher, Danielle McDonald and Karlee McCloud and libero Rachael Fix as returning seniors.

“I couldn’t ask for any better leadership from these girls,” Dunrud said. “Participation in all of the off season stuff we did was really good.”

“They’ve done their part, so now it’s just getting a chance to get out on the court and seeing what they can do,” Dunrud added.

What they can do was on display last Thursday at the Bottineau High gym as parents were invited to see the progress the team has made in practice thus far during a inter-squad scrimmage.

“It was nice having our parents night and having some people watch, because the girls enthusiasm is high,” Dunrud said. “They were a little nervous because they were in front of some family.”

It was a nice way to get ready for the season for Dunrud and the Stars as they will be playing their first two matches at home next week.

They start with their opening match at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday against Des Lacs-Burlington. They then host Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood on Thursday night in Bottineau.

To cap off the week the Stars will host a 12-team tournament on Saturday at BHS. Bottineau will be in a pool with Wilton-Wing and Towner-Granville-Upham. From there the teams will play the teams in the their pool and then be put into brackets according to their results.

Other teams in the tournament are North Star, Glenburn, Newburg-Westhope, Harvey, Velva, Tioga, MLS, Rugby and Surrey.

Dunrud is glad the team is beginning the season at home.

“It is going to be great to start with a couple of matches at home,” Dunrud said. “Some years you want to start out on the road, but this year I’m pretty glad we’re starting at home.”