How about another season like last one? The Panthers advanced all the way to Class 4A State Volleyball Tournament in Denver and tied for third with Berthoud. They have an excellent nucleus of players back from that team which won some 25 games and should be favored to repeat as Southwest League champions and make it back to State again this November.

"Everything we’ve done in the past is history," MCHS head coach Lindy Mortensen said. "They now have to build on that success and make their own reputation. They need to form their own team. It is nice to have a little bit of tradition. Hopefully, we can just build on that. Our goals this year are to even exceed that."

Mortensen, now in fourth season, returns as the head coach. She is fresh off guiding the Red All-Stars to a win over the Blue All-Stars during the annual Colorado High School Coaches Association All-State game which was played in Greeley this past summer.

Back is sophomore sensation Stefanie Allison. Also back is junior standout Casey Bauer. Senior Denise Newlin also returns. All three girls had plenty of starting time. Junior Emilie Lanier saw some varsity time.

"Casey and Stefanie are very young outside hitters. They did a great job last year and they are only going to get better. Denise Newlin is a good little athlete who can play full rotation. Emilie Lanier will be our setter. She will be one of the taller setters (5-foot-7) who we’ve had in quite a while."

Asside from that, there will be plenty of new faces among the starters. One is senior Andrea Derrick who will play middle blocker. Junior Colett Hall, a junior varsity player last year, will play middle.

A couple of kids could possibly come in and help, according to Mortensen. Freshman Lindsay Wilson, 5-10, is a competitive front row player. Sophomore Marina Lippis off the JVs also could see some playing time on the back row.

"I can’t really tell you that much about the league this year. I know Durango has two or three tall (6-3 middles) girls back. We really didn’t play the other schools this summer so I can’t really say much about them," she remarked. "It should be a pretty balanced league. We did lose Palisade so that will give us two less league games than we had last year."

The Panthers open the 2000 season at 7 p.m. today, Aug. 31, at Farmington High School. They travel to perennially strong Pagosa Springs on Saturday, Sept. 2. They return to FHS to play in the Farmington Tournament Sept. 8-9. They finally play at home on Sept. 15 against San Juan High (Blanding, Utah).

Rival Durango comes to town on Sept. 19 to open Southwest League play. A trip to Montrose is slated Sept. 22. A trip to Fruita-Monument is set the following day, Sept. 23. They close the month by visiting Central of Grand Junction on Sept. 29 and Grand Junction High on Sept. 30.