2018 Mavericks Volleyball

The North Country Mavericks will feature a young, athletic cast, which will look noticeably different on the front line and on the sideline as first year Head Coach Charlene Wasson takes the reins.

Though Wasson has not coached volleyball on a high school level, she comes equipped with years of volleyball experience including four years as a high school athlete and three years as a junior high coach.

As far as high school coaching experience in other prep sports, Coach Wasson has been the Head Coach for Whitewater High School's Track and Field team for the past 13 years. She has also been a junior high basketball coach for the past 15 years.

This year's Mavericks team will be missing a considerable amount of height after losing Jada Sudbrack and Mickayla Johnson to graduation. The team will also be without Bailey Funk, and Casity Boucher

"The five seniors we had last year truly carried away all the height and experience of varsity level action with them," Coach Wasson said. "We won't be able to fill the height and experience right away but we are building into it quickly building a unity so we are tougher and can contend with more seasoned teams."

With youth and limited experience come mistakes, this is why the team's theme this year is a training mechanism.

"Flush it!" Coach Wasson said when asked what the theme of this year's team was. "When we make mistakes we need to flush those mistakes out of our minds as fast as possible."

With the first tournament approaching, the team and their coach have been growing in confidence together.

"Our confidence level has been steadily increasing," Coach Wasson said. "They have just as much a learning curve as I do."

Coach Wasson's experience coaching junior high, has given her the unique experience of having coached many of the team's players in past years, but she is building rapport with the team's senior leaders.

"I've coached every freshman, sophomore, and junior on the team but the seniors I have never been in a coach/player situation with before," Coach Wasson said. "So we are communicating and I am giving them tasks to lead the team and they are accepting and doing what seniors should do. We will continue to improve our confidence as the matches play out. Attitude and effort are what you need to put into every day and the wins will take care of themselves."

With many of the Mavericks being basketball players and active in other sports, Coach Wasson hopes that her team can be aggressive, despite learning a new system.

"Offense is a work in progress and maybe the whole season," Coach Wasson said. "I think we will need to play a faster tempo with less time for the defensive on the other side of the net to react."

Ideally, Coach Wasson wants the team's aggressiveness on offense to be matched with a formidable defense.

"Defense is going to have to be our go to," Coach Wasson said. "I want to be able to defend extremely well. I think defense in all sports is what wins games. If we can get our hands on every ball that touches our side we will be doing a great job."

Coach Wasson briefly talked about a few players that may start in the first week of action.

She described senior Sarah Boucher as a player who brings work ethic to the floor. Fellow senior Chaykota Christensen was described as an athlete that brings the fun and dependability that the team needs from a senior.

The first junior Coach Wasson mentioned was Elise Strommen, mentioning that Strommen brings hustle and grit to the lineup.

The team will lean on the efforts of a few athletic sophomores that are returning reserves from last season, including Kaitlyn McColly, Kia Wasson and Danika Soper.

"Kaitlyn brings the power in hitting," Coach Wasson said. "Kia brings steadiness in her settings, serving and hitting. Danika brings organization and direction as a setter and one wicked serve."

As far as this year's reserve players, leading the charge will be senior Emilie Carrillo, who is a left handed hitter and whose defense and offense was described as "deceptive."

Junior Halle Beil was described as an athlete that is in the right place to make a play. Sophomore Jaydyn Erickson was described as one who is quick on the net to block and a powerful hitter. Sophomore Kelsee Cummings has provided consistent serving during the team's practices.

2018 Lady Mavs Volleyball

Game Schedule

DATE DAY Opponent Time SITE

Aug. 10 Friday First Practice 7 p.m. Malta

Aug. 25 Saturday Malta Invitational 9 a.m. Malta

Aug. 30 Thursday Harlem 4:15 p.m. Harlem

Aug. 31 Friday Scobey 5 p.m. Hinsdale

Sept. 7 Friday Opheim/Nashua JV TBA TBA

Sept. 8 Saturday Froid/Lake Invitational TBA Froid/Lake

Sept. 14 Friday Poplar TBA Poplar

Sept. 15 Saturday Lustre 6 p.m. Whitewater

Sept. 20 Thursday Opheim/Nashua JV 6 p.m. Hinsdale

Sept. 21 Friday Wolf Point 5 p.m. Wolf Point

Sept. 24 Monday Glasgow 5 p.m. Glasgow

Sept. 27 Thursday Malta 5 p.m. Malta

Sept. 29 Saturday Plentywood TBA Plentywood

Oct. 4 Thursday Lustre 6 p.m. Lustre

Oct. 5 Friday Poplar 5 p.m. Saco

Oct. 6 Saturday Scobey 5 p.m. Scobey

Oct. 11 Thursday Harlem 5 p.m. Whitewater

Oct. 13 Saturday Circle & Broadus TBA Circle

Oct. 16 Tuesday Malta 5 p.m. TBA

Oct. 26-27 Fri. & Sat. District 3C Tournament Nashua

Nov. 1,2,3 Thurs. - Sat. Eastern C Tournament Sidney

Nov. 8,9,10 Thurs. - Sat. Class C State Tournament Bozeman