CORTEZ – As M-CHS second-year volleyball head coach Danielle Waltman watches her Panthers go through their drills, she might believe that she’s seeing her team moving in fast forward.
M-CHS heads into the fall season in full throttle with a focus on speed and efficiency in their on-court movement in hopes that they blast past their competition this fall.
The increased velocity isn’t just coming from a spike from the team’s leading attacking threat junior TessaMercedes Jackson, but from a collective movement on the court that Waltman hopes will see her team be the aggressor on points this season.
A collection of upperclassmen, including many of whom saw significant playing time last year, will carry the torch for the Panthers as they look to improve on a 7-16 mark from a year ago.
Much of the attacking prowess that the Panthers hope to enjoy will center around senior setter Kescoleigh Boeckman, who provided nearly 400 assists last year. Following a good club season, Boeckman looks to continue to be the cornerstone of the M-CHS offense.
“She (Boeckman) brings unmatched energy, giving 100% on every ball and effectively running the offense,” lauded Waltman of her setter.
Meanwhile, Jackson, a starter since freshman year, has emerged as one of the top outside hitters in the classification. She teamed up with classmate Anna Tewell on Club Z earlier this summer in an AAU national qualifying effort with other area standouts, after having led the Panthers in offensive efficiency in her sophomore season.
“She [Jackson] leads with a strong, steady presence that uplifts her teammates,” added Waltman.
Senior libero Keeley Clarke looks to command the back line while energetic classmate Sarah Sparks will be a dynamo for team chemistry, according to Waltman.
Waltman hopes that with the added experience from another year of playing in one of the toughest leagues in the 3A division, her team will work together like a well-oiled machine.
“We learned from last year how to truly function as a unit and develop better court awareness, especially in reading the opponent’s side of the court,” said Waltman.
While the rotation may shift throughout the season depending on matchups, the Panthers head coach looks to her team to be able to make adjustments more quickly this fall. “One of this team’s biggest strengths, along with its chemistry, is its flexibility – players are willing and able to adapt to different roles, as needed,” added Waltman.
More time dedicated to film study will help with on-court IQ, but there are plenty of intangibles that the Panthers already possess that can’t be coached, according to the Panthers head coach. “They instinctively understand each other’s tendencies, how to react to a fast play, tough serve, or an unexpected ball – and that translates to more cohesive gameplay.”
With all of the pieces coming together, Waltman hopes that running a quicker and more efficient offense will naturally unfold throughout the course of the season as the Panthers seek their first postseason berth since 2021.
All the while, M-CHS faces a road-heavy schedule, along with the rigorous Intermountain League competition that consistently produces 3A state powers. The Panthers open the season with a pair of matches against Monticello (Aug. 22) and Ignacio (Aug. 26) before their first home outing of the season against Dolores on Sept. 2.
Then, after a tournament in Page, Arizona, the Panthers open up league play at home against Bayfield on Sept. 9 to begin a stretch of five home matches out the next six contests, in which M-CHS will take on all of their league foes. From there, the Panthers will play the road portion of the double round-robin in the IML, meaning their Senior Day on Sept. 27 against Centauri will be their final match in The Jungle before a series of road matches closes out the regular season.
