Trotters hope team speed equals successful season
Plains girls basketball coach Eddie Fultz shows off his “soccer” skills during practice last week. (Chuck Bandel/Valley Press)
Wanted: One six-foot or taller girls basketball player with moves and skills.
Contact: Coach Eddie Fultz, Plains High School Trotters.
A response to that ad may be a subconscious wish by Fultz as his Plains girls team prepares for the upcoming Montana 14C girls basketball season.
But with the likes of 6-1 Kylie Altmiller, a now graduated all-state player from last year’s successful team a rarity in small town Montana, Fultz is forging ahead with a talented and quick young team.
The prognosis for success in the 2021 season is good for the group of juniors and sophomores who are at work to match last year’s 15-7 team.
“We are still very young but much more experienced that last season,” Fultz said. “We should be better defensively and a better shooting team than last season.”
While Fultz and crew will miss the rebounding and scoring of Altmiller, who has taken her skills to Providence College where she is playing volleyball, Fultz has reason to be optimistic.
Returning from the 2019-20 team, which placed second in 14-C District play, behind Hot Springs, are three juniors who are solid frontcourt players: junior center Krystena Boes, and wings Kaylah Standeford and Lexa Craft.
They will likely be joined in the starting lineup by a pair of sophomores, point guard Kimmy Curry and forward Carlie Wagoner.
“We lost some size but should be more athletic overall,” Fultz said. “It’s tough to lose a player like Altmiller but I think we are going to be fine.”
Also graduated from last year is guard Miera Loberg.
The Trotters know they will face the usual 14C grind heading into the season. Conference favorite Hot Springs faces a similar situation, having graduated 6-foot post player McKenzie Cannon, who engaged in several epic on-court battles with Altmiller last year.
“We are in an absolutely loaded conference this year with many key returnees along with the addition of Clark Fork,” Fultz said. “We may be a good team and end up with a win-loss record that is worse than the previous year. We have a tough schedule and we look forward to getting the opportunity to play and compete.”
The Trotter returnees give Fultz a potentially more versatile group than last year’s team. There is a promising group of even younger players hoping to make an impact this season.
“We lost some size but should be more athletic overall,” Fultz said. “We will be more versatile because we can play fast or slow it down in the half-court game.”
The Trotters open the season with a home game against always tough Charlo, Friday, Jan. 8. They then travel to St. Ignatius the next evening for a matchup with Mission.