The Helena High and Capital High volleyball teams open their seasons today in a pair of home matches against Billings West and Skyview.

Sheila Williams, Helena's veteran head coach, said that her squad is returning four letter-winners, including a pair of all-state spikers.

Last year the Bengals were 7-16 overall, and missed qualifying for the state tournament when they dropped a playoff game to Missoula Big Sky.

Helena lost 2007 all-staters Jordyn Pillatzke and Kelsey Johnson to graduation.

HHS is led by senior Lindsay Allen and junior Kelsey Williams.

Williams, a 5-foot-9 middle hitter, is a two-time all-state selection. She earned honorable mention as a freshman, and was chosen second team in 2007.

Allen is an outside/middle hitter who was selected honorable mention all-state last year. The other seniors on the Bengals' roster include defensive specialists Stesha Gulick and Cassie Hughes, and setter Elle Pankratz.

Juniors on the team are Hayley Maykuth, an opposite hitter; Katie Hanson, a defensive specialist; and Tara Hines, middle blocker. Rounding out the roster are sophomore Monica Grimsrud at middle blocker, and freshman opposite hitter Kyndal Williams. Grimsrud is HHS' tallest player at 6-1.

"Our goals are to finish in the top-two in the conference and get to state," coach Williams said. "We have several girls who can swing at the ball. We've got some good hitters and blockers, and the girls are working hard on defense."

The Bengals meet West at 1:30 and Skyview at 5:30. Both matches take place at the Helena High School gymnasium.

Capital High School

Capital High is directed by fourth-year coach Sarah Urban. Last year the Bruins went 14-13 overall, finishing as the 2007 Western AA runners-up.

After qualifying for the post season with a playoff victory over Hellgate, they won a match at the state tournament, defeating Bozeman in a loser-out contest.

The biggest holes in the Bruins' lineup are left by graduating all-staters Jackie Polette, Sarah Polette and Ashley Ames.

CHS returns six lettermen, consisting of five seniors and a junior. The seniors are Jane Reynolds, an outside hitter; Lynnea Wilson, a 5-11 middle blocker; Tara Will, outside hitter; Kari Rice, defensive specialist; and Lauren Fox, a rightside hitter/setter. Junior middle blocker Sammi Bignell also rejoins the varsity team. Reynolds is a three-time letterman.

Rounding out the lineup are defensive specialist Leigh Zanto and outside hitter Desiree Schauman, both juniors, and sophomore setter Emily Burk.

"We have lots of kids with some varsity experience," the Bruins' skipper said. "Right now we're working on playing together and improving as a team. Our goal every year is make state."

The Bruins take on the Flacons and the Bears in the Capital High School gym, at 1:30 and 5:30, respectively.

Class 5B volleyball

The Townsend and Jefferson Class 5B volleyball teams kick off their season this weekend at the Choteau Invitational Volleyball Tournament.

Veteran Townsend coach Jill Flynn is entering her 24th season with the Bulldogs. Flynn, who is the only head coach Broadwater's spikers have ever had, guided her charges to a State B runner-up finish last year.

This year's squad returns only three lettermen, but they're good ones, as all were 2007 all-conference selections. Seniors Becky Moudree and Siobhan Flynn, are both outside and middle hitters, and Jessica Sagissor, is a middle hitter. Sagissor is the tallest, at 5-feet-11.

The other senior on the squad is setter Ashley Thule.

Juniors on the club include setter Gaelynn Domino; defensive specialists Alexa Robishon and Molly Miller; outside hitters Lynsie William, Kelsie Wickens, Taelor Dinsdale and Jordan Audet; outside/middle hitter Delaware Hansen; and middle hitter Jillian Orth.

Flynn said that although three-fourths of her team will be playing varsity for the first time, those newcomers were on a very good Broadwater J.V. team last year.

The Jefferson Panthers spikers are under the guidance of new head coach Nicole Henderson.

The Panthers' blue-chip player is Ashlee Mahlum. Mahlum, a 5-foot-8 senior middle hitter, has the chance to become a rare four-time all-conference selection, and a two-time all-stater. She has been chosen all-conference every season since her freshman year, and made all-state in 2007 as a junior.

Barring the unforeseen, Mahlum is on course to earn 12 varsity letters, lettering in volleyball, basketball and track all four years.

The four other seniors for the Panthers are right side hitter/setter Amanda Wacker, libero Soja Guilio, outside hitter Taisha Rocha, and back row specialist Rose Mascrenas.

The Panthers have two juniors on the squad, Shelbi Grove, a 5-9 middle hitter, and setter Taelor Ungerman. Filling out the varsity roster is sophomore Shelby Conole, and outside hitter.

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net