EAST HELENA — High school volleyball teams gathered in East Helena this weekend for a Class A SW/SE tournament, giving players and coaches a look at the competition early in the regular season.
The tournament, which was held in Butte last year, featured several schools competing in a fast-paced format where each matchup consisted of two sets or ended when the 45-minute time limit expired.
One of the early matchups featured the Jackets and the Rangers. The Jackets took the opening set in convincing fashion before the Rangers responded with a strong performance of their own in the second set, splitting the match 1-1.
Hardin also impressed during Saturday’s action, sweeping Dillon 2-0 in their match.
Host school East Helena faced Frenchtown in another featured matchup. Frenchtown opened with an impressive spike from the Broncs, but the Vigilantes answered right back and controlled the action. East Helena earned a 2-0 sweep in front of the home crowd.
In another matchup, Lockwood took on Butte Central. Butte Central quickly established control and never looked back, securing a 2-0 match win.
The annual tournament offered teams valuable early-season experience and gave fans a preview of what could be an exciting volleyball season across the state.
