In Bigfork, good things keep arriving in 2s

One of the cool things about Ariel Putman’s time coaching Bigfork volleyball is that she has coached three sets of twins.

Another is that she didn’t leave her hometown, not to play college ball, or to find a profession.

The 2011 Bigfork graduate did play volleyball for the Valkyries, to varying success. She was a youngster when they made the 2005 State A tournament, and it would be another 17 seasons before the Vals made it again, qualifying for the State B tournament in 2022.

Putman was in her fourth season as their head coach.

“I coached under Schuyler Tudor for four years,” she noted. “I just struck around here and coached and went to cosmetology school. I cut hair. Flexible schedule.”

This past Saturday Bigfork finished third at the Western A Divisional, qualifying for the State A tournament that begins Thursday at Brick Breeden Field House in Bozeman.

It should be noted that to even get to the Western A in Hamilton, the Vals had to win two play-in matches. Then they did some serious heavy lifting on Friday, with wins over Hamilton (3-1), Northwest A leader Whitefish (3-0) and Columbia Falls (3-0).

That got them in the top four, and clinched their second state berth in three seasons, which is impressive given that Bigfork moved up from Class B to Class A in 2023 — a maneuver the Valkyries (and Vikings) have managed quite nicely.

“We had a good year last year,” Putman said. “We played for the fifth/ fourth spot at divisionals and barely lost it.”

That left her with an experienced team ready to make hay in 2024 — but it’s not always good things that happen in twos. For example, seniors Ava Davey and Natalie Vick both suffered meniscus tears this past summer. Davey had been the top hitter on the 2023 team.

“I went from having this real seasoned team that was expected to do well to, ‘All right, some freshmen and sophomores need to step up,’ ” Putman said.

Enter freshman Maddie Hayes Corona, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter who notched almost 70 kills in five divisional matches. She’d spent the summer debating playing for the Vals’ talented soccer squad, Putman said, before choosing the hardcourt over the pitch.

“We don’t hate it,” Putman said. “Luckily she came our way. She had a phenomenal tournament. Halfway through this season she hit a confidence spike and has been putting balls away left and right. “

We should also mention that there is one senior on this year’s team and she’s a good one: Piper Lee led the team all season in kills and along with Raegan Waller is tops in aces.

The key match, probably, was the win over Whitefish, which had gone 2-0 against the Vals in the regular season.

“We knew if we were going to beat them we’d have to play our best volleyball,” Putman said. “I always just tell the girls, you play your best volleyball team against any team, it’s anybody’s match on any day. It came to fruition for them.”

It helped that Hayes Cordova had 15 kills and Lee had a knack for scoring the set-ending points. Also that Taylor Howlett, on top of being one of the better setters around, is denying other teams’ hitters at the net.

It’s been a rewarding season.

“I had a year where we were expected to go to state,” said Putman, referring to 2022. “This year was one of those where it’s, ‘Let’s just work on being disciplined and on fundamentals.’ it was a completely different feeling this year, winning that match against Whitefish.”

OK, good things still DO arrive in twos. State tournament berths, maybe. Baby girls, for sure.

“I’m pregnant with twins,” Putman, who has been married a year, said. “And they’re due in two weeks.”

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 or at fneighbor@dailyinterlake.com.