After losing several seniors to graduation, Clear Creek High School volleyball will need a lot of spirit and support from each other and their fans as they prepare for a compressed spring season.

“This is a team that thrives on cheer and noise,” Coach Karin Thomsen said at practice March 10. “There’s a lot of good energy in the gym, a lot of camaraderie.”

Like football, the Golddiggers’ volleyball season was moved to the spring and compressed into a few weeks. March 8 marked the first official practice, and the tentative schedule has the varsity team playing 14 regular season games total with three games every week.

The Diggers’ first game will be versus Dayspring Christian Academy on Saturday.

Seniors Luna Weaver, Zeda Taylor and Ariana Peters recalled last year’s stressful game against Dayspring, which Clear Creek finally won in the fifth set.

Not only is Dayspring first on the schedule, but the Diggers won’t have as much experience to fall back on. Weaver reports there are only four returning varsity players.

Thus, she and her teammates said they will have to focus on keeping a positive attitude throughout each game and the season as a whole.

With only four players returning, five of last year’s junior varsity players are moving up, the coaches said. Rounding out the roster are a few players who are new to Clear Creek.

Despite this new mix on varsity, Taylor and her fellow seniors described how everyone gels really well. The teammates have strong friendships with each other, and everyone is very vocal in supporting each other during games.

That team spirit will be key to a successful season.

Overall, Thomsen and the seniors all said they expect this year’s varsity team will be a strong one. She said the Diggers have good outside hitting and strong defense, but the one challenge will be developing the team’s middles, she explained.

Along with varsity, the coaches said the program has enough players — 26 total — for a JV team and a C-team this year. Plus, Clear Creek Middle School also has a strong turnout.

While it’s strange to have a spring season, Weaver said she appreciated the opportunity to end her senior year by playing volleyball.

Thomsen was likewise grateful to have a season, adding that there’s still a lot of work to do before Saturday.

“There are no easy games in this league,” she said.