Keota will be the center of volleyball action Monday when they host their season opening tournament. Along with the Eagles will be area schools Mid-Prairie, Highland and Lone Tree. Tri-County and English Valleys round out the field.

Mid-Prairie comes into the event after a 7-23 season last year. The Hawks return their top two players in kills from a season ago in Myah Lugar and Tori Boyse who are both back for their junior years. They combined for 193 kills last season. Caitlyn Riggan is also back for the Mid-Prairie at the setter position where she finished with 313 assists a year ago. The Golden Hawk defense returns their top three players in Abbi Patterson, Cassidy Hershberger and Riggan who finished with a total of 679 digs.

Highland was 4-17 overall last year. The Huskies will need to replace Aly Stokes on offense who led the team with 91 kills. Alyssa Brase is the leading returner with 39. Highland also has to replace their leading setter in Kylie Wood with 129 assists from 2018. Kaylee Rath returns with her 47 assists, second highest total for Highland last year. Defensively, the Huskies lost their top five in digs to graduation with Stokes’ 227 leading the way. Emily Streb is the leading returner with 55.

Lone Tree was 1-27 last year with their only win coming in this tournament as they topped Tri-County in three sets. The Lady Lions return every player who recorded a kill last season led by Kylie Patterson with 55. Whitney Willoz returns for her senior  year at setter after a team best 134 assists a season ago. The Lone Tree defense returns their top nine from last season, led by Alyssa Knock and her 171 digs.

Keota was 6-18 a season ago. The Eagles return their kills leader in Addison Swanson and her 85 from last year. Keota will need to retool at setter as they lost Jillian Schulte and Brianna Duwa to graduation and the pair combined for 251 of the teams 295 assists last season. The Keota defense also has to replace their top three defenders, led by Addison Sprouse and her 235 digs last season.

A year ago English Valleys was 5-19 and Tri-County finished the year with an 0-21 mark. Mid-Prairie won this tournament a season ago. Action begins at 4:30 this afternoon at Keota High School.