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Heat rises.

A fact of science taught in every school everywhere, the Heat rising in Hot Springs right now refers to something else other than the laws of physics – this is the laws of athletics.

Fresh off a third place finish in last year’s District 14C volleyball tournament and with virtually everyone back from that team, coach Alisha Pablo and her girls are busy getting ready for what they hope will be a banner year.

“We are pretty excited,” Pablo admits. “We have a lot of returning talent and the girls are hungry for more. They are ready to have a great season.”

Fueling Pablo’s optimism are her three returning District 14C All-Conference performers, hitters McKennzie Cannon and Katelyn Christensen and backcourt specialist Sage Jackson, all second team selections from a year ago, and a host of experienced players otherwise.

Sage’s fraternal twin sister Sydney Jackson, Savannah Roosma, Brianna Gray and Lizzy Fisher also all return pre-loaded with a lot of experience already under their belts.

Promising transfer Lily Winn, Ariah Erny, Lily DeTienne and Sam Carr round out the current Savage Heat roster.

Cannon, the Jackson twins and Gray are the team seniors, Roosma, Fisher, Erny and Carr are juniors, Christensen and Winn sophomores and DeTienne a freshman.

The Heat will open the season hosting rival Charlo in a match Tuesday in Hot Springs. Most area teams start their season this weekend, but Hot Springs is a 4-H kind of town where many of the kids raise animals for showing at the annual Sanders County Fair in Plains.

“They work hard all year getting ready for this, we give them their weekend at the fair,” Pablo said. “We have a lot of 4-Her’s so most all of them are there anyway.”

Pablo likes what she is seeing from her girls in practice so far. Winn appears capable of joining Cannon, Roosma and Christensen up front to form a formidable hitting row.

“Our experience and athleticism gives us some options on how we attack other teams,” Pablo said. “We know there are some other good teams in the conference – Charlo and Plains always seem to be tough – but we think we have some weapons of our own and look forward to using them.”

At least one other conference coach thinks Hot Springs is the team to beat in 14C.

“That team is just so scrappy, they never give someone a point, you really have to earn each and every one,” Plains coach Jesse Butcher said. “With another season of experience and some new talent in the mix, they could be the favorites in 14C this year.”