If producing quality volleyball players on the Hi-Line is a secret, then this weekend at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse, the cat got let out of the bag.

     On both Friday and Saturday night, volleyball fans were treated to impact players who prepped at volleyball programs right here on the Hi-Line.

     One of those impact players is Northern freshman Holly Cartwright, a former Havre High standout and two-time Class A all-state defensive specialist.

     Cartwright is starting at the libero position for the Skylights as a true freshman and she’s quickly growing into a very good defensive player in the Frontier Conference. In both Northern’s loss to Montana Tech on Friday night, and its win over Western on Saturday, Cartwright was stellar in serve-receive and made key, rally-saving digs. She also led the Skylights in digs on Friday night, and combined for a total of 21 digs in Northern’s two matches over the weekend.

     “Holly played really well in both matches,” MSU-N head coach Bill Huebsch said. “She’s really starting to learn the college game and she’s having a tremendous impact on our defense.”

     And Cartwright wasn’t the only local player making plays for the Skylights or their opponents this weekend.

     In Saturday night’s win over Western, former North Star standout Tasha Dyrland totaled 10 kills and a block, and helped the Skylights get off to a great start with five kills in the first set. Dyrland is a former four-time Class C All-State hitter for the Knights, and was also a four-time Class C All-State basketball player at North Star.

     Then there’s Montana Tech’s Shersteen Cline. The former Big Sandy prep star made her presence felt Friday night against Northern by totaling 10 kills, one block and an ace. Cline is a three-time Class C All-State performer, and she was part of some great Big Sandy volleyball teams while in high school.

     “Volleyball in our area has improved at the high school level and it gets better every year,” Huebsch said. “I know from being around this area so long, the kids that come from the high school programs around here like to work very hard, they are very coachable, and those are the types of players you love to have in your program.”

     And with that type of work ethic and improving programs up and down the Hi-Line, if this weekend’s performances by local players is any indication, there will be plenty more to come around the Frontier Conference in the future.