HHS' Oliver to play at RMC

It has been an exciting year for fall sports. The Havre High volleyball team took fourth place at state, which was a great ending to a great season.

And now, the Blue Pony volleyball team will have another player joining the college ranks. Tuesday, in the Havre High Gymnasium, senior Sam Oliver signed with the Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears, where she'll continue her volleyball career.

Oliver is Havre's second star player that has signed with a Frontier Conference team. Oliver still has basketball and softball left with the Blue Ponies, but after that she heads down to Billings to make her debut on the court with RMC.

The choice was pretty cut and clean for Oliver.

"I choose to play volleyball there because I'm interested in the school," said Oliver. "They have great science programs. I really enjoy talking and practicing with the girls. It's a great environment all-around."

The Bears have picked up a standout athlete in Oliver, who was a key piece in the Blue Ponies run throughout the year. Oliver has put forth a lot of hard work to help her team make it this far and now, she'll have a chance to help another team achieve great things.

Rocky Mountain College head coach Yang Yang is excited to have Oliver joining the team.

"It feels great," said Yang. "I'm really happy that she's coming to Rocky. She's so athletic and can do everything."

Yang and the Bears have a lot to look forward to when it comes to Oliver, especially in terms of her duality on the offensive and the defensive schemes of the game. Oliver has put up many kills in the games she has played and has put up a lot of key digs for the team to keep the ball up and moving.

Of course, the college volleyball game is a different atmosphere with a bountiful amount of high expectations for the players that make up the team. But Oliver has a lot of skill and experience so she should have no major issue adjusting.

On top of that, Havre High head coach Tamecia Jarvis has a lot of faith in Oliver's abilities as a player and is excited to see her take the first step into the college scene.

"I'm excited for her," said Jarvis. "I think she's going to do a great job at Rocky. They've always had a great program and they're in the top of their division. Sam has a 110-hustle no matter what she's doing and she's going to work hard for her team and coaches. I think she's going to be a great asset for Rocky Mountain College."

With that in mind, Oliver has her own goals and ambitions for the Bears, too.

"I'm really hoping to get a good education," Oliver said. "And to meet some great friends and new people, just have a good time. I'm hoping to contribute my best and just want to make the team better. I'm going to give 110 percent the whole time I'm there."