Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Talia Ralph, Havre Volleyball

Offense is crucial in any sport. When an individual or team's offense is performing at a high level, it is felt within the atmosphere in the room, especially in a team sport, where a player can amp up their teammates and put on a show alongside them.

When it comes to offense and the Havre High volleyball team, senior Talia Ralph is one of those leaders.

Ralph has been on the court playing volleyball for seven years, with four of those years as a part of the Blue Ponies. The senior has made quite the impression in her time with HHS, becoming one of the most lethal offensive players in Class A.

And Ralph's love for the game and team is amplified when she plays, too.

"I love being able to improve my game and just playing with all of my teammates," Ralph said.

When it comes to kills in volleyball, Ralph has made it clear that she knows how to dish out some punishment on the court. There have been multiple games throughout the 2020 season where Ralph has led the Blue Pony spikers in kills at the end of the day. On top of that, Ralph is an excellent leader and motivator during practices and games, easily becoming a great source of knowledge for the younger members of the Havre program.

Academically, Ralph is a stellar student. With future plans to attend an out-of-state and high-caliber university, grades and academic success are important to any student, especially Ralph, who has been working hard throughout her high school career to make her future ambitions become reality. Needless to say, Ralph is a prime example of a student-athlete that put forth effort in both her studies and her sport.

As for her future plans, Ralph was short, sweet and to-the-point about it.

"I plan to attend Boston University and try out for the volleyball team there," Ralph said.

Havre head coach Steph Huse has seen a lot from Ralph in her first year of coaching the Ponies and is proud of what Ralph brings to the court every day, which Huse is grateful about.

"Talia is one of the highest-character kids that I've been around," Huse said. "She came into our season with a lot of focus. She loves the game of volleyball. You can just see it. She wants to be there. She's been a tremendous leader for us this year. She likes to lead by example and she does that a lot. Her competitive spirit is always on the court when she's playing. She's just done a great job mentoring our younger group of girls and making them feel comfortable and confident when they play with. She's a quiet girl, but her actions speak volumes for her character."

Ralph has looked to keep that competitive fire going into the state tournament which started today at 10 a.m. at Sidney High School in Sidney, where the Havre Blue Ponies were set to play Western A champions Columbia Falls Wildcats in the opening round.

But before Ralph and the Ponies headed to the 2020 Class A State Tournament, the Havre Daily News caught up with Ralph for five questions.

HDN: What are your hobbies outside of sports?

Ralph: "I enjoy skiing, hiking, recreational activities and hanging out with friends."

HDN: What do you feel is the most intense part about playing volleyball?

Ralph: "I feel the most intense part is the mind-game of it and the mental part of the game."

HDN: Who is your favorite opponent to play every season?

Ralph: "My favorite opponent to play is Fergus (Lewistown)."

HDN: What is your favorite memory with Havre High volleyball?

Ralph: "My favorite memory was my junior year and going to state for the first time."

HDN: What has it been like playing volleyball in 2020?

Ralph: "It's been a challenge with COVID-19 going on, games being canceled and all the new rules set in place, but it's been fun nonetheless."