MTANG Vigilantes volleyball team completes season

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Eric Peterson
  • 120th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
GREAT FALLS, Mont. --  The Montana Air National Guard Vigilantes Volleyball Team finished its season with a disappointing loss to the 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron Charlie Flight team at the Malmstrom Air Force Base Fitness Center May 14.

The 341st MSFS Charlie Flight team continued to win their subsequent games and took first place in the season playoffs.

The Vigilantes had been ranked number one going into the tournament, but lost two close games in a row to the 341 MSFS Charlie Flight team with scores of 24 to 26 and 20 to 25. The loss left the team with a respectable third-place finish among the 14 teams participating in the Malmstrom Intramural Volleyball League. The Vigilantes were one of eight teams invited to play in the league's playoffs.

The team was organized by Team Captain Tech. Sgt. Tammy Wajer in 2009 and is made up of Airmen from both the 219th RED HORSE Squadron and the 120th Fighter Wing.

The team's most successful year was 2011 when the Vigilantes captured first place in the league's volleyball playoffs.

This year's team members included Wajer, retired Senior Master Sgt. Gary Gebo, Tech. Sgt. Mark Bruggeman, Senior Master Sgt. Steve Shovlin, Tech. Sgt. Rhoda Bargas, Staff Sgt. Jason Orthman, Tech. Sgt. Stoney Jarvis, Senior Airman Sarah Hale, Senior Airman Hillary McCrumb, Staff Sgt. Olin McCrumb and Christina Johnson.

"I think it's great that Malmstrom invites us to play out here in the intramural sports program, and I think it's important to show a united front with both military units; the Guard and the active duty," said Wajer.

Gebo brings many years of volleyball experience to the team, and he's been sharing his technique with his teammates for the past four years.

"I've been playing volleyball forever," Gebo said. "It's teamwork and playing together, and having fun with it and teaching the new guys what they have to do to play the game."

Two teams represented the MTANG during this year's league play. A new group headed up by the husband and wife team of Senior Airman Shirley and Staff Sgt. Sean Birdwell also played in the league this season but failed to make it into the playoffs.

Wajer encourages any MTANG member who may be interested in joining next year's team to contact her for more information. She also encourages all members of MTANG to come out to cheer for the Vigilantes during next season's games.

Team members left the Malmstrom Fitness Center upbeat about the future of the Vigilantes Volleyball Team.

"We need to win it next year. We need to bring the trophy back home to MTANG," said Wajer.