Shouldn’t there be a learning curve, a sluggish start or any kind of lackadaisical beginning?

    Do the three-time defending state champions ever have an off day, an out-of-character match or, heck, a bad game?

    No.

    It’s Sept. 5, but the Century Diamondbacks look like they’re in mid-season form after beating the Pocatello Indians 25-7, 25-9, 25-9, Wednesday night at Century High School.

    “Our offense was extremely efficient,” said Century head coach Pauline Thiros. “We didn’t make many errors.”

    At seven different points, the Indians had a lead, once building a quick 3-0 margin in the final set, but the Diamondbacks were not just efficient in their attack — they were brutal, unrelenting and ruthless.

    The D-back defense consistently dug out Poky’s attacks and adroitly passed to senior setter Samantha Parris who set up Century hitters like Kayla Ellis, Henny Hearn and Baily Permann to pound the Indians.

    And they did it fast.

    Spread offenses in college football have sped the games up to take advantage of speed and offset opponent’s superior size. Thiros has a similar philosophy herself.

    It’s a system Century has been honing in the offseason. The timing is difficult. But Parris and the D-back crew made it look effortless.

    “I would have expected us to make a lot more hitting errors,” Thiros said. “Just with what it is we’re trying to do. I was pleased that we didn’t make very many at all. ... The hitters are getting into a groove where they know where to expect the ball. It’s kind of a function that it’s all starting to come together.”

    Coming together? The D-backs are three matches into 2013 and already finding a groove.

    Where Century seems to have found an identity at this early point of the season, Pocatello is still looking for one.

    The Indians have a few experienced returnees, but head coach Kolay Sutton is working with some players who took a year off from volleyball or — as in Tiffany Hargraves’ case — are just young and inexperienced.

    “I saw fleeting moments where we were competing and working as a team, which is a good thing,” Sutton said. “I think if we can build on those moments and have more of them, we’re going to be all right.”

    It was a difficult task for the Indians to visit the Diamondbacks in their second game of the season. It’s a group that needs more games, more competition and more time on the court facing an opponent to gel as a squad.

    Pocatello (0-2, 0-1 4A 5-6 District) will have that opportunity this weekend in the Peg Peterson Invitational at Highland High School that begins Friday.

    Century (3-0, 1-0), meanwhile, travels to the Rocky Mountain Champions Classic in Utah, a prestigious tournament with a depth of talent-rich programs the Diamondbacks will not face the rest of this season.

    “It’s where we go to really test our mettle,” Thiros said. “There are some teams down there that are very similar to the teams we see in Idaho, but there’s a handful of teams that we just won’t play anybody like that all year.”

    Century’s first match is Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Diamondbacks are the top seed in a pool with Northridge and Westlake high schools.