Post by OlympFan on Aug 9, 2008 16:08:05 GMT -6
Joel Martinez | jmartinez@themonitor.com
Lizzie Kittleman hits the ball back over the net during a match against McAllen Memorial last season at McAllen Memorial.
Volleyball season starts Monday
August 9, 2008 - 4:46PM
By Peter Rasmussen / RGVSports.com
Now that the first week of practice is in the books, Rio Grande Valley high school volleyball teams get down to the business of battling for deep South Texas supremacy.
With reigning league champions Brownsville Rivera (District 32-5A), Harlingen South (District 31-5A), La Feria (District 32-3A), Mission Veterans Memorial (District 32-4A) and Sharyland (District 30-5A) losing key players, the door is open for others to take advantage in what look to be wide-open district races in 2008.
"We are looking at some real balanced districts this year," Lady Hawks coach Steve Lunsford said.
Edinburg Economedes, a playoff team one season ago, returns only two players from 2007. Harlingen High is a relatively young squad with its standout, Angela Gonzalez, recovering from a torn ACL.
It can all make for a change in the Valley postseason landscape.
District 30-5A
The one team that returns the most key contributors is McAllen High, which is looking for its first district title since 1992.
Lizzie Kittleman and Ali Bills return as middle blockers for McHi. The Lady Bulldogs also will count on one of the top setters in the Valley in Sam Hoffman.
"We are shooting for (the district title)," Lady Bulldogs coach Paula Dodge said. "It is going to be a tough road. Our goal is to always win the district championship and get into the playoffs. We just want to bring that trophy here."
McHi will have to wrestle away the league title from back-to-back champ Sharyland, which lost an experienced bunch but boasts one of the best players in the Valley in senior setter Brittany Hawkins.
>> District Winner: McHi
District 31-5A
South will have two strong setters in Ali Lunsford and Bianca Torre, and will look to the district's '07 co-newcomer of the year Joslynn Benavides to rake in the kills.
The Lady Hawks lost All-Valley MVP Kassandra Larios and will have a tough time fending off the likes of Edinburg High and Edinburg North.
The Lady Bobcats boast one of the top hitters in the district, Lisa Lancaster, and a steady setter in Jenetta Sanchez. The Lady Cougars, who did not make the playoffs last year, return nine players with varsity experience, including district first-team outside hitter/setter Katy Lipscomb.
>> District Winner: Harlingen South
District 32-5A
Rivera lost the Valley's top middle blocker in Laura Ochoa to graduation but will lean on the experience of Stephanie Cruz and Roxy Serrano. As is the case in most years, the Lady Raiders are expected to be serious contenders, especially in a district with many question marks.
Los Fresnos and Brownsville Pace should battle Rivera for first, but each has elements to replace.
The Lady Falcons have middle hitter Kayla Weaver to rely on, and they have the luxury of 6-foot sophomore middle hitters Ashley Benavides and Avery Danielson.
"I don't think that there is no real dominating team in district that I see," Viqueens coach Carmen Whittimore said.
>> District Winner: Los Fresnos
District 32-4A
The Lady Patriots have not lost a district match since 2004, but they lost their core group of players to graduation and should find it tough to gain another league title with Mission High and Edcouch-Elsa breathing down their backs.
The Lady Eagles have eight players with varsity experience, including three-year letterman Monica Flores. The Lady Yellowjackets return only one senior.
"We graduated a big group," E-E coach Ofelia Griffith said. "I have another group coming in. We are a young group, but hopefully we are just reloading."
>> District Winner: Mission High
District 32-3A
This district gained three new teams in Lyford, Raymondville and Zapata, but the top three teams should remain La Feria, Hidalgo and Port Isabel.
The Lionettes have built a strong Class 3A program but have gaps to fill. La Feria should compete for the district championship with players such as All-Valley newcomer of the year and league MVP Hannah Wolf and all-district player Melanie Leija.
Hidalgo will rely on senior middle Victoria Gonzalez. Port Isabel returns the most players and has the services of Cassie Martinez, last season's district co-newcomer of the year and co-offensive player of the year.
>> District Winner: Port Isabel
District 32-2A
Donna IDEA Academy moved up one classification and into the district with Santa Rosa. Academy coach Beto Garza said the move will make a playoff berth difficult.
"I think if we were still in 1A we could have done it, but this will be a good test for us," Garza said.
First-year Lady Warriors coach Trish Farias admitted she didn't know much about the district, adding she is working with a young team.
>> District Winner: Riviera
District 32-1A
San Perlita returns four players with four years of varsity experience and two juniors with three.
San Isidro has made the playoffs 15 of the last 16 years, and Santa Maria always is solid. La Villa experienced a coaching change but should be competitive.
The district gained a new school, Quest Academy in Edinburg.
>> District Winner: San Perlita
Top 10
1, McAllen High
2, Harlingen South
3, Sharyland
4, Edinburg High
5, Los Fresnos
6, Brownsville Rivera
7, Mission High
8, McAllen Memorial
9, Mission Veterans
10, Port Isabel
Five storylines to watch
>> Long Drought: McAllen High attempting to win its first district title in 16 years.
>> Reign Over?: Mission Veterans Memorial could lose a district match for the first time since 2004.
>> Question Mark: Harlingen High's playoff aspirations could ride on how well Angela Gonzalez returns from a major injury.
>> Shakeup: Every district has experienced at least one coaching change. In all, there were 14 coaching changes.
>> Young Talent: Los Fresnos super sophomores Avery Danielson and Ashley Benavides could usher in a period of dominance for the Falcons.
Peter Rasmussen covers high school volleyball for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448 or at prasmussen@themonitor.com
www.rgvsports.com/articles/district_2451___article.html/valley_one.html
