Changing Seasons

The state volleyball tournament took place in Austin this season without representation from the Greater Fort Worth - Denton area. That doesn't mean fans and spectators weren't treated to some top-flight volleyball in 2008. Most district races went to the wire and some even required playoffs just to get into the playoffs. VYPE was along for the ride this year and now takes the opportunity to look back one last time on the 2008 volleyball season that was. CLASS 5A The top story from 2008 had to be District 6-5A. Though none of its four playoff qualifiers advanced beyond the regional quarterfinals, you would be hard pressed to find a tougher district from top to bottom in the state. In the end, three teams tied for the district title. Southlake Carroll, Coppell, and Marcus had to resort to a coin flip to determine playoff seeding. Hebron was the fourth place team to advance out of 6-5A. So just how tough was 6-5A? All four of its representatives won their bi-district matches - meaning 6-5A swept 5-5A clean out of the playoffs. And that is saying something. District 5-5A produced several high caliber teams in 2008, including Keller Central, Colleyville Heritage, Keller, and Northwest. Despite the great seasons each of these teams had, none could topple its 6-5A counterpart. Southlake Carroll moved to the regional quarterfinals before bowing out to Plano West in a five-game match. The Lady Dragons had a tremendous season and featured a balanced team. Sloane Sunstrum provided much of the hitting force while McHaney Carter provided blocking prowess. Carroll's district rivals Marcus also made the regional quarterfinals, but were ousted by Plano East in a five-game set that went all the way to 19-17 in the decisive game. The Lady Marauders were a well-rounded team, often sparked by the setting of Lauren Cooke and defense of Michelle Hundt. "All coaches have expectations going into the season, and I felt that my players not only met expectations but exceeded them," coach Christie Liles said about her club. "The only real surprise I guess, and it's not really a surprise, is how well my newcomers on varsity stepped it up and played hard." Hebron was also a victim of Plano East, losing in five games. And, like district mates Southlake Carroll, Coppell was eliminated by Plano West, also in five games - both of those losses coming in the Area round. A pair of teams from District 4-5A also reached the regional quarterfinals. Long-time foes Arlington and Martin made their annual appearances in the playoffs. Martin, which captured the 4-5A district title, took state powerhouse Amarillo to four games. The Lady Warriors got solid seasons from hitter Whitney Walls and libero Maddie Hanlan. The Lady Colts struggled at times during the regular season, part of that due to missing star hitter Tobi Farrar in stretches. Still, Arlington put together a nice run late in the season before running into Amarillo Tascosa. Tarah Derden led the squad in kills, while Ashleigh Barnett was the area leader in digs, averaging almost seven per game. Arlington Lamar advanced to the Area playoffs but also fell victim to Amarillo. "Playing one of the state's best programs, Amarillo, it gave our girls the opportunity to see what kind of passion and hard work it takes to be a champion," coach Kate Wood said. "It also gave our girls the desire to get back there again next year and go even farther." The Lady Vikes were runners-up in 4-5A this season, thanks in large part to the contributions of Ashlyn Dibrell, Anna Berry, and Maggie Connally. Haltom, Burleson and Weatherford all advanced to the postseason, but fell in bi-district competition. Haltom was a bit of a surprise this season, posting the program's best record in school history. CLASS 4A It probably wasn't surprising to see Aledo in the regional semifinals, but few people probably predicted that Arlington Seguin would also be there. The Lady Cougars finished second in District 8-4A behind undefeated Mansfield Legacy, but actually advanced one round deeper in the playoffs. It started with a sweep over Western Hills in bi-district followed by an ousting of 5-4A champ Denton Guyer. Seguin then outlasted Birdville in a marathon match in the regional quarterfinals. However, the magical run ended at the hands of Hereford - a state tournament qualifier - a few days later. It was Seguin's first appearance in the playoffs in six years. "I wouldn't say I was surprised," head coach Amanda Rudolph said. "I knew I had the talent and I knew I had the athleticism. I didn't know that we would be able to battle against other playoff teams and come out on top. Was I expecting to go that far? I don't think any of us knew what to expect." The other local team to reach the 4A regional semis was Aledo. The Ladycats were stellar on the season, blasting through 6-4A play without a loss. Allie Bettinger was one of the area leaders in kills, and was often assisted by teammate Tara Gough. Aledo fell to Canyon Randall in the regional semis. Before reaching the semis, Aledo had to deal with Mansfield Legacy, which in only its second varsity season, put together an undefeated district campaign. The Lady Broncos featured the setting of Bekah Dorsey, one of the area assist leaders, and the hitting of Leslie Jackson. Paige Tabor provided plenty of digs on the defensive side. Birdville, which finished behind Aledo in District 6-4A, put together a historic season that, as mentioned, ended against Seguin. "We just completed the best season any Birdville volleyball team has had," head coach Courtney Grimes said. "I pushed them pretty hard this season, and the girls stepped right up to the challenge." Among those stepping up were Kendal Ford and Kelsey Plunk. Ford was among the area assist leaders while Plunk was a digging machine, averaging more than six per game. Timberview, Denton Guyer, Stephenville and The Colony all won bi-district matches, while Springtown, O.D. Wyatt, Arlington Heights, Denton Ryan and Saginaw reached the playoffs but failed to advance. CLASS 3A Since moving up from 2A, Argyle has proven itself to be a 3A sports power as well. The Lady Eagles helped that reputation by advancing to the regional semifinals in volleyball this season. Argyle had played fantastic through the early rounds of the playoffs, but suddenly misfired against Princeton. Still, not a bad run for a team that finished runner-up in District 9-3A. The Lady Eagles' offense often went through Jessica Bonfield, who was among the best in the area in assists. Sometimes the offense simply came from the service line, where both Bonfield and Sawyer Camilo had more than 60 aces on the season. Kennedale, another local 3A school with a reputation for athletic success, narrowly missed on a chance to meet Argyle in the regional quarterfinals. The Lady Cats couldn't get by Bonham in the area round after knocking off District 11-3A runner-up Castleberry. Diamond Hill-Jarvis earned a trip to the bi-district playoffs, but was beaten by Crandall. TAPPS A pair of local private schools also made runs in the playoffs. Arlington Grace Prep advanced all the way to the state tournament - for the seventh time in school history - but again fell shy of that elusive state title. The Lady Lions were defeated in the 4A state semifinals by Dallas Christian. Jordan Oddo powered the team this season with her 3.3 kills per game, among the best in the area. McKenzie Craig often assisted on those kills. Craig averaged better than six assists per game. Janette Eubanks was a defensive force for Grace Prep, posting more than 135 blocks this season. Nolan Catholic advanced to the area round of the 5A playoffs before being bounced by Houston St. Agnes. Taylor Humm provided better than three kills per game this season for Nolan, while Mandi Gavin contributed 6.3 assists per game. Sarah Shelton led the Lady Vikes defensively with 108 blocks on the year. -