Olivia Raymond
VYPE held the 2021 Baseball & Softball Preseason Photoshoot presented by Whataburger on Monday 18, 2021. Here's a look behind the scenes of the prime event!
VYPE held the 2021 Baseball & Softball Preseason Photoshoot presented by Whataburger on Monday 18, 2021. Here's a look behind the scenes of the prime event!
The Spartans have been on a tear throughout this Fall.
After graduating eight seniors off last year’s team, including the District-MVP Skylar George, who’s currently at Utah, what has been the motivation for coach Jennifer Adcock’s group, as Stratford (28-6) has ascended the rankings of H-Town volleyball?
“To be honest I have to give you guys (VYPE) some of the credit, because when we saw that we were placed in the “Other teams to watch” category for the preseason magazine, it really ticked the girls off,” she laughed. “They’ve really felt kind of overlooked this season. They have felt like they really have something to prove.”
“I think that not being seen as a top group before the season has been something that’s fueled their fire to prove people wrong. We don’t focus as much on winning, but we talk a lot about the culture, and being good teammates, and then we train. You combine those aspects, and you have girls who really want to play for each other. It’s a good recipe for us.”
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
Stratford has a whole slew of individuals who’ve stepped up in the big moments.
In her eighth-season as head coach, Adcock has turned to her captains, Izzy Rodriguez (Sr. DS), Sophie Corbeil (Sr. OH), and Ashley Jones (Sr. OPP) to anchor the leadership roles among the talented roster, which features the likes of fellow playmakers, Gwen Koss (So. OH), Chloe Popkin (Sr. OH/DS), Audrey Cook (So. S), and Sarah Hickman (So. OPP).
While there is no “alpha” on the court per se, that has actually proven to be beneficial for the Spartans.
“This might sound like lip service, but we value the bench incredibly in our program,” said Adcock. “We have a lot of talent that comes from that side, with several of our players splitting time. I think the leadership, for us, comes from a lot of individuals who step up in particular instances.”
“It helps when several players can be depended on and carry the weight of that responsibility, rather than one individual. We’re fortunate to always have someone who will have your back when times are tough.”
Now that the Spartans are no longer being overlooked, and have a proverbial target on their backs, how has the mentality changed for Adcock’s team?
“It really hasn’t changed much,” she said. “We have approached every single match with the mindset of ‘let’s play hard, let’s play for each other.’ Today is today, and we’re gonna tackle who’s in front of us, regardless of who’s across the net.”
“Having a target on our backs is a big responsibility, because people have this opinion of you now. But I think the girls, buy in large, enter each game with a respect for their opponent, and they aren’t focused too far ahead. We’re trying to appreciate the moment.”
Stratford is now the hunted, but that is unlikely to slow them down as they head into the remainder of their district schedule. All signs point towards a trip to the postseason and beyond, so stay tuned.
Runners take your mark…
The cross country season is off to a blazing start as some of the area’s top harriers are off and running. As the postseason meets near, which Houston team or athlete can take the state by storm. Go vote for your favorite runner in the VYPE Houston Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year Fan Poll presented by Sun and Ski Sports.
Voting will be open until Monday, Oct. 1st at 11:59 p.m.
If you need gear for skiing, snowboarding, cycling, running, hiking and more, Sun & Ski Sports has it in-stock and ready for your upcoming adventures! Shop in-store at their 13 locations in Texas, or sunandski.com.
Another week of district competition is in the books. While several of the perennial Houston volleyball powers remain on top of the power rankings, nothing is ever set in stone.
In Class 6A, Cy Ranch and Dawson are looking as talented as ever, while Fort Bend Austin, College Park, and Tompkins continue to re-establish their dominance in their respective districts.
Friendswood's hot streak seems to just be getting started as they still surge in Class 5A. Watch out for Barbers Hill, Fulshear, Foster and Goose Creek Memorial though, as they will surely be teams to watch in the postseason.
In the private school race, Fort Bend Christian Academy claims the top spot in their district and our rankings, following a definitive victory over Lutheran South.
Here are the updated VYPE weekly rankings
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THE VYPE RANKINGS
Class 6A Top 20 (Numbers in parentheses indicate current record)
1. Grand Oaks Grizzlies (35-1; 8-0 in district)
2. Cinco Ranch Cougars (24-5; 8-0 in district)
3. Stratford Spartans (28-6; 5-0 in district)
4. Langham Creek Lobos (27-7; 5-0 in district)
5. Cypress Ranch Mustangs (24-5; 5-0 in district)
6. Pearland Dawson Eagles (26-8; 3-0 in district)
7. Deer Park Deer (23-9; 3-0 in district)
8. Tomball Memorial Wildcats (27-8; 5-0 in district)
9. Katy Tompkins Falcons (20-8; 7-1 in district)
10. Pearland Oilers (25-10; 4-1 in district)
11. College Park Cavaliers (18-6; 7-1 in district)
12. The Woodlands Highlanders (24-13; 6-2 in district)
13. Fort Bend Austin Bulldogs (21-13; 7-1 in district)
14. Clear Springs Chargers (23-12; 5-0 in district)
15. Ridge Point Panthers (22-13; 7-1 in district)
16. Seven Lakes Spartans (19-13; 6-2 in district)
17. Katy Jordan Warriors (22-11; 5-3 in district)
18. Jersey Village Falcons (25-9; 4-1 in district)
19. Bridgeland Bears (19-11; 3-2 in district)
20. Atascocita Eagles (18-10; 5-0 in district)
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Class 5A Top 10
1. Barbers Hill Eagles (28-7; 5-0 in district)
2. Friendswood Mustangs (17-9; 4-0 in district)
3. Fulshear Chargers (25-4; 5-0 in district)
4. Foster Falcons (23-7; 5-0 in district)
5. Goose Creek Memorial Patriots (19-9; 3-0 in district)
6. Magnolia Bulldogs (16-13; 3-2 in district)
7. Magnolia West Mustangs (13-13; 3-2 in district)
8. Montgomery Bears (21-14; 1-4 in district)
9. Galveston Ball Tornadoes (20-12; 1-4 in district)
10. Manvel Mavericks (16-16; 4-0 in district)
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Private School Top 10
1. Fort Bend Christian Academy Eagles (22-3; 6-0 in district)
2. Lutheran South Academy Pioneers (28-7; 5-1 in district)
3. Episcopal Knights (22-9; 1-0 in district)
4. Concordia Lutheran Crusaders (26-10; 1-0 in district)
5. St. John's Mavericks (16-8; 4-0 in district)
6. Legacy Prep Lions (21-2-4; 2-0 in district)
7. Rosehill Christian Eagles (16-8; 5-0 in district)
8. The John Cooper School Dragons (14-6; 0-0 in district)
9. Kinkaid School Falcons (7-8; 1-2 in district)
10. The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors (7-9; 0-2 in district)
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