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Clash of the Titans: Klein faces Seven Lakes for State Crown

Joshua Koch
Dec 11, 2020

HOUSTON - Kate Zora remembers the last time her team faced Seven Lakes.

It was August 17, 2018 and Seven Lakes was fresh off its inaugural trip to the UIL State Tournament the year prior. Ally Batenhorst was a sophomore and sister Casey was just a freshman. For Zora's team, Devan Taylor and Annie Antar were just sophomores and Kierstyn McFall was a freshman.

Seven Lakes won the highly contested match 3-2 (26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 20-25, 15-13).

"It was a barn-burner," Zora said as she reflected. "It got to the fifth game and I remember that pretty vividly and how they won it. It was one of those things where they were exhausted and both sides had gone back and forth the entire night. It was just one of those crazy matches.

"The ability for us to play again is super exciting."


Since then, the two programs, Klein led by Zora and Seven Lakes led by Amy Cataline, have tried to schedule home-and-home series against each other.

It just has never worked out schedule-wise.

"Every season I feel like we've communicated trying to make it happen," Cataline said. "Because we both respect each other's programs."

Now, fate would have it the two are slated against each other with the Class 6A State Championship on the line.

"Super cool, that's always fun to have two strong teams from Houston to represent the State of Texas," Zora said. "I love it."

The 2020 season will not be soon forgotten, mainly because of how weird it has been.

First, the regular season didn't start until mid-September - nearly a month and a half later than usual. Then there were no traditional volleyball tournaments, so the number of total matches played in 2020 would be considerably down compared to other years.

For some teams, such as Seven Lakes, they had to halt games and practices for a short period of time due to COVID-19 cases. But then were able to come back the rest of the way to try and get to the state tournament.

"Obviously, I knew [Klein] was out there but we had to take care of in front of us with such a competitive district," Cataline said. "So, I never let myself get too far ahead. It wasn't a challenge of a district opponent it was the challenge of COVID. I didn't let myself go there."

Now, Cataline has allowed herself to go there as the final match of the year comes against undefeated Klein, which has star power including Clemson-commit Devan Taylor, Rice-commit Gaby Mansfield and college prospects in Annie Antar and Kierstyn McFall.

"Klein's a great team and we're excited to play them," she said. "My girls have kind of had their eye on Klein the majority of the season. We know they are solid in every position and so we are just excited for the challenge to face them."

For Zora, the same feeling goes towards Seven Lakes, which has the likes of Under Armour All-American and Nebraska-signee Ally Batenhorst, SMU-commit Casey Batenhorst and Harvard-commit Mayow Olibale to name a few off the star-studded roster.

"You're going to see super-huge talent," Zora said about the match. "You have Ally Batenhorst, a great setter in Casey. You've got Mayo Olibale in the middle, you've got Emma Schroeder on the right side. I've coached some of those kids in club, so that's kind of nice to see some of those kids be really successful.

"Across the board, you've got a pretty good set of talent, it'll be interesting to see how it will play out on the court."

The fact that on Saturday it will be two teams from Houston across the net from each other makes this showdown even more fun for the fans, players and coaches.

Outside of high school volleyball, the majority of these players participate in travel volleyball. Over the years they have either faced each other or been on the same teams during the summer. Meaning they are really familiar with each other.

"When I was a player it was really fun to play somebody that you knew," Zora said. "It gave you a little bit of extra in there. I think they'll have fun on Saturday."

STATE FINALS here we come! 🎉🎉🎉 CONGRATULATIONS to the truly unbelievable @KleinVolleyball. Can't wait for Saturday! 💙💛 #GoBearkats pic.twitter.com/bHD1VnMle7
— Dr. Jenny McGown (@jenny_mcgown) December 9, 2020

All the fun aside, this is for the Class 6A State Championship.

Houston hasn't had a team win this title since 2014 when The Woodlands last won a state crown. In the history of the UIL Volleyball State Championships, which dates back to 1967, Houston has brought home 10 state titles in the UIL's largest classification. Cypress Creek owns the most (3 - 1989, 1993, 1997).

This will be the first-ever Klein ISD or Katy ISD volleyball team to win a state crown.

"The girls are excited to be back," Cataline said. "It feels like 'Unfinished Business', they've been there and we had our 2017 crew pave the way and so now we want to finish what we started.

"Every practice they are intent and focused,. I think I hear the word 'focus' yelled out at least 50 times by multiple players. But they are high school girls, so they are enjoying this time and they are on cloud nine. It's a little bit of both at the practice of maintaining focus but also having fun."

Zora added: "That's been their ultimate goal all season long. Most of the seniors have played for me for four years. I want them to be able to reach their goal and that will make me a proud mom."

Klein (27-0) faces Seven Lakes (24-1) on Saturday at 3 p.m. inside the Curtis Cullwell Center in Garland for the UIL Class 6A State Championship.

VYPE's Shan Willeford will be on-site providing LIVE coverage. Be sure to follow our Twitter account @vypehouston for all of the State Championship coverage.






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klein klein isd klein volleyball seven lakes volleyball seven lakes ally batenhorst devan taylor vype houston high school sports houston high school sports kate zora amy cataline casey batenhorst mayo olibale katy isd athletics katy isd annie antar kierstyn mcfall state championship uil volleyball uil volleyball playoffs uil state volleyball houston high school volleyball

Girls Soccer: Memorial, The Woodlands, Friendswood advance to State Semis

Joshua Koch
10 Apr, 2021

HOUSTON - The champs are back.

Houston Memorial is heading back to the UIL State Tournament for the first time since 2018, which was the same season the Mustangs hoisted that coveted trophy at the end.

Lindley Amarantos watched as her crew defeated Cy-Fair 2-0 on Friday inside the friendly confines of Spring Branch ISD's Tully Stadium, advancing the program back to the State Semifinals.

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brooke spinks friendswood girls soccer houston high school sports lindley amarantos marley krach memorial high school memorial mustangs memorial soccer olivia schmidt soccer soccer playoffs state semis the woodlands uil state vype houston high school sports houston high school soccer

Unfinished Business: Kingwood Park punches ticket to State Semifinals with 6-2 win

Joshua Koch
10 Apr, 2021
VYPE Feature powered by Academy Sports + Outdoors: No. 1 Kingwood Park men's soccer rolling in 2021

Kingwood Park is writing its own history.

That's at least how head coach Ryan Searle put it following a 6-2 victory over Pflugerville Hendrickson to punch its ticket to the State Semifinals for the first time since 2011 and the third time in program history.

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kingwood park kingwood park soccer humble isd humble isd soccer houston high school soccer vype houston high school sports houston high school sports ryan searle kingwood park men's soccer

Falcon Power: Huffman punches ticket to State Semis with 1-0 win over Splendora

Joshua Koch
10 Apr, 2021

NEW CANEY - Chris McDermand almost didn't know what to do.

The fifth-year Huffman men's soccer coach hopped a few times down the sideline before bursting into a sprint with his arms spread wide like a Falcon looking for any one of his players to hug. Then the architect of this program watched as yet another gold ball trophy was handed to his players and hoisted into the cool April night air with sounds of pure joy exuding from his team.

McDermand wearing his black Huffman soccer polo matched with black slacks then climbed up onto a trainer's table on the sideline, stepping around the Gatorade coolers and other equipment while he walked down high-fiving nearly every member of the Falcon Loud Crowd before finally laying on the turf and just soaking it all in.

Huffman was heading to state. A 1-0 overtime victory over district rival Splendora on Friday night ensured more history for the Falcon soccer program.

"I was just thinking back to all of the hot days in August and September and just making it through till now," McDermand said about what went through his mind while laying down. "Just how much work these guys put in. We had the biggest crowd we've ever had, so they were right there behind us. I could see them when I was laying down.

"It was nuts. I didn't play a minute and I felt exhausted."

FINAL SCORE (Region III-4A Final) @Athletics_SISD - 0@Huffman_Soccer - 1 @HuffmanISD it's time to gas up the charter bus again!!! Huffman is heading to the #UILState Tournament for the first time in program history. #txhssoccer @Coach_MacHHS @LethalSoccer @KPRC2RandyMc pic.twitter.com/vcOkupV8pU
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) April 10, 2021

At the end of regulation, both teams had peppered the nets but to no avail, it would take overtime and maybe even penalty kicks to settle this one.

In the 82nd minute, senior Angel Aguas was fouled in the box, which awarded him a penalty kick, which he buried in the right bottom corner of the net for his 21st score of the year. Goalie Sam Calzada kept a clean sheet for the 10th time this season with numerous saves, pushing him over 100 for the year.

"It feels amazing, we've been working hard all year," Aguas said. "[State] is new to us, it means everything. We have a great team. We're coming for it this year with everything."

Caldaza added: "We just executed what coach had planned for us. I followed his orders and had a clean sheet and we go to the next round."

VYPE Postgame 🎙: @Huffman_Soccer senior Angel Aguas who scored goal 21 of the season and goalie Sam Calzada who registered his 10th shutout of the season talk with VYPE after the win. #txhssoccer @HuffmanISD @Coach_MacHHS @HuffmanHoops @Huffman_Falcons @LethalSoccer pic.twitter.com/XkC4RmottT
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) April 10, 2021

This run to the state semifinals for this team is remarkable, not just because of the fact that it is the first time in program history but because the Falcons started the year 5-5-5 and since then have gone 11-2-1, including 5-0 in the playoffs.

"These guys did something the last three or four weeks and just clicked," McDermand said. "We got hot at the right time and they all accepted their roles and bought in. They just made it happen."

Huffman moves on to face Boerne in the State Semifinal which is set to be played at Columbus High School on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Falcons' men's soccer team joins the men's basketball team as Huffman programs that have advanced to state this year.

VYPE Postgame: @Huffman_Soccer coach Chris McDermand who started this program from scratch five years ago was HYPED after the win. #txhssoccer @HuffmanISD @Huffman_Falcons @Coach_MacHHS @HHSLoudCrowd @HTownHSS @KPRC2RandyMc pic.twitter.com/HfzolRFOgK
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) April 10, 2021
angel aguas chris mcdermand houston high school soccer houston high school sports huffman falcons huffman mens soccer sam calzada soccer vype houston high school sports huffman soccer
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