AS GREG CRANFILL STOOD INSIDE THE ST. PIUS X WEIGHT ROOM THIS SPRING, REFLECTING ON HIS FIRST YEAR AS THE HEAD COACH OF THE PANTHERS, THE VETERAN COACH KNOWS WHERE THE WORK FOR THE 2021 SEASON WILL BEGIN.
"I told them big rock moves little rock and so we've got to get in [the weight room] and rock up," Cranfill said. "That way we know we're going to be able to go out every Friday night and compete with the best.
"These kids are committed; these kids know what it takes. They know success is in the dirt and they're willing to go get their hands dirty."
Cranfill's first year as the Panthers' head coach was unlike any of his 24 years in the business.
The former Wills Point head coach came over in the spring, amidst a global pandemic and really didn't get to be around his entire team until September.
But after a 4-4 season where they made the playoffs, the foundation of the culture of his program, which is based on the motto FAMILY (Forget About Me I Love You) is set.
And no, it's not all about the wins and losses.
"When you sit back and reflect, you'll think about the games, but you'll think more about the team dinners, Decals with Dad, Muffins with Mom, and those types of moments that last forever," Cranfill said. "Those are the things that when I look back at the season I can determine if we've had a successful season or not. With this group, there's no doubt in my mind that we did."
As the Panthers go into year two under Cranfill, the standards and expectations are set in stone, which Cranfill believes will help them take that next step.
"These guys know what's expected of them right now, what's expected of them in the summer and throughout the next year," he said. "It eliminates the conversations we had to start off with and now it's status quo as we move on."
Even though the seniors are gone, Cranfill hopes the lessons that they passed on to the underclassmen and the next senior class of 2022 will continue to raise the standard.
"We hope that those juniors and sophomores opened their eyes and hearts and saw what true hard work looks like," he said. "And thought that's the standard and I've got to try and up that standard in what we do and try and make it better."
As any coach will tell you, the page turns quick from game-to-game and year-to-year and Cranfill is ready to "Rock Up!" in year two.
"Chapter two has already started and it's a fun time," he said. "Because you have to look back to where you were to know where you want to go."
The south Houston area is loaded with talented athletes who give it their all in their respective fields of play.
Welcome to the VYPE Playmakers powered by UTMB Health, where we’re highlighting five standouts from this season who stole the headlines.
Here are the UTMB Volleyball Athletes of the 2024 Season, who represented South Houston with style this Fall.
...
Mackenzie Collins -- Shadow Creek
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
In her first year back with the Shadow Creek program, Mackenzie Collins did exactly what we expected her to do -- bulk up an already-thriving squad.
By the end of their season, the Sharks advanced all the way to the UIL-6A-D2 Region III Final for the first time ever, and finished with a stellar record of 35-12, which was a mark that Collins had plenty of responsibility for.
When all was said and done, the Texas-commit had registered 615 kills, 222 digs, 44 blocks, and 53 serving aces in 2024.
Of course, she had plenty of help on the floor, with Bella Law (Jr. S), Lauryn Wiley (Jr. L), Aspen Brown (So. OH), Kennedy Proctor (So. MH) each making significant contributions throughout the year.
But, the clear impact that the senior middle blocker had on this team cannot be denied, which was addressed when we named her the All-VYPE Middle of the Year.
Collins can now turn her attention to the Under Armour Next All-American game in January, prior to what should be another spectacular season on the track for the future Longhorn.
Samantha Loyd -- Dickinson
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
Dickinson was one of those squads that some overlooked prior to the Fall. However, they wasted little time in changing that status.
In what was easily their best performance over the past decade, the Gators wound up going 33-13 this year, which was capped off by an appearance in the Area Round.
This was thanks, in large part, to the remarkable efforts made by senior Samantha Loyd.
From the outside hitter position, Loyd managed to produce a whopping 685 kills, 401 digs, 762 receptions, and 62 blocks throughout the Fall, which naturally resulted in her being named the Co-District 24-6A MVP.
While the season might have ended sooner than she might have hoped, Loyd should feel pride in her achievement as she finishes out the remainder of her senior year before moving on to Stonehill College.
Avery Koonsen -- Pearland
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
With coach Jamie Gill at the helm, the Oilers were widely regarded as one of the most dominant forces to come out of the Houston-area entering the postseason.
After claiming the District 22-6A title, Pearland proceeded to reach the third round of the playoffs, where they were ultimately bested by eventual State Finalist Fulshear, ending the year 40-6 overall.
Despite that fact, it can be argued that this was one of the state's most balanced rosters.
Among its numerous stars -- primarily Kimanni Rugley, Cora Wolford, Adrienne Enriguez, Emily Brock, Aaryn Brown, and Britney Solomon -- the one that seemingly shined brightest for the Oilers was none other than Avery Koonsen.
While the same could be said for Rugley (North Dakota-signee), who was named the District MVP, Koonsen was the spark that ignited the team's considerable run.
She went on to obtain the single-season 500-kill milestone as a junior, and received first-team, all-district honors.
Koonsen is still uncommitted, but if she keeps up this level of play, she could easily find herself on a D1 college program one day.
Caylee Young -- Clear Springs
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
Although they compete in one of the city's toughest districts, Clear Springs still managed to secure their third-straight 24-6A title before advancing to the Area Round of the playoffs.
The Chargers (29-17) proved that they could compete with the best of them, as they were only narrowly eliminated by Shadow Creek in a five-set thriller.
Offense was certainly the team's strong-suit, as sophomore Caylee Young flourished in an expanded role this campaign, to the tune of 496 kills. 345 digs, 676 receptions, and 53 blocks.
Given that impressive stat-line, it's no wonder that she was given a first-team, all-district nod.
There will be plenty of cause for optimism for coach Shannon McClellan and co. heading into next year, as a significant portion of their play-makers -- including Young, Lianna Kearns, and Karmen O'Quinn -- will be back in action.
Kirra Musgrove -- Lutheran South Academy
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
When it came to private school ball in 2024, there were few teams quite as dynamic as LSA.
The Pioneers were a juggernaut throughout the regular season, as they cruised to a TAPPS-5A District 5 championship (10-1) before reaching the postseason once again.
However, given some unfortunate illnesses and/or injuries, Lutheran South would fall 3-1 to Legacy Prep in the Regional round, which cut short their mission to reach State again.
Regardless of how the season ended, the impact that senior Kirra Musgrove has had on the program throughout her career will not go unnoticed.
The Texas A&M-signee earned herself a first-team, all-state selection after racking up 380 kills, 451 assists, and 228 digs during her swan-song year.
Given all that she's done with the team, Musgrove has cemented her status as a legend at Lutheran South Academy, before she moves on to Aggieland less than a year from now.
That doesn't mean LSA (31-7 finish) won't remain a contender next Fall.
Expect younger sister, Addison Musgrove (Fr. OH) and junior setter Aniston Collins to maintain the status.
