ALL-VYPE: Public School Volleyball

Aug 07, 2019

Here they are ... the best of the best.

VYPE Media Chief Content Officer Matt Malatesta and Managing Editor Joshua Koch have put together the list of the best players in the Greater Houston area. Check out and see who made the 2019 Preseason All-VYPE Public School Volleyball Team.

Erica Lowery, Langham Creek (Texas A&M)

OUTSIDE HITTERS

Jackie Arrington, Pearland

Ally Batenhorst, Seven Lakes (Nebraska)

Lauryn Bourne, Cy-Fair

Ielan Bradley, Cy Springs

Rachel Brown, Clear Falls

Kate Bueche, Friendswood

Brea Burrell, Kingwood (Northwestern State)

Lauren Collier, Alief Elsik

Danyle Courtley, Cinco Ranch (Rice)

Madison Deslatte, Dawson

Ellie Echter, Fulshear (LSU)

Tatiana Evans, Kempner

Kiyah Felder, Aldine Davis

Teresa Garza, Santa Fe (Wyoming)

Paris Herman, Tompkins

Hannah Hoover, Katy (Naval Academy)

Aryn Johnson, Manvel

Mia Johnson, Clear Falls (University of Hawaii)

Katie Kessler, Bridgeland

Ashlyn Laymond, Aldine Davis

Ysabella Lockwood, Clear Brook

Dylan Maberry, The Woodlands (LSU)

Macy Martin, Langham Creek

Ava Martinolli, Cy Ranch

Alaryss Medina, Summer Creek

Blakely Montgomery, Clear Falls

Kailin Newsome, Clear Brook (Southeastern Louisiana)

Libby Overmyer, Kingwood Park (Colgate)

Noelle Palmer, College Park

Armyni Perales, Bellaire

Courtney Plocheck, Deer Park (Texas State-Softball)

Shyia Richardson, Clear Springs

Cameryn Roberts, Lake Creek

Halle Sanders, Shadow Creek

Allie Sczech, George Ranch (Baylor)

Nylissa Snagg, Seven Lakes (Southeastern Louisiana)

Deanna Spell, Langham Creek

Kate Sralla, Tomball

Ashlyn Svoboda, Friendswood

Fallon Thompson, Grand Oaks

Lyla Traylor, Memorial

Maddy Villareal, Cy Ranch

Shaina Westfall, Clear Creek (Oklahoma Christian)

Natalie Winn, Stratford

Erin Wyatt, Klein Collins (Georgia State)

MIDDLES

Mary Alper, Clear Springs
Ellie Anderson, Magnolia
Gabrielle Collins, Seven Lakes
April Conant, Pearland (Central Arkansas)
Rachel Douglas,Santa Fe (Hardin-Simmons)
Brooke Duncan, Memorial
Amanda Ifeanyi, The Woodlands (UTSA)
Emerald Jacobs, Cypress Ridge (Florida A&M)
Claire Jeter, Ridge Point (Texas A&M)
Kylee Kejonen, Barbers Hill
Logan Lednicky, George Ranch
Makensy Manbeck, Friendswood (Houston Baptist)
Linnea McClendon, Cy Creek
Gwendolyn McCollough, North Shore
Aliyah McDonald, Dawson
Kierstyn McFall, Klein
Emma McWhorter, Klein Collins (UL-L)
Savanna Meyer, Oak Ridge (Western Colorado)
McKenzie Morvant, Deer Park (Sam Houston State)
Madalyn O'Brien, Cinco Ranch (Texas Tech)
Sophie Ocampo, Kingwood
Libby Saunders, Clear Lake
Maddie Scott, Tomball
Emma Smith, Oak Ridge (New Mexico)
Morgan Smith, Manvel
Marjani Stanfill, Stratford
Alia Williams, Kingwood Park
Erika Williams, Kingwood Park
Megan Wilson, Kingwood

LIBERO

Hannah Baker, Deer Park (Sam Houston State)
Callie Cogdill, Cy Woods (Oklahoma)
Reagan Cole, Lake Creek
Cassidy Donalson, Spring Woods
Makensie Garner, Bridgeland
Emily Hawes, Bellaire (Ole Miss)
Madison Johnson, Brazoswood
Chloe Jordan, Pearland
Erica Lowery, Langham Creek (Texas A&M)
Nia McCardell, Ridge Point (Rice)
Dahlia Miller, Dawson
Morgan Nix, Cy Falls
Kara Spice, Cy-Fair
Freedom Stephenson, Santa Fe
Devan Taylor, Klein (Clemson)
Maddie Thayer, Katy (UTSA)
Belinda Torres, Dayton

SETTERS

Annie Antar, Klein (North Florida)
Mekaila Aupiu, Klein Collins
Piper Boydstun, Oak Ridge
Clara Brower, The Woodlands (Georgia)
Briana Creery, Foster
Annie Cooke, College Park
Jozie Dhayer, Summer Creek
Elena Dondonay, Santa Fe
Ceci Harness, Manvel
Trinity Hennigan, Barbers Hill
Aislan Lennon, Cinco Ranch (St. Mary's)
Logan LeRoux, Memorial
Faith Lynch, Magnolia (Baylor)
Spencer Plato, Clear Creek
Bekah Portalatin, Cy-Fair
Avery Reynolds, Clear Springs (Louisiana Monroe-Beach)
Reagan Rutherford, Ridge Point (Kentucky)
Sarah Sampson, Grand Oaks
Kamryn Scroggins, Dawson
Kassidy Taves, Santa Fe
Destiny Tom, Dickinson
Paige Underbrink, Cy Creek
Maddie Waak, Katy (LSU)
Tori Weatherly, Friendswood
Alexis Williams, Shadow Creek

DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST

Alexis Dacosta, Fulshear (Baylor)
Allie Griffith, The Woodlands (Air Force)
Amber Johnson, Shadow Creek
Lizzy Young, Kingwood

Lampasas' UT Baseball Commit Makes A Name For Himself In More Ways Than One

Lampasas' Ace Whitehead (left) was joined by Badger teammates at the 2020 VYPE Austin Baseball Photoshoot.

Move over Clint Eastwood, there's a new gunslinger in town. Ace Whitehead is his name and he's a multi-sport athlete at Lampasas High School. He jumped on the Central Texas scene as a freshman and sophomore, and turned up the dial so much as a junior that his public profile sits at a personal high going into his senior year.

It started with the 2019 Texas high school football season, when he recorded his best year to date with 4,982 yards and 75 touchdowns. He ultimately quarterbacked the Badgers' football team to its first UIL state semifinal appearance in 33 years.

"I think the most memorable thing was just how we came together as brothers and let everybody know what we're about here," said Whitehead. "We didn't listen to the outside noise or whatever. We just came together as a unit and gave it our all each Friday night."

But, Whitehead's on-the-field play wasn't alone in putting him on the map. He also received statewide attention for his unique name. Twitter users have described it as "QB Name of the Year" and a "quintessential Texas HS QB name", and it's been featured in media stories like the one you're reading.

"I like it," Whitehead said of his name. "I haven't ever really known any different, so it's just kind of normal to me."

"To be honest, it really surprised me when all of that kinda blew up," he said. "Around Lampasas, it's not really special or anything. It's just been my name that everyone calls me. My real name is Asher. My great grandpa's name was A.C and so my parents gave me the nickname "Ace" at birth and it just stuck."

The buzz continued in 2020 because college baseball programs were starting to show more interest in his athletic abilities and fans wanted an encore during the Texas high school baseball season. COVID-19 wouldn't let him top his fall performances because it cancelled the spring sport's campaign, but it still worked out for him. The 2021 recruit's name appeared in more headlines when his dream school, The University of Texas at Austin, offered him a baseball scholarship and he announced his commitment on June 17th.

"It's super exciting to have the opportunity to join a team that historically is one of the greats and one that had tradition like The University of Texas," said Whitehead.

"I've been a huge Longhorn fan my entire life," he continued. "I really can't think of a time that my favorite color wasn't burnt orange."

Before he relocates to the Forty Acres, Whitehead is hoping for high school sports to start and end around their normal time so he can accomplish more in his hometown.

"It's very important to my teammates and I to be able to represent our community again," he said. "I know that our senior class really wants to give it our all one last time for Lampasas."

For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEATX) on Twitter.

Looking to get more involved? Check out ShopVYPE for fresh gear that supports local schools and the VYPE U Ambassador Program. To sign up for the VYPE U Program, apply at VYPEU.com.

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VYPE DFW 2020 Volleyball Preseason Middle Blocker of the Year Poll

Volleyball season is RAPIDLY approaching! VYPE wants the fans to vote for their favorite DFW Volleyball player! This week, it's the Middle Blockers!

The VYPE DFW 2020 Volleyball Preseason Middle Blocker of the Year Poll is now live! Fans will have the chance to vote until Monday, July 20th, at 7 p.m.

Please note that the use of voting software or bots will result in a deletion of votes and a potential DQ from the contest. PLEASE try to keep this fair and fun for all involved!

All athlete polls and their content are only associated and created by VYPE Media and its staff. The content is not created or voted on by any corporate sponsor or marketing partner. Please contact VYPE Media directly if you have any questions, comments, or concerns around our Fan Polls.

<a href="https://poll.fm/10580015">VYPE DFW 2020 Volleyball Preseason Middle Blocker of the Year Poll (Poll Closes Mon 7/20 at 7pm)</a>

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Malatesta: Texas Educators, This is your ultimate test

Here's my take.

COVID-19 is here to stay. It's a way of life. It's not going away on September 1st or October 1st or next March 1st. There is not going to be a vaccine any time soon.

So, it's time to draw a line in the sand – to play or not to play. To do in-person school versus online.

Stop with this bleed-out of information. The Big 10 is not playing non-conference games; the NBA bubble; Major League Baseball playing in front of no one; school districts are going online learning and not playing sports.

Blah, blah, blah.

Make a DECISION! Have some courage. That goes for public and private schools and universities.

The Ivy League cancelled all fall sports. Bad decision, but at least they had the guts to MAKE A DECISION. The State of Louisiana has said they will not play football until they reach Phase 4 of re-opening, which is likely to not happen. Why? The state simply doesn't have the infrastructure or money to set up protocols to deal with COVID-19. This is coming from an LSU graduate, I know.

This is Texas, where high schools are woven into the fabric of the culture. The school binds communities from Houston to El Paso. And don't forget, participating in extra-curricular activities is a choice. If the risk is too great for a student and their family, don't participate. It's that simple.

So, rip off the Band-Aid and succumb to the fear of liability or get creative and get students back to school and participating in extra-curricular activities.

The reasons why sports and students should go back to school range from mental health to learning life-lessons on the field of play, in the classroom or in the band hall. I could literally give you 100 reasons why kids should go back.

Let's just take IN THE CLASSROOM.

Do educators understand the amount of cheating going on with online schooling from elementary school to college? Kids aren't learning anything. They are just finding away AROUND learning to get an A.

People, this is just the beginning. Before you know it, this online schooling is going to become the way of life. Let's just disconnect our kids some more. Great idea (sarcasm).

Ask any educator in any time period, because I have. Teens thrive with structure. They need discipline. They need positive role models like teachers and coaches. They need motivation. Are kids passionate about athletics, theater, ROTC and band or math? Extra-curricular activities are the juice that quenches the thirst for fun while at school.

Come on people, you remember.

…

So, here's why we shouldn't play…

We don't know how this virus works and affects people – young and old. We believe, over 138,000 Americans have died. With that uncertainty, there are 100 arguments against returning to universities or pre-schools.

So, our lives are paralyzed due to the fear of the unknown. To the fear of liability. No one wants a death of a student with an undiagnosed health condition or a grandparent on their hands. To the fear of getting a Virus – that by today's numbers has killed less than one-percent of those who have gotten the COVID-19 in the US.

…

So, let's circle back to the beginning. The numbers of cases are GOING to go UP. Students are GOING to get COVID-19. It's okay. We have to live with the new normal. It's not a death-sentence to 99-percent of the population.

These are tough decisions to be made – make one and don't look back.

I'm not a doctor, but my vote is to let the kids participate in school and extra-curricular activities. There will be another virus, trust me on that. Kids are looking for you to be BRAVE.

Here's the deal. Would you rather take a young person's motivation and dreams away while being mentored by some of the COUNTRY'S TOP EDUCATORS because of the fear of the potential unknown? Kids need teachers, coaches and ROLE MODELS more than ever. Like, EVER.

Ya'll are the educators. Ya'll have the doctorates. Come up with a plan and protocols, give students and parents a CHOICE and let's go, either way.

The future of this generation is depending on it. Or just let them TikTok the rest of 2020.

You think I'm joking.

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