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FBISD Volleyball Preview: Fort Bend ISD Volleyball Teams Look To Carry On Success in 2022
The 2022 Texas high school volleyball season is in full swing already. With that being said, here is a look at Fort Bend ISD volleyball heading into this year. Notes on each team, players to watch and much more.
Check out the VYPE Fort Bend ISD Volleyball Prospectus for 2022.
FB Travis
Rachel Kessler takes over her alma mater after leading Kempner last season. Prior to 2021, she was an assistant coach at Travis....The Tigers return 2021 leaders in digs, assists and blocks.
Key Players: Senior OH/RS Ryan Williams (198 kills, 101 digs, 49 total blocks in 2021), Senior OPP/OH/MB Grace Murphy (90 kills), Senior L Kynzie Lilly (388 digs, 52 assists), Senior MH/RS Isabella Marino (69 total blocks), Senior S Kacy Perkins (409 assists, 202 digs).
FB Austin
Bulldogs star junior MH Adell Murray missed all of last season due to a knee injury but is healthy this year.... Austin graduated its top two leaders in kills and digs.
Key Players: Senior MH Ellie Pringle (105 kills, 38 total blocks), Senior S Kyla Paulino (617 assists, 174 digs, 50 aces), Senior MH Zoe Foster (35 total blocks), Sophomore L/DS Gabbie Kennedy (260 digs), Senior S Darby Moore (423 assists, 103 digs), Senior Bailey Harris.
FB Dulles
The Vikings return 2021 leaders in kills and blocks.
Key Players: Senior MB/OH Kylie Mueller (405 kills, 452 digs, 30 aces), senior OH Renata Bolado (349 kills, 363 digs, 32 aces), Senior MB/RS Noor Haydari (72 kills, 53 total blocks), Senior S Ellie Dylla (80 assists), Senior RS/MB Mykayla Harvey, Senior Isabella Dias, Senior Madison Hamilton.
FB Hightower
Hightower makes the move up to Class 6A.... The Hurricanes return 2021 leaders in blocks and aces.
Key Players: Senior Mia Daniel (192 kills, 46.5 kill%, 36.8 hit%, 140 total blocks), Junior Haile Brandon (157 kills, 94 aces), Junior Ja’Nae Johns (266 digs, 56 aces), Junior Carrington Archer (277 assists, 141 digs), Junior Dashaun Pinesette.
Kempner
Jennifer Lee is in as head coach after Rachel Kessler left to lead her alma mater at Travis. Lee was formerly assistant coach at Ridge Point. ... Senior OH Samantha Sharer suffered a season-ending injury in the summer. She led the Cougars in kills last season.
Key Players: Sophomore OH/MH Ruth Ochelli (186 kills, 55 aces, 29 total blocks), junior MH Elly Holmquist (120 kills, 64 total blocks), Junior MH Brenna Casler (103kills, 51 total blocks), Senior S/RS Mackenzie Vaughan (279 assists, 195 digs, 47 aces), Junior L/DS Sophie Ilagan (567 digs, 43 aces), Senior S Sophia Evans (385 assists, 286 digs), Junior OH Mia Clarke.
FB Bush
The Broncos graduated six seniors. Only two figure heavily into plans for 2022.
Key Players: Senior MH/OH/OPP Chelsea Anuna (2021 captain), Senior OH/OPP Caitlyn Brister (2021 captain), Sophomore Tiana Thornton, Sophomore Jadesyn Hardeman, Sophomore Amariya Hardeman.
Clements
Clements returns its 2021 leader in aces.
Key Players: Senior OH/MB Samantha Spitznagel (211 kills, 184 digs, 54 aces), Junior S/RS Aidan Scott (59 assists), Senior Olivia Hendrix, Junior Abigail Bazinet.
Elkins
The Knights graduated eight seniors.
Key Players: Junior DS Semaj Cox, Senior S Miya Ausby, Sophomore MH Ope Aladetimi, Junior OH Leena Wilson, Senior Ella Pham, Senior Lena Johnson, Junior Isabella Jumawan, Senior Malia Black.
Willowridge
The Eagles will be senior-heavyin 2022, particularly in the front row.
Key Players: Senior MH/OH Tahmiah Lawson, senior DS/OPP Destiny Lidell-DeCarlo, Senior DS/S Alyssa Lahrmann, Senior MB English Jackson, Senior Curslynn Thompson, Senior Jaylen Hackney, Senior Brooklyn O’Neill, Junior Faith Lidell-DeCarlo.
FB Marshall
Seniors will set the tone for the Buffs in 2022.
Key Players: Senior Aniyah Richards, Junior Mia’Shonae Mason, Senior Alexzandria Taylor, Junior Rikiyah Duncanson, Senior Bryanna Duncanson.
Fort Bend ISD's Hall Stadium.
Realignment Primer: Hightower moving up could create all-Fort Bend ISD district
There is a solid chance Fort Bend ISD will have a district all to itself when the UIL releases its biannual realignment Thursday morning.
With Hightower moving up to Class 6A from 5A, that evens out FBISD’s number of 6A schools to eight, making it likely that one district will consist of all eight FBISD schools.
Currently, FBISD has seven 6A schools partnered with Lamar Consolidated ISD’s George Ranch in 20-6A. With Hightower going up, it is probable George Ranch will be aligned elsewhere to avoid a nine-team district.
“It’s always fun to have your own district,” FBISD athletic director Dena Scott said. “That’s always something that’s pretty special for us. That would not be a bad thing. They could put somebody else in there with us, but you never know.”
Realignment is predicated upon enrollment numbers submitted last fall.
In all sports except for football, the Class 6A enrollment number cutoff is 2,225 and up. That puts FBISD’s Travis (3,110), Ridge Point (3,061), Elkins (2,587.5), Bush (2,537.5), Clements (2,491), Dulles (2.409), Hightower (2,365), and Austin (2,261) in that classification.
Kempner (1,981.5), Marshall (1,552.5), and Willowridge (1,309.5) remain 5A.
In football, Kempner would be classified as 5A-Division I, which consists of an enrollment from 1,925-2,224. Marshall and Willowridge will be 5A-Division II (1,300-1,924). There is no change in that regard; however, Marshall and Willowridge will likely be placed in a new district.
With Houston ISD opting to move its 5A schools to 6A to have everyone in the same classification, Marshall and Willowridge will be realigned in a district with a different look for 2022-2024.
Currently, they are aligned with Houston ISD’s Sterling, Madison, Sharpstown, Waltrip, and Northside, along with Galena Park ISD’s Galena Park.
“I try not to think about it too much beforehand and let the cards fall where they may,” Scott said. “I can only go on what’s happened in the past, and when I was here before, as an assistant at the beginning of my tenure, I remember Marshall and Willowridge with Texas City, Santa Fe, Galveston Ball. Going by the history, that may be where they end up again.”
It’s the nature of the beast that is UIL realignment. Fort Bend ISD will likely have its own 6A district but have more travel and logistical demands this realignment with its two smaller 5A schools.
“It’s exciting. I wouldn’t say I’m anxious,” Scott said of realignment. “The enrollment numbers have put them where they fall, and we anticipate the UIL putting us with schools of similar enrollment. Then we go from there, roll the dice, pull numbers and start doing schedules.”
In other district news, Scott said the FBISD board recently approved renovations for new field turf and complete track resurfacing at Hall Stadium.
“We’re excited to announce that and move forward with that,” Scott said. “We’re currently trying to work out a schedule of when best to start that project, but our intent is to have all of that done prior to the football season starting in July and August.”
Scott and her staff are in the process of determining logistics for the scheduling of track and field events this spring.