High school volleyball season comes at teams quickly, like a well-hit spike. The regular season begins one week after the start of practice, precious time that the local private school teams are trying to take advantage of.
The teams from Brazos Christian, St. Joseph and Allen Academy began preseason workouts this week, hoping to fit together their pieces well enough to make a run at the state playoffs in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
Brazos Christian will scrimmage Saturday at Bellville Faith Academy. The Lady Eagles will open the regular season by hosting Snook on Tuesday.
The 15 players who will form the varsity and junior varsity teams at Brazos Christian have been practicing together during two-a-days. They will attempt to land a playoff berth after going 10-14 and missing the postseason last year following the school's move up to TAPPS 2A District 9, which includes volleyball powers Shiner St. Paul and Hallettsville Sacred Heart.
"I think we're looking good," BC coach Tanya Thomasson said. "We've got some core group coming back that is younger, but they've got some experience.
"We're working to get ourselves up to that level [with St. Paul and Sacred Heart]. We have to replace four seniors from last year, but we'll definitely compete."
Brazos Christian should be led by Kalee McCurdy, a senior, and juniors Leanne Osborne and Elisabeth Pierce. Osborne was a second-team all-district selection last season.
At St. Joseph, the Lady Eagles are looking to build upon a season in which they did not win as many matches as they wanted, but did make the 3A playoffs. St. Joseph finished second in district behind Waco Reicher, then lost in the first round of the postseason.
Coach Jeanie Weaver is shuffling the Lady Eagles' lineup because a couple of players she had expected back will not return to the team.
"It's going good," Weaver said. "We have a lot of players in new positions this year, so we're having to teach the new rotations and new positions. We might start off a little slow because of that.
"I think it would be a good goal for us to come in second in district again, because Reicher is a powerhouse."
Outside hitter Kelsey Dillard and setter Hannah Watt, both juniors, earned first-team all-district honors last season. St. Joseph has another leader in senior middle blocker Chelsey Watt, who made the second team.
Allen Academy will feature a first-year head coach in Ryanne Aaron with a veteran team that includes six seniors. Aaron, a Texas A&M student, moved up after serving as assistant to Cathy Coe last season.
The Lady Rams began workouts Tuesday. Aaron is hoping to schedule a scrimmage before opening the regular season at home against Temple Holy Trinity on Aug. 18.
"The girls are very enthused about getting the season going," Aaron said. "I think we're going to have a pretty good year, although we have quite a bit of work to do before district play."
Allen should be led by sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Callen Horton, senior middle blocker Madeline Harper and senior setter Ashley Angonia. Horton and Harper made second-team all-district last year.