The Hays Highway
Tonight, the San Marcos Rattlers face one of those gotta-have-it games at Bobcat Stadium against Akins with a chance to move into a first-place tie in District 25-5A.
Akins may be better than in the past, but the Eagles are still 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the district. Their only win this year came against Johnston, which is famously troubled this football season.
The Rattlers, at 3-3 and 2-1, will have to take care of their own business and, of course, a bit of scoreboard watching is in order. First place Bowie, 3-0 in the district, plays at 2-1 Westlake.
So, wins for San Marcos and Bowie would put the Rattlers into a first-place tie with Westlake and Bowie. A fourth team would join that tie. Austin and Seguin, each 2-1, play each other tonight in Seguin.
Of all the contenders, the Rattlers obviously face the easiest road tonight. After last week's 47-40 win against Seguin, the Rattlers probably could use a breather. By the time San Marcos is through with Bastrop next Friday, the purple figures to be 4-1 in the district.
But the final two weeks of the Rattlers' regular season turns into a grind, with a game at Austin, followed by the finale at home against Westlake.
In essence, it appears the district has five teams contending for four playoff spots. If the Rattlers can't win their next two games, they probably won't be one of the survivors.
Hard-running Rattler D.J. Hemphill led the San Marcos effort against Seguin with 160 rushing yards in 12 carries. Going down the stretch, San Marcos will need more of the same.
The Hays Highway
BUDA – The regular season hasn't gone smoothly for the Hays High School volleyball team, but it ended the way the Rebels wanted it to end.
Which means a new season begins. Needing a win Friday night on their own court to enter the playoffs, the Rebels trounced Del Valle in three games at Bales Gym, 25-15, 25-18 and 25-13.
The Rebels will open the playoffs Thursday, 7 p.m., at Dripping Springs, where they will meet Pflugerville Connally.
Hays joins the playoffs as the third-place team from District 26-4A. A three-game win against Cibolo Steele Tuesday set them up to call their own shots Friday night, and they didn't hesitate to punch their own ticket to the playoffs. A Hays loss, combined with a Steele win against Lehman Friday, would have sent Steele to the playoffs.
Hays volleyball coach Michael Kane sees a new day for the Rebels, who fought through a 20-18 regular season record. The Rebels firmed up to finish 10-4 in the district.
"We've had a lot of trials and tribulations," Kane said, citing injuries during the season to Kaila Shay, Brooke Basey and Phoebe Corder. "The full team is back now. I always try to play three seasons – the preseason, the district and the playoffs."
Playing the third season, of course, implies playing well enough in the second season. In order to complete it successfully, the Rebels needed to make it happen Friday night.
The Friday match was in doubt only briefly and early, when Del Valle took a 14-11 lead in the second game with a chance to tie the match at 1-1. But Tasha Soliz went to the back line for Hays and served up seven straight points, moving Hays into an 18-14 lead. Soliz scored one ace in that run, while Phoebe Corder added two kills.
Hays basically scored two points to Del Valle's one for the rest of the game for the 25-18 win. By then, most doubt had been removed from the outcome and the Rebels put up an easy 25-13 Game 3 win to clinch.
The first game was tied early at 4-4 before Hays tacked up a 10-3 run for a 14-7 lead. Hailey Wilson notched four kills in the first game, while Brooke Basey added three more.
