DELIVERING ON THE DREAM

By completely dismantling co-favorite West with sweep in District 17-3A opener, 11th-ranked Clifton Lady Cubs establish themselves as team to beat in quest for title

Representing a key date on the calendar long before the 2024 Texas high school volleyball season began, the day of reckoning finally arrived. And when it did, the call to action delivered the result of dreams.

Looking like a determined team on a mission, the Class 3A 11th-ranked Clifton Lady Cubs impressively swept past the perennial powerhouse West Lady Trojans in straight sets, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21, in the District 17-3A season opener Friday evening at the Clifton High School Gymnasium.

With the Lady Cubs (1-0 in district, 22-10 overall) winning 16 of their last 17 matches, all in straight set sweeps and seven in a row, sophomore Brystel Wise smashed a game-high 14 kills along with 16 digs and 15 service receptions, followed by senior Brylee Heim with 12 kills, nine digs and 13 service receptions in the convincing victory over West (0-1, 21-11).

“I can’t explain how excited I was for the girls after the win against West,” Clifton volleyball head coach Joy Holzmann said. “I know it has been a long, long time since Clifton has beaten West. The last time might have been when I was here 20 years ago. It is so exciting to work hard at practice and execute a game plan and win. And that’s what the girls did.

“They were very determined to beat West, and they are very determined to win a district championship,” Holzmann said. “All the girls played great, the bench was great and what a great crowd that we had on a Friday night. The crowd definitely helped with the win. I am so proud and happy for the girls to get the win.”

But with two rounds of district play ahead, the Lady Cubs still have plenty of work to do. Clifton continues district competition by hosting the Whitney Lady Wildcats (0-1, 5-16) at 6 p.m. Tuesday before hitting the road to take on the Troy Lady Trojans (1-0, 16-13) at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

“We still have to take it one game at a time, and the rest will take care of itself,” Holzmann said. “We will prepare for Whitney on Tuesday, and then start thinking about Troy on Wednesday. One game at a time.”

Winning a team-high 11 points off her serves in the impressive straight set victory over West, Lady Cub junior Addison Martin delivered two service aces, three kills, four blocks, 11 digs and 10 service receptions, while freshman Scarlett Kennedy contributed team-highs with 18 digs and 16 service receptions, along with five assists.

Freshman Taliyha Davenport battled at the net for a team-high five blocks and three kills, while sophomore Madison Otter handled the back court with a team-high 24 assists and eight digs.

Before opening district against West last Friday, the Lady Cubs closed out the non-district schedule with a dominating three-set sweep of Bruceville-Eddy at home last Tuesday night

“The win against Bruceville Eddy was a little slow and quiet in the first set,” Holzmann said. “But set two and three were much better.”

Wise led the Lady Cubs with 11 kills, six digs and 11 service receptions, followed by Heim with a team-high 12 service receptions, six kills and five digs, Kennedy with a team-high 10 digs, three service aces and 10 service receptions, Otter with a team-high 25 assists, four service aces, four kills and four digs, as well as Martin with five kills and eight digs.

And in a sign of respect and recognition for what the Clifton volleyball program has accomplished so far this season, the Lady Cubs vaulted into the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s Top 25 poll as the Class 3A’s 11th-ranked squad in the state last week and held that spot this week.

“I’m so excited for the girls to be ranked in the top 25,” Holzmann said. “It just adds to their goals that they have set and made happen. The girls were super excited about the rankings.”