Hays outside hitter Sydney Paradeaux pounds down a kill during the Lady Rebs’ runner-up finish at the Rebel Bash. Both Paradeaux and Kaylea Beck were named All-Tournament for Hays. (Photo by Gerald Castillo)
by JASON GORDON
The Hays High volleyball team has more than proven it’s ready for district play.
The Lady Rebels are on fire heading into Friday’s District 27-4A opener against defending league champion Smithson Valley High at Bales Gym.
The Lady Rebs have won 13 of their last 15 matches, including a second-place finish in the Gold Bracket of the Rebel Bash over the weekend.
Hays cruised through its own tournament without dropping a set before losing two in a row to eventual Gold Bracket champion Pflugerville Hendrickson. The Lady Rebels took the first set from Hendrickson, but eventually lost the match 12-25, 25-19, 25-13.
Hays improved its overall season record to 19-11 with a strong showing at the Rebel Bash.
“Of course I’m disappointed we didn’t win the whole thing, because we are playing so well right now and we’re all competitive people,” Hays head coach Erica Walther said. “But overall I’m very pleased with the way this team has come together heading into district. We’re playing some very good volleyball right now.”
Hays cruised through its Thursday competition at the Rebel Bash.
The Lady Rebels hammered Antonian’s JV 25-13, 25-5, and easily beat Regents 25-17, 25-7 in pool play.
In Thursday’s bracket play, Hays beat McCallum 25-14, 25-10 behind a balanced hitting attack. Kaylea Beck had seven kills, Sydney Paradeaux had five, and Kelsea Sadler, Hannah Ramsey, Emily Clark and Rachel Normand had three kills apiece for the Lady Rebs.
Hays finished off Thursday’s action with a 25-16, 25-10 win over Austin-St. Andrews. Ramsey’s 15 assists and Paradeaux’s seven kills helped lead the way for the Lady Rebels.
On Saturday, Hays beat San Antonio-Incarnate Word 25-16, 25-15 behind 10 kills and eight digs apiece from Paradeaux and Beck, and 20 Ramsey assists.
Hays then faced its toughest test of the tournament against Class 2A giant Poth, the state runner-up at that level in 2010, which regularly makes a habit of knocking off Class 4A and Class 5A schools.
The Lady Rebels were up to the task, however, beating Poth 26-24, 25-21 behind Beck’s 10 kills and 13 digs. Clark, Normand and Ramsey finished the match with two aces apiece to lead the Hays service game.
The Lady Rebels advanced to the Gold Bracket semifinals, where they shook off a sluggish start and rolled to another victory 25-19, 25-7.
Paradeaux had nine kills and Beck and Clark added six more apiece to lead the Lady Rebel offensive attack.
In the Gold Bracket finals against Hendrickson, the Lady Rebs got off to a fast start with a 25-12 first-set win, but after a close second set loss 25-19, the Lady Hawks pulled away for a 25-13 win in the third set to secure the Rebel Bash title.
“We fought hard, we just ran out of steam a little bit in the last match against Hendrickson,” Walther said.
Sadler said she couldn’t wait for the district season to begin on Friday.
“It’s beyond exciting to see this team playing this well together,” Sadler said. “We’ve definitely picked up our energy on and off the court. We have amazing fans and we are playing the best we have all season right now.”
Hays and Smithson Valley are scheduled to begin the 27-4A season Friday night at Bales Gym at 6 p.m.
