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DOWN TO THE WIRE: Previewing a critical UIL VB State Semis matchup -- Bellville vs. Davenport
Let's just get right into it.
On one of the court, you have the Bellville Brahmas who are enjoying one of the most exemplary seasons they've seen in recent years, from a statistical stand-point -- currently touting a record of 43-5.
Coach Susan Brewer's squad is no stranger to this stage, given that they reached this point in 2022, before falling to eventual State Runner-Up Aubrey.
However, the Brahmanettes have displayed nothing less than sheer dominance throughout this postseason, as they have swept each opponent (FB Willowridge, Burnet, Livingston, and most recently Hargrave) up to this point.
In terms of star-power, take your pick between the likes of Bailey Scheerer (Jr. MB), Sydney McKay (High Point-signee), Rebecca Lucksinger (Jr. MB), Emmy Novicke (Sr. L), and Samantha Marik (Sr. OH).
Bellville is the traditional power in this match-up, having made State appearances in three of the last four years. But, they will have the ambition of claiming the program's first state title since 2005, when they were still in Class 3A.
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However, the new power has unquestionably been that of Davenport.
The reigning UIL-4A Champions picked up right where they left off last year, ranking among the top teams to come out of the San Antonio-area.
Similar to their opponent, the Wolves have been just as commanding entering the State Semis.
They have toppled Eastside EC (3-0), La Vernia (3-0), Calhoun (3-0), and Floresville (3-1) over the course of the past two weeks to make their way back to the Final-Four, improving their record to 39-8 in 2024.
Coach Taylour Toso's rotation has spread the wealth when it comes to overall stats.
In the offensive department, Emily Williams (311 kills) and McKaleigh Mattson (306 kills) run the table.
But if I were to pick an MVP for the team, it would be Alexis Dahl. As it stands, the junior setter has been all over the place, having registered 725 assists, 442 digs, and 267 kills on the year, making her a jack of all trades for Davenport.
Furthermore, Logan Strong (794 digs, 584 receptions), Dakota Hart (339 digs), and freshman Kylie Dahl (259 assists) round out what could be the most balanced crew in the state.
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There's no room for error at this stage, and fans should be in for a show when these two power-programs face off Tuesday night (6:00 pm) at the Austin Burger Center in Sunset Valley, TX.
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LEGACY ON THE MAT: UIL State Wrestling Championship Wrap
The Berry Center was loaded with H-Town representatives this past weekend, as several challengers staked their claim for a UIL State Championship on the wrestling mat.
Not so surprisingly, there were several notable performances which resulted in some hardware.
Big names such as Klein Oak's Rylee Ferranti, Riley Rayome (The Woodlands), Isaac Sheeran (Klein), and Avery Beckman (Friendswood) won their second-consecutive state title, further establishing their legacy as potentially all-time greats.
Of course, there were some first-timers on this list.
Check out who took gold at the UIL state wrestling meet, below.
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UIL Girls Wrestling State Champions
Avery Beckman--Friendswood 5A--185 lbs. **(Back-to-back State Champion)
Riley Rayome--The Woodlands 6A--114 lbs. **(Back-to-back State Champion)
Rylee Ferranti--Klein Oak 6A--185 lbs. **(Back-to-back State Champion)
UIL Girls Wrestling State Runner-Ups
Madison Canales--Foster 5A--132 lbs.
Arriana Beltran--The Woodlands 6A--107 lbs.
Vanessa De La Cruz--The Woodlands 6A--114 lbs.
Alexis Booth--Jersey Village 6A--145 lbs.
Anna Vogt--College Park 6A--145 lbs.
Brooklyn Lawrence--Oak Ridge 6A--152 lbs.
Lumiere Kahongo--Cypress Springs 6A--185 lbs.
UIL Boys Wrestling State Champions
Calo Aron--College Park 6A--126 lbs.
Jackson Herman--Cinco Ranch 6A--132 lbs.
Garrett McChesney--Katy Jordan 6A--138 bs.
Kolton Oborny--College Park 6A--157 lbs.
Isaac Sheeran--Klein 6A--190 lbs. **(Back-to-back State Champion)
Za'Qwaun Nunn--Clear Springs 6A--285 lbs.
UIL Boys Wrestling State Runner-Ups
Cameron Lewis--Terry 5A--285 lbs.
Santiago Ramirez--Houston Westside 6A--113 lbs.
Matteo Nikolov--Tompkins 6A--165 lbs.
Rocco Grazier--Bellaire 6A--175 lbs.