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THE POWER RANKINGS: Dripping Springs ends regular season atop the rankings
The 2024 Texas high school volleyball regular season is in the books. Teams played one last district match last Tuesday, there were a smattering of seeding or playoff warm-up matches, and that was it.
District 26-6A Champion Dripping Springs cemented its spot as “regular season champions,” turning away a game Austin High squad in four tight sets to sweep their season series. Since the Maroons hung so tough twice with the Tigers and also held off Johnson twice earlier in the season, they finished #2 and #3 on the podium in our poll. Wimberley cruised to fourth place and 25-6A champ Vandegrift rounds out the Top 5.
Everyone in 6h through 10th stayed where they were last week. And it almost even makes sense. Cedar Park beat Liberty Hill in two very close matches; the Lady Panthers did the same thing to Georgetown, who held off Weiss in their seeding match to claim a district title. Round Rock held serve to remain in the rankings.
So, as the dust settles on the regular season, here’s a look at our final Top 10 of 2024. Even as you read this, the playoffs are under way. All the discussion and debate give way to real results as the best high school volleyball teams in Texas will settle it all themselves on the court.
Just as it should be.
VYPE's Public School Volleyball Rankings
1. (1) Dripping Springs Tigers (6A) -- 45-2 (W 3-1 v. Austin High, swept Gran Oaks)
2. (2) Austin High Maroons (6A) -- 39-6 (L 3-1 v. Dripping Springs)
3. (3) Buda Johnson Jaguars (6A) – 38-6 (swept Steele)
4. (4) Wimberley Texans (4A) – 36-3 (swept Canyon Lake)
5. (5) Vandegrift Vipers (6A) – 29-14 (swept Vista Ridge)
6. (6) Cedar Park Timberwolves (5A) – 29-15 (swept Rouse)
7. (8) Liberty Hill Panthers (5A) – 38-8 (swept Lockhart, L 3-2 vs. Vista Ridge)
8. (10) Georgetown Eagles (5A) – 39-8 (swept Pflugerville, W 3-1 vs. Weiss)
9. (9) Round Rock Dragons (6A) – 32-14 (swept Cedar Ridge)
10. (10) Weiss Wolves (5A) – 37-11 (swept Connally, L 3-1 @ Georgetown)
VYPE/ESPN Austin Central Texas Game of the Week Preview: Austin High vs. Bowie
Several Austin High fans predicted at their scrimmage vs. Brandeis in mid-August that the game against Bowie was going to determine the final playoff spot out of District 26-6A. They were exactly right.
With Westlake, Dripping Springs and Lake Travis all locked into the postseason, the Maroons and Bulldogs will duke it out in what amounts to an elimination game Friday night (11/1) at House Park in the VYPE Central Texas High School Football Game of the Week, simulcast on 102.7 FM ESPN Austin radio.
Bowie has had more success in recent years. The Bulldogs (2-3, 6-3) have played nine straight weeks, with their Bye coming next week, so it’s “do or die” for the Dawgs. While Westlake and Lake Travis handled them with relative ease, Bowie nearly knocked off Dripping Springs, falling 38-35 on October 11th.
Senior quarterback Cruz Tello (99-163, 1,620 Yds., 18 TDs, 6 INTs) and senior running back Kayson Mathabela (130-680, 5.2 YPC, 11 TDs) power a Bowie offense that’s racked up 33 points per game.
Austin High (2-2, 4-4) also fell to both Westlake and Drip by identical 49-7 scores and will close out the regular season against Lake Travis. (The Maroons could technically lose to Bowie and upset Lake Travis but the Bulldogs would have the tiebreaker.)
Senior running back Bryson Batts (72-603, 8.4 YPC, 7 TDs rushing; 16-323, 20.2 YPC, 3 TDs) keys the Maroons offense with senior quarterback John Latham (56-123, 799 Yds., 6 TD, 9 INT) under center.
Westlake and Lake Travis met last week in the “Battle of the Lakes” and Dripping Springs beat everyone else they had to beat to punch their ticket. That means it’s Austin High vs. Bowie in a clash between two Austin ISD mainstays to see who will move on to the playoffs.
What: Austin High vs. BowieWhen: 7:00 Pregame, 7:30 Kickoff
Where: House Park
Who: David Roy, Paul Longoria, James Scott
Watch: https://www.vype.com/7-30pm-football-austin-high-vs-bowie-2669496638
Listen: 102.7 FM ESPN Austin, https://www.1027espn.com/
Note: While we broadcast for both schools, just the Austin High broadcast will be simulcast on radio as they are the Home Team.