District play begins Friday, who’s making it out of the ‘District of Doom,’ aka 26-6A

By Michael Adams
madams@austinsportsjournal.com

For several districts in the Greater Austin Area, the road to the postseason begins Friday.

The nine-team District 25-6A is two weeks into district play with Vandegrift currently atop the standings with a 4-0 district record. The Vipers hold a one-game lead over Round Rock and Hutto and 1½ -game lead over Cedar Ridge and Vista Ridge.

The unfortunate reality for the four teams from 25-6A that make it to the postseason is that a team from District 26-6A, also known as the “District of Doom,” awaits in the first round.

As arguably the toughest volleyball district in the state, 26-6A features two teams ranked in the Top 5 in Class 6A by the Texas Girls Coaches Association – No. 1 Dripping Springs (33-1) and No. 4 Austin High (30-3).

Bowie (16-5) is ranked No. 24 in the state poll, while traditional volleyball powerhouses Westlake (19-13) and Lake Travis (16-15) are on the upswing after tough non-district competition and missing key players.

Then there’s the surprise – Del Valle (14-8).

The Cardinals are one of the better stories in the early season and would be a playoff team in any other district. However, it’s going to be an uphill road to the postseason for upstart Del Valle, which opens district play at Westlake on Friday.

The parody is six of the seven teams have records above .500, but only four will make the playoffs. The other two will be left out.

So, who’s making it out of the “District of Doom?” Here’s our thoughts:

Sure bets: Dripping Springs and Austin High

The Tigers and Maroons are safe picks for the postseason. Dripping Springs is the heavy favorite to win the district championship but might get a challenge from Austin High. Behind USC pledge Riley Malloy, the Maroons have proven time and time again they are a legit player.

Austin High opens district play Friday at home against Bowie and then hosts Westlake on Tuesday. The matchups against Dripping Springs are Oct. 4 at Dripping Springs and Oct. 29 at Austin High.

Safe bet: Westlake

The Chaparrals record is a tad deceiving. Westlake has been without Lily Davis, who just won a beach volleyball world championship. Davis rejoined the team this past Friday in the Chaps’ loss to Georgetown. There’s no doubt Westlake is a different team when Davis is on the court. But she’s not the only noticeable absence this season. Sophomore setter Emerson Butler has been out all season and there’s no timeline for her return. However, on paper, a healthy Westlake team is right on par with Dripping Springs and Austin High.

The battle for the final playoff spot

Should the district play out the way it looks on paper, the final playoff spot will come down to Bowie and Lake Travis. The Cavaliers will run the gauntlet beginning on Sept. 20 at home against Austin High and then host Dripping Springs on Sept. 24. After that, two road games at Bowie (Sept. 27) and Westlake (Oct. 1) await.

The Bulldogs start with the gauntlet right out of the gate at Austin High on Friday before traveling to Dripping Springs on Tuesday. We predict Lake Travis’ momentum, should the Cavs keep building it, will become the deciding factor. So, we’re going with the Cavaliers for the fourth playoff spot.

The crazy thing is, whichever team ends up on the outside would likely be a playoff team in any other district in Region IV.

Other district races to watch

Anderson’s Parker Duncan (4) serves during a volleyball match at Westlake High School on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

District 24-5A and 25-5A promise to have contested district championship races between the top teams.

In 24-5A, McCallum entered the season as the favorite, but rival Anderson may have something to say about that. The Trojans have went 11-9 with a brutal non-district schedule, which included several teams from their old district – 26-6A. Anderson, behind senior Parker Duncan, may have just enough to overtake their rival for the district crown. We’ll find out on Sept. 24 as the Trojans host McCallum in the first of two meetings.

The other race that has emerged as one to watch is 25-5A, with Cedar Park looking more like a threat to defending champion Liberty Hill. The Timberwolves on Tuesday defeated a Georgetown team that just beat the Panthers and Westlake in back-to-back games. Cedar Park is playing arguably the best volleyball in the area and has emerged as a possible hurdle for the Liberty Hill’s claim to another district championship. The first meeting between the two teams is Sept. 24 at Liberty Hill.

District 24-4A promises to be fun

A preview of the District 24-4A championship took place on Aug. 31 when Salado defeated Gateway Prep 2-1 in a tournament championship match. The Eagles (23-6) and Gators (17-3) are heavy favorites in 24-4A and currently have the best records among the seven teams in the district.

Marble Falls (16-10) and Jarrell (15-10) will likely be the other two playoff teams, but Burnet (12-12) has the potential to shake up that race.

Still, circle the dates of Sept. 20 at Salado and Oct. 15 at Gateway for the Salado-Gateway showdowns. Those two games promise to determine who sits on the throne as district champion.

Glenn is flying under the radar

Glenn’s MC Brandl gets a dig during recent volleyball action at Glenn High School in Leander, Texas. (Photo courtesy of Sonny Zepeda and A2Z Media)

There’s been a few teams that show a lot of promise in the first month of the season, but one in particular might be one to keep an eye on – Glenn (14-18). The Grizzlies have pulled off a couple of eye-opening upsets in non-district play and look like a potential playoff team.

Led by the Austin Sports Journal’s current player of the week, MC Brandl, Glenn upset Bowie at home last week, which started a three-game winning streak the Grizzlies will carry into Friday’s district opener against Leander at home.