Young Tomball set for another title charge
a tough road anyway.
“When we step on the court with Stratford, Ridge Point and Tomball Memorial, it’s going to be who’s ready to play that night and who’s going to make the least amount of mistakes,” Wallace said.
“I think us four are probably about equal now.”
Tomball faces Ridge Point, Stratford and Tomball Memorial back to back to back, starting Sept. 27, but first things first.
The young Cougars need a strong start to catapult them into those showdowns.
“It’s always important to start your district with a win,” Wallace said.
“That sets the tone for your play in district, and it lets everybody else know that you’re ready.”
The key players are senior middle blocker Hope Forsythe, sophomore libero Brooke Green, junior setters Katy Boehnke and Molly Morrison, and senior outside hitters Allie Harman and Holly Jones.
Forsythe, a fourthyear varsity player who recently committed to McNeese State, is the kills leader.
“She knows how we run things, she knows the tradition and the loyalty, and she is a dynamic player,” Wallace said.
“She can turn a match around. If she’s playing really well, she’s going to be the bright spot for us and she’s going to be our team leader, and she’s the person that we’re going to most of the time.”
Wallace said Green’s club experience this offseason is paying off.
“You can tell that she has really improved, and she’s playing well for us now,” Wallace said
Boehnke and Morrison run the team’s 6-2 offense.
They were splitting time with junior Tara Jenkins, a transfer from Arlington Martin, but Jenkins strained an MCL in the Kingwood tournament and hasn’t returned. She was expected to have an MRI on the knee this week to determine when she’ll return, hopefully before the playoffs.
“I’m just hoping that she’ll be able to come back,” Wallace said.
Harman and Jones, the outsides, both missed time with injuries last year, and they were behind an experienced group, so they’re still growing.
So is sophomore MB Marie Pierce, who was on junior varsity last season.
But the Cougars are still in the hunt thanks to enthusiasm, hard work – and tradition.
“Defense has probably been our strongest point so far,” Wallace said. Jason McDaniel is a freelance writer who can be reached at jasonrmcdaniel@ outlook.com.