Tompkins earns 1st state tourney berth
Tompkins is headed to the state volleyball tournament for the first time in program history after defeating Cinco Ranch in straight sets 25-20, 25-22, 25-18 in an all-Katy ISD Region III-6A championship Saturday afternoon at Delmar Fieldhouse.
The Falcons (41-4, 16-0) will compete in the Class 6A semifinals at either 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. next Friday at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland. The title match is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday. The pairings will be announced by the UIL on Sunday.
“What an accomplishment,” Tompkins head coach Allison Merrell said. “These kids have worked so hard and have been very goal driven all year long. They set the tone on Aug. 1st and said, ‘This is what we want to do,’ and they just accomplished it. I don’t think that they’re finished yet, though.”
There were 15 ties to start the opening set. Cinco Ranch led 15-14 before Tompkins went on a 6-0 run to go up 20-15. The Cougars soon responded with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to one, 21-20, before Cindy Tchouangwa and Tendai Titley scored the final four points to seal the set 25-20.
Cinco Ranch (29-13, 13-3) led 4-2 to start the second set before Tompkins scored the next nine of 14 points to take an 11-9 advantage. Each team went on 3-0 runs before Skyler Skrabanek picked up three kills in a row to give the Falcons a 22-17 lead. After a timeout, the Falcons picked up three more kills, including the setwinner from Tchouangwa, to take the set 25-22.
Cinco Ranch scored the first point for the third set in a row only for Tompkins to score four consecutive points to take a 4-1 lead. The Falcons used a 6-0 run to extend their lead to eight before the Cougars answered with a 3-0 run to cut the deficit to 13-8. But the Cougars were unable to spark another rally, scoring back-to-back points four times before the Falcons stopped each run. The Falcons scored the final four points to win the set 25-18.
Tchouangwa led Tompkins in kills with 16, Titley was next with 11 and Skrabanek added six. Erica Dellesky led the team in assists with 18 followed by Presley Powell’s 17. Titley and Tchouangwa each had 15 digs, and Brooklynn Merrell added 10. Tchouangwa had six blocks, and Callie Funk added two. Merrell had three aces, and Titley and Taylor Hynds each added two.
Tompkins will face either Region I champion Keller Region II champ The Woodlandsor Region IV champ Drippings Springs next Friday in Garland.
Alvaro Montaño
DeWine leads The Woodlands
LUFKIN — When Claire DeWine opened the Region II-6A championship on Saturday with an ace, it was a sign of good things to come for The Woodlands Highlanders.
In a rematch of last year’s five-set loss to Bridgeland, in the same round, and in the same Lufkin ISD Panther Activity Center, The Woodlands prevailed this time.
The Highlanders won 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 and are heading to University Interscholastic League Class 6A tournament for the first time since 2017 and for the fifth time overall.
“I feel like that got me going mentally,” said DeWine, who went on to have seven kills, 17 assists and 16 digs.
Bridgeland (42-9) fell short of a repeat trip to state after it defeated The Woodlands a year ago in five sets. Saturday’s match was its second regional championship in just its fifth season of varsity volleyball.
The Woodlands (43-9) had to survive Friday’s semifinal with Waxahachie in order to earn this moment. The Highlanders trailed the Indians 14-13 in the final set before reeling off three straight points to advance. Rob Tate
Lake Creek nabs first berth in 5A
KATY — With its season on the line Saturday, the third time was the charm for Lake Creek.
After losing to District 21-5A rival Brenham twice during the regular season, the Lions (32-17) prevailed when the stakes were the highest. Lake Creek will make its first UIL state tournament appearance after beating the Cubs, 25-16, 25-18, 25-16, in the Region III-5A championship at the Merrell Center.
“It’s awesome,” Jordan said. “I’ve said it before, but we were inspired by softball (winning state), and our motto was, ‘Why not us?’ Why can’t we be the next one at Lake
Creek to do this? We know we’re capable — it’s just the execution part of it. To put that faith and that belief in them I think is what’s getting us there. It’s just amazing. It’s a surreal feeling.” Jon Poorman