After making a strong run to the Region III-5A semifinals, Cinco Ranch has a strong group returning, but will also have to work in some players that don’t have much varsity experience into the fold. 

The Cougars lost 10 players to graduation (including all-district players like Ali Becker and Mary Beth Allcorn), but have eight players returning from last year’s roster, so head coach Tammy Laurence hopes that the mix of youth and experience can bring more success that the program has seen in the last three years.

“Our team’s attitude has been very, very pleasant and very exciting,” Laurence said. “We have two returning starters in middle blocker Lindsey Miller and setter Erika Chin. As for the rest of them, there’s a bunch of new faces on the varsity team this year.”

Miller, a 6-foot-3 player who has already committed to play at Texas A&M next fall, was all-district last year and is expected to be the team leader for Cinco Ranch. “She’s got a lot of responsibility on the court being the senior and the leader,” Laurence said. “She’s the one everybody is going to be watching.”

With Miller as the team’s returning leader in kills and blocks, other teams will key on her hitting and her blocking. That means that outside hitters like junior Ashley Meyer, junior Rachel Fairbanks and senior Kendall Pfister will have to be strong offensively to take the pressure off of Miller.

“We got some people that are trying to lessen that load (off of Lindsey),” Laurence said. “We have some big shoes to fill, but I think these girls are up to the challenge to fill them.”

The Cougars also have returning players that don’t have a lot of playing time. Backrow players like juniors Jennifer Sanders and Katie Steed will have to step up, as well as a good number of underclassmen.

Cinco is the favorite to win District 17-5A, but Katy is one team that could challenge the Cougars in district play. The other four teams – Mayde Creek, Morton Ranch, Katy Taylor and Seven Lakes – all have new head coaches, so there could be a possible trap lying for Cinco if the Cougars aren’t careful.

“I think we’ll see a different kind of play from the four new coaches,” Laurence said. “Katy is going to be tough, they have almost all of their players back. I’m looking at them and saying, ‘Wow,’ because they were so good last year.”

But before heading into district, there are tough teams for the Cougars in non-district play, like Fort Bend Clements, Cy-Fair and Cypress Woods. Even the Cougars’ first scrimmage on Friday will be tough, as they will host Clements, Cypress Springs and Fort Bend Austin.

 

Subscribe to this comment's feed