Mavericks continue strong start to season

By Tyler Tyre, Times Sports Editor
Posted 8/31/21

“It’s so important for us to leave something behind,” Lamport said. “If you have a strong varsity then you’ll have a strong JV and it keeps going down, then the next year that carries over and you have a strong varsity again. We just want to bring those underclassman and JV players and everyone up and try to build something.”

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Mavericks continue strong start to season

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Morton Ranch is striving for bigger goals this year.

The Mavericks have been rolling out of the gates this season, and it has a lot to do with striving for the same things. Before the season, head coach Gebriela Toussant talked with the team about what they wanted to accomplish and how they would need to work to get there.

“The key thing was ensuring we were on the same page and had the same goals,” Toussant said. “We discussed what needed to be done as a precursor to district and how we can get there.”

The Mavericks (12-7) bring back experience this season with a number of varsity returners and it’s allowed Toussant to coach more advanced things since the start of the season, and the team has a chemistry that goes beyond the court.

“They love each other, these girls do everything together from eating lunch to walking to class and they talk nonstop to each other,” Toussant said. “It’s a very unique group of kids and it’s great to have them. Since they’ve had that varsity experience I have been able to work on the technical stuff and really help them.”

Morton Ranch took on Royal (0-17) on Tuesday and that hot start kept going, as the Mavericks swept the Falcons in three sets: 25-10, 25-6, 25-8.

The match allowed the Mavericks to work on things they’ve been struggling with and to help the team improve going forward.

“We really were working on our communication and our covering, said junior outside hitter Neveah Donahoe. “Sometimes we have trouble getting off the net, but we were able to really work on that a lot this game and it looked good today.”

It didn’t take long for Morton Ranch to impose its will as they jumped out to an early lead and didn’t let up. The Mavericks led for all of the first two sets and only briefly trailed in the third set before getting back on track and completing the sweep.

The Mavericks goal is to compete for a playoff spot this season, and with the experience and chemistry they have, the team believes they are on the right track to do it.

“This is the most positive team I’ve ever been around, we are so hyped and happy,” said senior outside hitter Mallory Lamport. “We are all each other’s biggest cheerleaders, there’s no envying each other or things like that and it makes it to where we can cheer each other on. We’re taking things one day at a time and getting better and being positive.”

Morton Ranch already has wins over district foes Taylor and Mayde Creek during tournament play this season but knows that things will be tougher once district 19-6A play comes along.

“We are so determined to fix our mistakes and be better than last year,” Donahoe said. “There’s a lot of experience on this team and a lot of seniors and we’ve just been encouraged by everything and we are just trying to do everything we can to be successful in district and make it to the playoffs.”

That positivity from seniors has carried over into the entire program, and for this year’s senior class, its bigger than just one season or their careers, they want to leave a legacy behind that younger players can follow.

“It’s so important for us to leave something behind,” Lamport said. “If you have a strong varsity then you’ll have a strong JV and it keeps going down, then the next year that carries over and you have a strong varsity again. We just want to bring those underclassman and JV players and everyone up and try to build something.”

Morton Ranch 3, Royal 0

Morton Ranch: 25 25 25

Royal: 10, 6, 8

Highlights: (MR)  Kyler Maple 2 aces, 14 digs; Sienna Adigun 3 kills; Brittany Aguirre 1 digs; Alexis Scott 1 kill, 2 digs, 2 blocks; Mallory Lamport 10 kills, 3 aces, 5 digs, 1 block; Hadley Hyle 1 kill, 1 ace, 10 digs; Neveah Donahoe 11 kills, 1 ace, 8 digs; Jessica Mendoza 3 kills, 3 aces, 10 digs; Angelica Davis 5 kills, 4 digs, 1 block; Estefania Salazar 2 aces; Records: Morton Ranch 12-7, Royal 0-17.

Katy ISD, Morton Ranch, High School Volleyball, Texas, Royal, Brookshire