THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD? NEW HOME'S RISE COULD RESHAPE DISTRICT 3-2A VOLLEYBALL
Tuesday night's matchup between New Home and Plains offered a glimpse of what the future of District 3-2A volleyball could look like.
Sometimes you watch a high school sporting event and realize the story unfolding in front of you is much bigger than the final score.
Looking back through my photos from Tuesday night's matchup between the New Home Lady Leopards and the Plains Cowgirls, I couldn't shake the feeling that we may have witnessed the beginning of a changing of the guard in District 3-2A volleyball.
And I'm not necessarily talking about this season.
I'm talking about what comes next.
FROM DEFENDING CHAMPIONS TO A NEW CHALLENGER
Coming into the season, Plains was the defending undefeated district champion. The Cowgirls had established themselves as the team to beat and even with the graduation of standout Ava Garcia, there was reason to believe they could do it again.
I watched Plains and Ropes compete at the Denver City Tournament early this season, and two things stood out.
First, Plains head coach Paige Hauger had done an outstanding job putting the pieces together around reigning two-time District MVP Jade Guetersloh. The Cowgirls looked like a team capable of defending their district championship.
Second, Ropes had all the ingredients of a really good volleyball team. The talent was there. The pieces were there. It was just a matter of putting everything together.
Meanwhile, New Home was embarking on something entirely different.
The Lady Leopards had just launched their volleyball program over the summer, and while there was little question they would be among the most athletic teams in the district, there was one pretty significant obstacle.
Most of these girls had never played much competitive volleyball, if any at all.
They had the athleticism. They had the height. They had the potential.
What they didn't have was experience.
And in volleyball, experience matters.
TUESDAY NIGHT OFFERED A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE
Fast forward to Tuesday night.
New Home swept the junior varsity matchup, and as the varsity teams took the floor, it was impossible to ignore the circumstances surrounding Plains.
Guetersloh was clearly dealing with an injury. Watching her move around the court, it was obvious she wasn't anywhere close to 100 percent.
And that's important context.
This wasn't the same Jade Guetersloh who has terrorized District 3-2A opponents over the past two seasons.
She was battling through an injury and doing what she could to help her team.
But it also gave us a glimpse of what Plains volleyball could look like without it's superstar leading the way.
And that glimpse was New Home coming out victorious.
That shouldn't take anything away from what Coach Hauger has accomplished. Guiding this Plains team to 20 wins, especially with Guetersloh limited recently, has been a tremendous coaching job.
But the reality is that the Cowgirls are facing a significant transition.
Guetersloh, Ivette Magana and Lesly Avila are all set to graduate.
That's a tremendous amount of talent, experience and leadership walking out the door.
And replacing it won't be easy.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ROPES?
Now, before anyone in Ropes gets upset, let me be clear.
The Lady Eagles are the team to beat in District 3-2A right now.
In fact, barring a major upset or two over the final two weeks of the regular season, Ropes is going to win the district championship.
Remember that team I watched in Denver City that had all the pieces but hadn't quite put everything together?
Well, they've figured it out.
But here's where the conversation about the future gets interesting.
Ropes is preparing to graduate an absolutely loaded senior class.
Allye Bandy, one of the top setters in our area, will be gone. So will Brylee Lauderdale, the team's leader in hitting percentage.
Braedyn Reyna, who leads the Lady Eagles in digs, is also a senior, along with Marlee Molina, who leads the team in aces and ranks second in digs.
Add Vivian Gallegos and Annabelle Falls to that list.
That's six seniors, including several players who have been instrumental in the Lady Eagles' success.
There is no question Ropes has built a strong volleyball program, and I wouldn't count out its ability to reload.
But replacing that much production and experience in one offseason is a tall order for anybody.
Which brings me back to New Home.
THE SCARY PART? NEW HOME IS JUST GETTING STARTED.
The Lady Leopards are already competitive in their first season of volleyball.
Think about that for a second.
These girls are learning rotations, defensive responsibilities, offensive timing and the countless little details that experienced volleyball players have spent years developing.
And they're doing it while competing against established programs with players who have been in the gym for years.
Now consider what New Home has coming back.
The Lady Leopards start freshmen at two of the most important positions on the court: setter and libero.
Presley Smith returns next season as an outside hitter, while Lynlee Gandy and Kambry Burk will both be back in the middle.
That's a pretty exciting foundation.
And if you're asking me which player in District 3-2A has the potential to make the biggest jump between now and next season, my answer might surprise you.
Kambry Burk.
I've watched Burk put in the work. She's been taking lessons, spending time developing her game and working to become more than just a tall, athletic presence at the net.
She's already an above-average defender in the middle.
But what excites me most is what she's beginning to figure out offensively.
Her timing is improving. She's learning how to attack. And she's starting to understand how to use her size and athleticism to her advantage.
I genuinely believe Burk has the potential to be the District MVP next season.
That's not a prediction that she's already there. It's a reflection of how high I believe her ceiling is.
And here's the part that should get New Home fans excited.
If Burk and freshman setter Kinleigh Womack spend the offseason in the gym together, developing that connection and learning each other's timing, the Lady Leopards could have an absolutely devastating offensive combination next fall.
There simply aren't many defenders in Class 2A who will be able to consistently slow Burk down if she develops into the offensive player she's capable of becoming.
And with the athleticism New Home has surrounding her, opponents won't be able to focus on just one player.
THE FUTURE OF DISTRICT 3-2A
None of this means New Home is guaranteed to win the district next season.
Volleyball doesn't work that way.
Plains has an established program and a coach who has already proven she can put together winning teams.
Ropes has built a culture of success and will undoubtedly have players ready to step into bigger roles. IE: Lily Greer!
But there's something different about what New Home is building.
Most programs spend years trying to develop the athleticism that the Lady Leopards already have.
New Home has the athletes. It has the size. It has young players gaining valuable varsity experience right now.
What it needs is time.
Time in the gym. Time playing together. Time learning the game.
And every match this season is giving those girls something they simply couldn't have gotten any other way.
Experience.
That's why Tuesday night stood out to me.
It wasn't just a win over the defending district champions.
It was a glimpse of a program beginning to understand what it can become.
Plains has had its run. Ropes looks ready to claim the district crown this season.
But when the 2027 volleyball season rolls around, don't be surprised if everybody in District 3-2A is looking up at the New Home Lady Leopards.
The changing of the guard might already be underway.
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