2007 Varsity Captains Jessie, Jamie and Holliecia are all smiles about this year's Lady Knights!
New Photos in Photo Albums September 5, 2007 --
Check out the Photo Albums link in the nav bar at left.
Photos added to Varsity and JV team albums.
Varsity Individual Photos Uploaded September 6, 2007 --
Varsity individual photos uploaded; click on Teams link. Select each player to see portrait and selected action shots. Click on action shots to go to Flickr website to see photos and download them if you join Flickr. You may be able to right click on them in Flickr or our website and save that version (size) of the photo but you will have more options (size-wise) if you join Flickr (for free) to save or share the photo.
Programs will be on sale this week!
Victory at Home for all MAC teams against Travis September 14, 2007 --
The Travis Lady Rebels brought energy and a raucous crowd to the McCallum Gym, but the Lady Knights brought a home crowd and three winning teams. The Freshmen won in two, the JV split the first two and came back strong to win ther match and the Varsity swept to keep their District Title goal alive.
Enjoy the slides or go to www.flickr.com and search for "mac volleyball 2007 travis home" to view the photos on Flickr.
2007 Sponsors Coming Online September 20, 2007 --
Special Thanks to all of our Program Sponsors for 2007. Our Full Page Sponsors are now online and those who purchased half page ads will be online soon. Please check these pages and patronize their businesses - be sure to recommend them to your family, friends and neighbors. Tell them your saw their ad in our 2007 McCallum Volleyball Program and thank them for their sponsorship.
It takes a lot of collective effort to have a winning volleyball program. Players, coaches, administrators, parents and fans all play a part in the success. Wednesday night, the McCallum Volleyball Program gathered at Westwood Country Club to celebrate and honor the contributions made and recognize the achievements earned. Special Guests included McCallum Principal Mike Garrison and Athletic Director Pat Honeycutt. They are both staunch volleyball supporters and we thank them for their attendance and support throughout the year. They did not just show up for the banquet, though the food was pretty good.
The 2007 McCallum Knights Volleyball team became District 17-4A Champions, Bi-District Champions, Area Champions and Region 3 Quarterfinalists. Coach Katie Carrasco was selected as Coach of the Year by her fellow coaches in District 17-4A. Those coaches selected eight Varsity Team players for district recognition. Jessie Foore received Most Valuable Offensive Player. Tanisha Johnson was chosen as Newcomer of the Year. First Team All District honors went to Holliecia Brent and Caitlin Ortbal. Second Team All District Honors went to Lauren Murphy and Creel Foore. Janaye Mackey and Jamie Kline received Honorable Mention. Leslie Green, Creel Foore, Jessie Foore, Caitlin Ortbal, Shelby Mcfarlane, Lauren Murphy, Rachel Jackson and Anna Rhodes were Academic All District award winners.
The accolades did not stop there. Members of the McCallum Knights team voted among themselves for their teammates to receive honors. They selected Jessie Foore Most Valuable Player as the player who contributed the most on and off the court. Co-Offensive Players of the Year were Holliecia Brent and Tanisha Johnson. Lauren Murphy was voted Defensive Player of the Year. A special award chosen each year is Knight in Shining Armor, and this year, the honor goes to Janaye Mackey.
Coach Carrasco recognized long hours, hard work and special contributions by Assistant Coaches Caitlin Farley (Freshman Team) and Amy Brodbeck (Junior Varsity Team). She thanked managers Channel Roy and Darrien Williams. She thanked all the Boosters for their support throughout the season, with special mention to Co-Presidents Paula and Glenn Foore for all their work, Deb Wiley and Sharon Fillion for their contributions as team parent, Linda Ortbal formaking sure the players ate well at away games, and all the parents who provided food at home games for the officials and administrators. McCallum won the District Hospitality Award given by officials. This was given earlier in the season for services in the 2006 season, but McCallum has been a winner in this category for many of the previous years, as well.
She then recognized each Senior for their achievements in volleyball and their special contributions to the team, as players and and as unique young ladies who are about to venture beyond McCallum High School. The evening was not over, as all gathered to watch a recap of the season on video produced by Paula Foore.
Post Season Play Ends in Regional Quarterfinal Match November 1, 2007 --
The Lady Knights ran into a very talented volleyball team tonight when they travelled to Cameron YOE High School to play the Montgomery Lady Bears. They lost in three games, 25-22, 25-18 and 25-18, but they were in the match for some of the best volleyball of many of their high school careers. Coach Carrasco prepared them well and the Booster Club outdid themselves with support for the team and the fans, as well. The Knights all had shining moments but found their collective focus to be inconsistent for a win at this level of play. The Lady Bears were strong, but mainly they were consistent, with few errors that would allow the Knights to get back into the games after falling behind 20-15 in each of the last two. It is always tough to come to the end of a season, and for the Seniors, the end of High School Volleyball, but to lose to a team that has the talent and focus of Montgomery is honorable.
The Booster Club is particularly proud of the players and coaches this year. Thank You for all of your hard work and commitment. Thank You for the great moments in sport that you provided and for representing a winning tradition at McCallum. Thank You, Mr. Garrison, for supporting the team the way you always do. You have all, once again, set the bar high for teams that will follow you at McCallum High School.
Visit the web site in the weeks to come to see special edition slide shows and to get the scoop on the Volleyball Banquet. We will celebrate the team's great year for a little while longer. For now, congratulate any player you see, say thanks to the coaches and be proud to be a McFan. It is definitely Knight Time!
October 23, 2007 --
Dramatic Win over Elgin Tuesday Night at the Delco The Lady Knights have now won their 23rd District Championship in the past 25 years, a Central Texas record. This year, they share the title with Elgin, but last night they proved they are champions as they were victorious against the Lady Cats for the second time this year. They now advance to the UIL State Playoffs with a bye in the first round.
If you were there, you know how dramatic the evening was - the fans in blue for McCallum screaming, doing the wave and urging their team to keep going for it. The purple-clad Elgin fans screaming, the students booming "Point Elgin" after every Wildcat score and the back and forth swings in fan emotion apparent as the games unfolded.
But this night in the gym was all about the girls on the court. The Lady Knights came out strong and took the first two games. It seemed as if the Lady Wildcats were done, but they found their stride in the third game. They showed why they, too, are Champions this year. They won the third game and then the fourth. It was all even, with only 15 points left to score for the winner to have the advantage of a first seed in the playoffs. McCallum jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Their Winning Tradition was kept alive in that fifth game.
We are proud of all the girls who played at the Delco last night. Good Luck to the Lady Cats in their playoff quest. They play Huntsville Saturday in the first round. We are so proud of our Lady Knights. Stay tuned for details of their playoff schedule. Read about the game in the Statesman, page C5. Here is a link to television coverage on News 8 Austin last night. GO MAC!
October 19, 2007 --
McCallum Varsity captured the 17-4A District Championship by defeating the Crockett Lady Cougars in three games (25-22, 25-19 and 25-20) at home Friday night. This was the final home game for the regular season, but wait...there's more. Tuesday night at 7:00, the Lady Knights will take on the Elgin Wildcats for seeding in the post-season playoffs. This is a major game. Everyone should not only be there, you should bring at least one person to the game who has not been to a game this season. And urge all those who have only made one or two games to be there, too. Photos are online at www.flickr.com using the search string "mac volleyball 2007 crockett home" and a slide show is provided below! Go Mac!
Hold up that Trophy! We are So Proud of Our District Champs! Go Mac!
McCallum Wins Freshmen, JV and Varsity Matches at Travis October 16, 2007 --
McCallum won at all three levels against the Travis High School Lady Rebels. Freshmen and JV each won two straight and the Varsity dropped the third game before winning in four. Varsity scores were...25-11, 25-12, 23-25, and 25-19.
Mac Smokes Elgin 3-0 October 12, 2007 --
"DISTRICT POWERHOUSE"
Elgin Courier Online, October 11, referring to our McCallum Lady Knights
The Power was in the House. The Crowd was in the game. And the McCallum Lady Knights showed up to claim their share of the District Title - again. Sure, they have to stay focused and defeat two more teams, but this was their statement of power. This team played their heart out. Every player came with their best game, and the crowd screamed for more, again and again. Three dominating games and the Elgin Wildcats were sent back home - 25-16, 25-21, 25-20. We'll see them again October 23 at the Delco Center, if we both win out. WHEN we both win out.
Photos available at www.flickr.com by searching for "mac volleyball 2007 varsity elgin home"
The Lady Knights Manhandle Manor
On Tuesday, October 9th, there was another impressive Lady Knights roadshow. This trip to Manor gave our teams a chance to tune up their game for this Friday's expected battle against Elgin. The Varsity and JV teams won convincingly. The Freshmen put up a great fight, but just weren't quite firing on all cylinders.
Our Varsity team won in three straight games, 25-15, 25-8 and 25-14. The JV team won in two straight games, 25-20 and 25-10. The game scores for the Freshman team were, 23-25, 25-18 and 21-25.
Remember to be at the McCallum Gymnasium this Friday night, October 12th when Elgin makes a trip to our Gym. Wear Blue. Bring a Friend. And be vocal. Bring all your friends!
See the slides below of the Manor games. Photos are on Flickr with search strings of "mac volleyball 2007 Manor away" with Varsity or JV added to get just that team.
October 5, 2007 --
LBJ fought hard but Lady Knights Prevail
The Varsity Lady Knights scores were: 25-19, 25-23, 20-25 and 25-13. LBJ played a good match and our girls gave us plenty to cheer about. Let's consider this a good warmup for next week's clash with Elgin!
Mac Rolls over Reagan in Road Win
The Lady Knights won three straight games at Reagan Friday night to advance their District record, finishing two weeks on the road. They return home to McCallum Gym next Friday night to host the LBJ Jaguars.
September 19, 2007 --
We wish to thank all the Business and Personal Sponsors for the 2007 season of McCallum Volleyball. Each year the Booster Club sells ads in the Volleyball Program that is produced to provide information about the coaching staff, teams and players. It is always full of useful information such as player profiles and team schedules. It has bios for the coaches and Varsity players and photos of the teams and early season action. There are ads purchased by parents, family and friends of the players, many of which are personal messages of support and encouragement. There are also ads from local businesses, many of which were solicited by the players. Thank You to all of the area businesses who spend their hard earned money assisting us in our efforts to support the teams. The money is used to augment the budget for the volleyball program and to provide scholarships for those high school volleyball student athletes who go on to further their educations in schools of higher learning.
This list currently includes our business sponsors for 2007 who purchased full page ads in the Volleyball Program. Business sponsors who purchased half page ads will be added soon. We appreciate all the businesses who advertised in the Volleyball Program. We urge all of the McCallum community to seek out the products and services of these sponsors and let them know we appreciate their support of our school. Don't forget to tell them you saw their ad in the McCallum Volleyball Program and Thanks!
Mac wins on the road against Lanier September 21, 2007 --
McCallum Freshmen, JV and Varsity all brought home wins from Lanier gym, winning all their games to wrap up their Friday night volleyball early. The Varsity prevailed 25-15, 25-9 and 25-15. District play continues next week with road games against Johnston and Reagan.
Here is a Slide.com show or you can view the photos at Flickr by searching for "mac volleyball 2007 varsity lanier away" - Thanks for Stopping by.
Mac takes it to Crockett September 18, 2007 --
McCallum Lady Knights took it to Crockett Tuesday and came home with wins by the Freshmen, JV and Varsity. Only the Varsity dropped a game in the three matches, but they got it together for three straight games to close out the match decisively. They have been thinned by injuries and illness, with Rachel twisting an ankle in pre-game warmups. Those who could take the floor all contributed great games with strong hitting (even though the Lady Cougs did their best to return everything), excellent serving (Go Anna!) and a good showing at the net. All deserve mention, but I have to get to work!
Check out the photos at www.flickr.com with searches for "mac volleyball 2007 crockett away" - you can see just the freshmen by adding "fish" to the search string, the jv by adding "jv" or the varsity by adding "varsity" or just look at them all. Here's a show from Slide.com if you just want to view the varsity shots.
SENIORS 2008
Hot Matches in Elgin (Update, once more, with feeling) September 11, 2007 --
The Lady Knights JV were the only McCallum team to leave Elgin with a win. The Freshmen lost in three and the Varsity dropped their first District match in recent history as the Elgin Wildcats won in four 27-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-20. Jessie pounded 14 kills, Creel added 8 and Tanesha put down 7. Caitlin racked up 44 assists, Lauren put up 3 and Jamie scored 2. Creel led service aces with 3 and Caitlin had 1. Lauren hit the floor for 20 digs, Jessie provided 10 and Creel was there for 9. Tanesha recorded 1 block. And you know what, those are just the stats from the Statesman. Holliecia played a heck of a game, with her high flying kills and strong serves. Tanesha, Holliecia and Janaye were awesome at the net. Jamie Klein played a smart game, with one of her kills fooling all the Wildcats in a slight of hand hit down the net. Leslie Green came on strong when called to fill in back row on a crucial play, making the pass on a serve everyone in the gym knew was going to be hit at her. And Hollis Brent deserves a medal for his nonstop optimistic verbal support from the stands. We love you, Hollis! Everyone played great games, but the mental lapses and particularly, the missed serves, gave the Wildcats openings to win those close games. Needless to say, we were not that impressed with the attitudes expressed and some of the comments from the "Home" side of the stands. We urge all McCallum fans to exhibit sportsmanlike behavior toward all opponents (coaches, players and fans) at all times. This may well will set up a very serious rematch for the District title on October 12, provided there are no more losses. Keep the focus, especially this Friday against Travis. Everyone needs to be in our house every home game to support the Lady Knights. Plan now to be there. Bring a neighbor, be loud and get ready for some Mac Volleyball.
Here are two shots from the JV victory. To see photos of JV and Varsity go to www.flickr.com and search for mac volleyball 2007 elgin away and you will be able to view them. Once you have the search results you can view the photos in a slideshow, click on individual photos to view them or join Flickr to see and download other sizes of the photos from thumbnails to the original size. Your comments on the photos are welcome.
MAC teams win matches against Manor September 7, 2007 --
It is always an exhausting affair when the Manor Mustangs come to McCallum, but the Freshmen, JV and Varsity were all victorious in their matches. This little guy held out as long as he could but the excitement wore him out.
Old News - Statesman Article Online about Lady Knights
In case you missed it (like I did), I googled our team name and found this article by Butch Hart in the online version of the Austin American Statesman. You have to join the Statesman Online to view it, but it is a good recap of the Leander match. Bob
McCallum Lady Knights ranked 19th in State Poll September 11, 2007 --
The McCallum Lady Knights varsity has been ranked 19th in the State in Class 4A by the Texas Girls Coaching Association. This is a weekly poll throughout the season produced by the coaches. The link to the the TGCA can be found in Lady Knight Links. Way to go Mac!
MAC JV plays well against St. Stephen's School August 16, 2007 --
Our JV lost a match to the St. Stephen's Spartans at home but they played with poise and determination. Check out the slides that show hustle and strong play. Go MAC!
MAC Varsity wins in four games August 16, 2007 --
The Lady Knights won their opening home match against St. Stephen's. Scores for the four games were 25-13, 25-22, 19-25 and 25-19. Team photos will be taken today and a team party will follow. Way to go MAC!
First Preseason Matches August 15, 2007 --
Our Lady Knights Varsity lost matches to Westlake and Leander High Schools Tuesday night at Leander. Their first match against Westlake was never close as they dropped three straight and were clearly overpowered by the size, skill and experience of the 11 seniors for the Chaps. Immediately after the Chaps, they took on the Lions. This match gave the Lady Knights a chance to show their talents, though they lost in four games. Our hats are off the the Mac for their grit in these matches. There were some serious blocks, hits and digs seen amidst the onslaught of booming shots by the middles from Westlake and Leander. Next up, St. Stephens Thursday night in our house. GO MAC!
Photos from the Westlake and Leander varsity matches
Varsity Scenes from the Pflugerville Scimmage August 12, 2007 --
Check out these shots!
