QUARTET OF AREA VOLLEYBALL TEAMS PLACE IN VYPE.COM PRESEASON POLLS

FOUR AREA volleyball teams were ranked among the Vype.com Houston area preseason top 25 polls that came out right before the start of regular season play on Tuesday. Defending District 24-6A champion Clear Springs is ranked 13th in the Class 6A poll, as the Chargers bring back seven players who earned all-district honors in 2018, including co-offensive player of the year Shyia Richardson. New coach Alison Kley Williams inherits a loaded Clear Falls squad that comes in 19th. The Knights advanced to the Region III quarterfinals last season and look to further revamp a program that finished second in district play in 2018. In what will be, as usual, a very competitive 24-6A chase, Clear Falls is hoping last year’s run was a springboard to returning to the state finals for the first time since 2014. In Class 5A, Friendswood comes in second in the preseason poll as the Mustangs bring back the bulk of the team that finished 33-15 under coach Sarah Paulk. All-State performer and 22-5A most valuable player Ashlyn Svoboda returns for her junior season along with Houston Baptist University commit Makensy Manbeck provides a lethal presence in the middle. Santa Fe anchors the third spot and will be the biggest threat to Friendswood in 22-5A. The Indians seek a fifth trip to the Region III quarterfinals in the past six seasons. While Santa Fe lost Jillian Gibbs and Kylie Verm, the roster gets refilled with a host of talent from the subvarsity teams who will help Kassidy Tavaes and the rest of the returning players make noise in a wide-open Region III.