Decatur junior setter Lexie Miller sprints to keep the ball in play at the net during practice session Monday. The Lady Eagles — the defending 4A Division I state champions — will open the season on the road against Celina 6 p.m. Tuesday. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER
As the start of the 2025 season quickly approaches next week, Wise County’s volleyball teams will get ready by competing in scrimmage contests this weekend.
Decatur
Decatur will take part in a road tuneup against Granbury and Peaster 9 a.m. Friday at Granbury High School. The Lady Eagles will then face Paradise, Argyle Liberty Christian and Northwest in a home scrimmage 9 a.m. Saturday.
Decatur will officially begin its season with a battle against playoff rival Celina 6 p.m. Tuesday at Celina High School.
Last season, the Lady Eagles finished 32-13 in coach Stormi Snider’s first campaign.
Decatur went 12-2 in District 7-4A play, and claimed the league’s top seed in the 4AI playoffs. The Lady Eagles claimed the league title with a 5-set road win over former coach Catherine Foerster and first-year Eagle Mountain.
In the postseason, the Lady Eagles earned wins against Fort Worth Carter-Riverside, Graham, Hereford, Canyon West Plains and Celina to punch its ticket back to the state title match.
Decatur remained perfect in state championship matches, defeating Bellville 3-1 in the 4AI state final — marking the Lady Eagles’ second state championship win over the Brahmanettes (2013).
Bridgeport
The Bridgeport Sissies are hoping the program’s lessons learned during a tough 2024 campaign will pay dividends this season.
Bridgeport will begin its third season under coach Christina Rudiger on its home court, as the Sissies host a scrimmage against Bowie, Fort Worth Carter-Riverside and Chico 2 p.m. Friday.
The Sissies will also take on Poolville and Tolar in a road tuneup 10 a.m. Saturday at Poolville High School.
Bridgeport’s first match of the season is a road battle against Fort Worth Trimble Tech 5 p.m. Tuesday.
In 2024, the Sissies (2-36) missed the postseason cut after placing seventh in 7-4A. Bridgeport posted a 2-12 record in league play, earning both wins in 5-set victories against Castleberry.
Boyd volleyball coach Clark Oberle hits the ball against senior outside hitter Addy Delgado in a practice session Monday inside Boyd High School gym. Last season, the Lady Jackets earned the program’s third state tournament trip, ultimately falling to Stockdale 3-1 in the 2024 3A Division II state championship match. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER
Boyd
Earning its third trip to the state tournament last season, Boyd will look to cap off coach Clark Oberle’s final season with his third career state championship.
The Lady Jackets face Alvarado, Holliday and Lindsay in a home scrimmage 9 a.m. Friday, and will travel to face Krum in its final preseason warmup 9 a.m. Saturday.
Boyd will host a season-opening dual match against Sanger and Glen Rose 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Finishing second in 10-3A behind Ponder last season, the Lady Jackets caught fire in the 3AII playoffs, knocking out Duncanville Village Tech, Blue Ridge, West Rusk, Big Sandy Harmony and Tolar to punch its first ticket back to the state final since 2018.
Despite riding a 10-game win streak, Boyd fell to Stockdale 3-1 in the 3AII state championship match.
Oberle announced his plans to retire after the 2025 season last month. He became Boyd’s coach in 2022, and previously led Argyle (2015) and Decatur (2018) to 4A state titles.
Paradise
After making the program’s deepest playoff run in 2024, the Paradise Lady Panthers will seek to build off its momentum from last season and challenge the 7-4A hierarchy for one of the league’s top playoff bids.
The Lady Panthers are slated to scrimmage Sanger and Pottsboro 6 p.m. Friday at Sanger High School, and will Decatur, Argyle Liberty Christian and Northwest in its final scrimmage 9 a.m. Saturday at Decatur High School.
Paradise’s season-opener will be a road dual match against Windthorst and Wichita Falls Legacy 4 p.m. Tuesday at Windthorst High School.
The Lady Panthers are under new leadership this season, as former assistant coach Cali Springer was promoted after former coach Makala Rogers departed to take the same position at Alvord.
In Rogers’ second and final season at Paradise, the Lady Panthers (22-20, 7-5) were third in district play behind Ponder and Boyd. Paradise secured a pair of gold ball trophies with wins over Cedar Hill Trinity Christian and Bells before falling to Big Sandy Harmony in the 3AII Region II semifinals.
Alvord
The Alvord Lady Bulldogs missed their opportunity to grab a playoff berth last season. But a coaching change made during the spring has the team believing the program can find its way back to the postseason in 2025.
Alvord coach Rogers’ first campaign with the Lady Bulldogs will begin with a home warmup against Bryson and VCA 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The Lady Bulldogs open up their season on the road Tuesday, facing Valley View 6 p.m. at Valley View High School.
In former coach Kinly Walker’s second and last year with Alvord, the Lady Bulldogs (20-21) placed fifth in 9-2A with a 0-8 record.
Chico sophomore setter/right side hitter Camryn Sides dives for a dig attempt during practice Tuesday. The Lady Dragons start the 2025 season against Jacksboro 6 p.m. Tuesday at Jacksboro High School. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER
Chico
Following four straight first-round playoff exits, the Chico Lady Dragons will try to take the next step in coach Susie Burt’s sixth season.
Chico will face Bridgeport, Bowie and Fort Worth Carter-Riverside in its first scrimmage 2 p.m. Friday. The Lady Dragons return home Saturday to welcome Perrin-Whitt and Prairie Valley at 9 a.m.
The Lady Dragons kick-off the 2025 season against Jacksboro 6 p.m. Tuesday at Jacksboro High School.
Last season, Chico (25-15) was fourth in 9-2A at 2-6 — behind Lindsay, Poolville and Graford. The Lady Dragons were swept out of the 2AII bracket by Collinsville in the first round.
Northwest
The Northwest Lady Texans learned a lot in their first season competing at the 6A level in 2024. Now, the team hopes to secure its first playoff bid in the state’s highest conference.
Northwest hosts Denton Guyer and Lebanon Trail in a scrimmage 9 a.m. Friday, and will face Decatur, Argyle Liberty Christian and Paradise in a road tuneup 9 a.m. Saturday at Decatur High School.
The Lady Texans welcome Argyle for their season home-opener 6 p.m. Tuesday.
In coach Jennifer Chandler’s eighth season, the Lady Texans (25-13) missed the 2024 6A playoffs after placing fifth in 4-6A at 8-8.
VCA
Competing in their second season as a TAPPS program, the VCA Lady Patriots hope to use a disappointing ending last season as fuel for the new campaign.
The Lady Patriots’ lone preseason matchup is against Alvord and Bryson 4:30 p.m. Friday at Alvord High School.
VCA will hit the road to start the 2025 season, facing Weatherford Christian School 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The Lady Patriots went 22-6-1 in coach Stacey Morales’ third year, and tied Nazarene Christian Academy for the top seed in District 2 at 13-1. VCA fell to the second playoff seed after losing the tiebreaker in four sets.
VCA’s inaugural TAPPS postseason trip was cut short after suffering a 3-1 first-round loss to Lubbock Southcrest Christian.
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