Before the high school volleyball season began, District 31-6A coaches targeted PSJA High as the team to beat in their district.
Nearly midway through the district season, the Bears are confirming those prognostications.
PSJA, with a 17-8 overall record according to the poll, made its debut in the latest Texas Girls Coaches Association Poll, appearing at No. 25 in Monday’s newest rankings.
“It’s definitely a blessing,” fourth-year head coach Carolina Cuellar said. “These girls have worked hard and have truly connected together as a team. They understand there’s a still al lot of work that needs to be done and every match will be a battle.”
The Bears are 6-0 in the district and have a pair of big matches this week, against playoff contenders Edinburg North today and Edinburg High on Saturday. The Saturday match will end the first round of district play.
Harlingen High remained ranked this week at No. 19. The Cardinals, considered among the favorites to win District 32-6A, plays another favorite, Los Fresnos, today.
Four teams remain ranked in the wild District 31-5A. Sharyland Pioneer remains the highest-ranked RGV team in any class at No. 7 with a 26-2 record. The Diamondbacks defeated No. 21 McAllen High in five sets last week, giving the Bulldogs back-to-back district losses for the first time since the 2015 season. No. 23 McAllen Rowe beat McAllen High in the previous match.
Sharyland High defeated McAllen Rowe in a five-setter Saturday, four days after McAllen Memorial defeated Sharyland High, also in five, the previous Tuesday. Sharyland dropped out of the Class 5A poll this week.
Today, McAllen Memorial plays at McAllen High, while Rowe travels to Pioneer as the “Power 5” teams in that district beat on each other for the four playoff spots available. Memorial and Pioneer are the only two teams undefeated in District 31-5A play, each at 3-0.
Mission Veterans Memorial, despite dropping a five-set non-district match to Edinburg North, sat at No.19 with a 20-6 record.
San Isidro remained solid at No. 9 in the Class 1A/2A poll with a 22-4 mark.