Thrilling finish wins championship

The district championship was on the line. Wimberley had the lead by one, 15-14, in the fifth and final set. A point for the Texans would win. A point for Boerne would tie the game. The Greyhound’s best player, Jasmine Nelson, saw the ball float in the air above the net.

“We had been trying to keep the ball out of her area all night,” Volleyball Head Coach Stephanie Barthels said.

At the same time, Wimberley’s Rayna Pack knew she has to be aggressive on defense.

“I have been telling her that all season,” Barthels said.

Nelson tried to tip the ball over the net, but Pack jumped in the way blocking the ball back to Boerne’s side of the court. As the ball rolled down Nelson’s arm and hit the ground, the Texans had done it. Wimberley won back-to-back district championships. They finished.

“We have been practicing finishing all year,” Barthels said. “Even last year, we had trouble finishing close matches. We made sure this year was going to be the year we finished things, and they have made that a main goal for them. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Wimberley had been waiting for this game since their heart-breaking loss to Boerne during the first match up in district. The game lived up to the hype as a different team won each set. In the thrilling five set game, the Greyhounds won the first set 18-25. The Texans won the second set 25-20. The sets would continue to volley back and forth between the two teams all the way down to the 16-14 fifth set victory for the Texans.

Leading the team in kill was Payton Knight and Paige Crawford with 12 each while Brina Jones held down the defensive end with nine blocks.

With the district championship in tow, the Texans will square off with the Burnet Bulldogs in Johnson City Tuesday in the Bi-District round after the Wimberley View’s time of press. The winner will play the winner of the Needville-La Grange game on Friday for the Area Championship.