School of champions: Liberty Hill still alive in football, volleyball state playoffs
LIBERTY HILL — While Liberty Hill volleyball coach Marie Bruce guided her team through drills Tuesday in preparation of the state volleyball tournament, the football team was lifting weights on the other side of campus.
This was a business-as-usual weekday afternoon at Liberty High High, located about 35 miles northwest of Austin. It's the only high school in Central Texas with volleyball and football teams still playing in their respective chases for UIL state championships.
When it comes to high school athletics, Liberty Hill is one of those rare schools that seems to be good at everything. The Panthers are lifted by tradition, community pride and a sense that sports is a hallmark in this town of 21,864 people.
Bruce is the architect of a team that's making its second straight state volleyball appearance. She has either played or coached volleyball since she was 10. A graduate of Connally High and Southwestern University, her two-year record at Liberty Hill is 87-19.
On Friday morning, Liberty Hill (45-8) battles Colleyville Heritage (40-10) in a Class 5A state semifinal in Garland. On Friday night, the football team (7-4) meets Mission Pioneer (10-1) in an area-round playoff game in San Antonio.
"Liberty Hill has high standards, but with a small-town feel," Bruce said. "We have a lot of support and we have high expectations on how these kids succeed in athletics. Our robotics team is going to state, our band went to state. Once one person has success, it bleeds over into every program and it becomes the norm."
Two for two: back at the state tournament
Bruce said she was "shocked" that her Panthers made it to state during her first season with the school in 2022. Admitting she was "just happy to make it to state" last year, Liberty Hill was swept by Frisco Reedy in three easy sets.
Although Bruce said she was surprised her team made it to state again, the Panthers will be better equipped when they face off with Heritage at 11 a.m. Friday at the Curtis Culwell Center.
Five of the team's six seniors have been playing together since they were seventh-graders at Liberty Hill Middle School. They knew something special was in their future when they were called up to the varsity team as sophomores.
More: Liberty Hill beats Rouse to reach state
"In previous (years) we had lost in the first round or whatnot," fiery senior captain Carson Glenn said. "This year everyone is watching film; everyone is doing the best that we can. This is my last year and I want to end it strong."
Liberty Hill enters the state meet riding a 15-game winning streak, including an impressive 25-14, 25-21, 25-22 victory over district rival Rouse in last Saturday's regional finals. Gigi Mason, bound for Vanderbilt, was the Panther of the hour, slamming 14 kills and adding four blocks.
A team of many stars, not just one
But while Mason was the go-to girl against Rouse, this team does not have a singular star, Bruce said. The Panthers rely heavily on consistent contributors such as Glenn (761 assists, 399 digs), Kealy Dirner (399 kills, 441 digs), outside hitter Taylor Gaines (442 kills) and outside hitter Annie Witt (387 kills, 451 digs).
Heavy lifters also include setter Brooklyn Escobar (368 digs), setter Ava Hight (728 assists, 251 digs) and libero Keegan Walton (293 digs), right-side hitter Mason (376 kills, 99 blocks) and middle blocker Ava Kostroun (154 blocks).
"We have a lot of all-around athletes in general," Escobar said. "People see us living out in the country and they don't think we have good athletes, but we have plenty of good people."
No one has had a better view of the school's success than football coach/athletic director Kent Walker, who attends as many Panthers sporting events as the clock allows.
"As the AD, I take great pride in all of our sports being successful," Walker said. "I feel that we have sustained success in our sports due to a great administration, community, coaches, and awesome young men and women. Our athletes understand what it takes to be successful, and their work ethic is second to none."
Faces off the field: Meet Hendrickson guard Niyah Waters
Bruce, meanwhile, said her volleyball team has bonded together in many ways. Each player and coach wears a buddy bracelet with a happy face in the middle. Each player wears a bracelet with a distinctive color that matches one of her teammates. Bruce wears a beige bracelet to match the one she gave to Hight.
Simply put, Panthers with matching colorful bracelets are supposed to look out for each other. Come Saturday, the one color the players hope unites them is gold.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: All-for-one attitude has Liberty Hill on brink of volleyball gold
