BY GALEN WELLNICKI

 The high school volleyball season is gaining momentum after tryouts and a couple days of practice as teams such as the Georgetown Lady Eagles, starting their 16th campaign under coach Jenny Richardson, face Friday and Saturday scrimmages before opening the regular season Tuesday with a 6 p.m. homecourt test against Leander.

 On Friday the Lady Eagles, who are expected to be in a three-way battle with Pflugerville Weiss, down from Class 6A, and Pflugerville Hendrickson for the 23-5A title and state playoff seedings, will compete in a four-team scrimmage at Austin Westlake on Friday and their own four-team challenge at Eagle Gym on Saturday.

 The Lady Eagles, who bested Hendrickson in a playoff for top seeding last year in 24-5A, will face Cedar Park (noon), Westwood (1 p.m.) and San Marcos (3 p.m.) on Friday and then return home for challenges presented by Hendrickson (9:30 a.m.), Round Rock Stony Point (11:30 p.m.) and Austin Vandegrift (12:30 p.m.).

 All three Georgetown sub-varsity teams will be in action in the scrimmages as well (see schedules below).

 Although coming off a 33-16 year in which they tied Hendrickson for the 24-5A title at 13-1, swept the Hawks, 3-0, in the district playoff and advanced to the area round of the state playoff before being upset by Montgomery, 3-2, GHS was not ranked in the Texas Girls Coaches Association preseason poll despite returning nine players from last season on this year's 11-girl varsity roster. At least eight of the returnees were key performers last season, including 6-foot-5 senior hitter Addy Gaido, a University of Texas commit with a career total of more than 1,000 kills, 6-1 senior middle blocker Mckenzie Bernard and 5-8 senior libero Raegan Ramirez. Bernard is a two-time district blocker of the year and Ramirez made a school-record 868 digs last year.

 In addition to Tuesday's opener with Leander, the GHS varsity will compete in its first of three regular-season tournaments this week -- the Georgetown/East View/Leander High School tournament on Thursday through Saturday.

 Aside from the 11 players on the varsity, the tryouts reduced a large group of candidates to 39 players on the three sub-varsity teams --junior varsity, JV Flex and Freshman A. Shelbi Goode and Jason Allgood return as JV and Freshman A coaches, respectively, while Ashlen LaCanne, up from Benold Middle School, will replace Lacey Blissit as the JV Flex mentor. They will also serve as varsity assistants along with Kate Strahan.

 "We had nearly 75 people in the tryouts," said Richardson on Tuesday afternoon after the candidates were notified by of their status -- in or out of the program. "For me, today is the hardest day of the season, having to let a number of girls go. It is the worst part about coaching."

 "We're excited about what we saw during the tryouts. We feel we'll be ready in what should be a highly competitive race between us, Hendrickson, Weiss and East View. Several our matches could be a fight to the death."

  District 23-5A will be a seven-team alignment that will also include Pflugerville High, Pflugerville Connally and Elgin. Two of last year's district opponents -- Bastrop and Bastrop Cedar Creek -- have been moved into a new 24-5A with six Austin ISD schools. District 23-5A and 24-5A will be paired in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

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SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULES

FRIDAY AT WESTWOOD

VARSITY (Court 1) -- 11 a.m.-noon: San Marcos vs. Westwood. Noon-1 p.m. -- GEORGETOWN vs. Cedar Park. 1-2 p.m. -- GEORGETOWN vs. Westwood. 2-3 p.m. -- Cedar Park vs. San Marcos. 3-4 p.m. -- GEORGETOWN vs. San Marcos. 4-5 p.m. -- Cedar Park vs. Westwood.

(45 minute-scrimmage with continuous clock, after 3-min pepper, 5-minute team hit, 5-minute team hit, 2-minute service (both teams same time).

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JV (Court 2) -- 11 a.m.-noon -- GHS vs. Cedar Park. 2-3 p.m. -- GHS vs. Westwood. 4-5 p.m. -- GHS vs. San Marcos.

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JV/FLEX (Court 3) -- 11 a.m.-noon -- GHS vs. Cedar Park. 2-3 p.m. -- GHS vs. Westwood. 4-5 p.m. -- GHS vs. San Marcos.

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FRESHMAN B (Court 4) -- Noon-1 p.m. -- GHS vs. San Marcos. 1-2 p.m. -- GHS vs. Westwood. 4-5 p.m. -- GHS vs. Cedar Park.

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SATURDAY AT GEORGETOWN

VARSITY

(Court 1, Eagle Gym) -- 8:30-9:30 p.m. -- Stony Point vs. Vandegrift. 9:30-10:30 p.m. -- GEORGETOWN vs. Hendrickson. 10:30-11:30 p.m.-- Hendrickson vs. Vandegrift. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. -- GEORGETOWN vs. Stony Point. 12:30-1:30 p.m. -- GEORGETOWN vs. Vandegrift. 1:30-2:30 p.m. -- Stony Point vs. Hendrickson.

(47-minute scrimmage with continuous clock after 3-minute pepper; 5-minute home hit/serve; 5-minute visitor hit/serve).

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JUNIOR VARSITY

(Court 2, Eagle Gym) -- 8:30-9:30 a.m. -- GHS vs. Hendrickson. 10:30-11:30 a.m. -- GHS vs. Stony Point. 1:30-2:30 p.m. --GHS vs. Vandegrift.

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JV/FLEX (Court 3, lower gym) -- 8:30-9:30 a.m. -- GHS vs. Hendrickson. 10:30-11:30 a.m. -- GHS vs. Stony Point. 1:30-2:30 p.m. -- GHS vs. Vandegrift.

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FRESHMAN A/B (Court 4, lower gym) --9:30-10:30 a.m. -- GHS vs. Hendrickson. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. -- GHS vs. Stony Point. 12:30-1:30 p.m. -- GHS vs. Vandegrift.

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GHS VOLLEYBALL ROSTERS

(As of the end of tryouts on Aug. 6)

VARSITY

Head Coach: Jenny Richardson. Assistant Coaches: Shelbi Goode, Ashlen LaCanne, Jason Allgood, Kate Strahan.

 Players: 1 -- Raegan Ramirez, 5-8, sr., libero; 2 -- Molly O'Shaughnessy, 5-11, sr., OH/RS; 3 -- Amelia Albright, 5-10, jr., S/Pin; 4 -- Jayden Mizner, 5-10, sr., OH/RS; 5 -- Sadie McCauley, 5-9, sr., OH/RS; 6 -- Sophia Jazesf, 5-11, sr., MB; 7 -- Issabella Casanova, 5-7, sr., S; 9 -- Mallory Miller, 5-9, jr., OH; 13 -- McKenzie Bernard, 6-1, sr., MB; 14 -- Addy Gaido, 6-4, sr., OH/RS; 15 -- Allison O'Shaughnessy, 5-11, sr., S.

 Athletic Trainers: Chad Henessey, Vanessa Redeaux.

 Managers: Abby McConnell, Sydney Wood, Addison Rodriguez.

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JUNIOR VARSITY

Coach: Shelbi Goode.

 Players: 1 -- Scout Robinson, OH/RS; 2 -- Mary Rose Shoales, DS; 3 -- Ellie Linebrink, OH/RS; 4 -- Kendall McDougle, DS/L; 5 -- Madeline Posey, OH/RS; 6 -- Amelia Willman, DS/L; 7 -- Sailor Rulmyr, S; 8 -- Taylor Vett, OH/RS; 9 -- Kate Collazos, OH/RS; 10 -- Amerlyn Anderson, MB; 11 -- Tricia Carson-Walker, OH/RS. 12 -- Grace Reid, S; 13 -- Makenna Stengle, OH/RS. 14 -- Juliet Lee, MB; 15 -- Katie Kruse, OH/RS; 20 -- Macey Gates, MB.

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JV FLEX

Coach: Ashlen LaCanne

 Players: Tilly Bakke, Rylee Holland, Kenley Hunt, Emma Jones, Abigail Linebrink, Ella O'Shaughnessy, Emily Sadler, Lily McClinton, Sophia Sullivan, Reagan Hemenes, Addie Porter, Reese Wilmoth.

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FRESHMAN A

Coach: Jason Allgood

 Players: Addison Bonura, Haley Bowden, Savannah Carr, Abigail Gaylor, Reese Gipson, Taylor Michaux, Rylee Prater, Hannah Reichert, Loralei Sarrels, Katie Vanicek, Tatym Williams. 

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TEXAS GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION

CLASS 5A PRESEASON POLL

(Released Aug. 5)

 1. Lucas Lovejoy; 2. Liberty Hill; 3. Colleyville Heritage; 4. Austin Anderson; 5. Frisco Reedy; 6. Barbers Hill; 7. Argyle; 8. Pflugerville Weiss; 9. Amarillo; 10. Comal Pieper.

 (Note: Poll conducted by Butch Hart).