Published: September 30, 2009 01:29 pm      

WO-S might forfeit 21-3A volleyball match

WEST ORANGE — Due to a schedule conflict, the West Orange-Stark Lady Mustang volleyball team will likely forfeit their District 21-3A volleyball match Friday, which was scheduled by the district, to be played in Sour Lake against Hardin-Jefferson unless something changes by Friday.

The Lady Mustangs have 11 members on the varsity squad and eight of them are involved in either the Fillies drill team or in cheerleading.

The Mustang football team is on the road to Brookshire-Royal Friday, which is on the other side of Katy, in a non-district football battle against the Falcons with the kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.

“It’s a tough deal,” said WO-S Athletic Director Dan Hooks. “We have several girls involved in several different activities. When parents come up and say that their daughters will be going to a football game, that’s it and that’s their decision. We couldn’t allow three girls to go to Sour Lake Friday and play Hardin-Jefferson.”

WO-S tried to work something out with H-J but plans fell through.

“We wanted to try to get it moved to Saturday or have it pushed back later in the season but H-J didn’t agree,” said Hooks. “They had kids in club volleyball and FFA and such on Saturday, so here we are.”

WO-S head volleyball coach Gwen Kelly-Hall had no comment.

“As of right now, it looks to be a WO-S forfeit,” said District 21-3A committee chairman Mike Gentry. “When a district game is set when the schedules are made they’re hard to change and both schools have to agree if there is a change. Hardin-Jefferson agreed to play at 4 p.m. Friday but WO-S did not agree with that.”

A 4 p.m. start would still mean that there would be no way that the WO-S players involved in football-game related activities could get to the non-district football game on time.

The sad fact is that the Lady Mustangs have made a nice surge this season. They have started 21-3A 0-2 after getting beat by both Orangefield and Hamshire-Fannett but they do stand 12-7 on the season with impressive non-district wins over the likes of Kountze, Buna and Kirbyville — three teams that will all be in the thick in chasing the crown in District 23-2A. WO-S also just recently handed Class 4A Vidor a defeat.

Hardin-Jefferson dropped to 0-2 in 21-3A play Tuesday after being swept by Orangefield.

In other 21-3A action Friday, there will be a nice Orange County showdown between Bridge City and Orangefield at Orangefield. Both teams will check in with 2-0 21-3A marks. The schools are also urging fans to wear pink in honor of breast cancer awareness. With both football teams having their bye weeks, the Lady Bobcats and Lady Cardinals will start with the freshman match at 5 p.m. followed by the JV and varsity.

A big match also looms in District 20-4A as Little Cypress-Mauriceville (6-0) travels to Beaumont Ozen (6-0) to wrap up the first half of district play and will break up the first-place tie. Varsity match time is 5:30 p.m.