Sep 9, 2022
The Woodlawn High volleyball team has won four straight matches in five days to bounce back from a tough start to the season.
The host Lady Panthers claimed back-to-back victories Saturday in the South Louisiana Volleyball Invitational against St. Louis Catholic and Loyola Prep and added wins Tuesday against Springfield and Thursday against St. John to even their record at 4-4.
“The tournament, I put them in a good bracket against some good teams,” coach Maria Gonzalez said. “That’s the type of competition we need to see, then they had a good practice, and I’m proud of them. They’re playing really well right now. This is how they should be playing.”
Losses to Parkview Baptist on Monday and Madison Prep on Wednesday carried into a slow start to the weekend with straight-set losses Friday to Westminster and Academy of Our Lady.
But Woodlawn was able to rebound and build some positive momentum on the final day of the well-attended event, which brought 20 teams from across the state and strong fan numbers to campus.
“The turnout was good,” Gonzalez said. “Usually that first tournament of the season, Labor Day weekend, is a lot of out-of-parish schools. I think we had four local teams and the rest from all around the state. And it’s really good competition. That’s what I like. That’s how I know we can play. So that’s what I’m excited about.”
Senior Reagan McDowell earned one of the nine spots on the all-tournament team, which featured representation from nine different schools from across south Louisiana.
And the Lady Panthers kept rolling at home from there in four sets against Springfield and three against St. John.
“We’ve been very inconsistent,” Gonzalez said. “And what I told them was we make too many mistakes in a row. We’re going to make mistakes, but we can’t make 10 in a row. If we’e consistent, we’ll be good.
“Elysa (Pitts) stepped up with her setting, and she’s doing well. Karma (Kasubaski), a weapon on the outside, she’s doing well. And Reagan’s been playing like she usually plays. She’s been playing pretty well. Pitts is pretty consistent also. And then, of course, I have my little liberos, my firecracker (Krystel Amo) and my other freshman (Katelyn Reed). Everybody’s doing well. Lacie (Sierra) has been playing well in the back row, and her sister Marie is my other setter and is doing well.”
The Lady Panthers visit Capitol on Monday before returning home Wednesday against McKinley.
Aug 29, 2022
Maria Gonzalez is understandably excited to be back on the bench this season for a wide range of reasons.
The Woodlawn High volleyball coach missed — in both senses of the word — some time with her team last year as she underwent chemotherapy for her battle with ovarian cancer.
But she returned this fall enthusiastic not only for reunion and sense of normalcy with her players, but for the opportunity she and her staff see for a potentially special Lady Panthers group this season.
“I’m so happy to be back,” she said. “It keeps me distracted from thinking about feeling bad or thinking about going to chemo… And they have so much potential, man. They can be so good. And like I told them today, ‘I’m giving y’all everything I’ve got, so y’all better play hard for me.’ I want to be here for them this season. And some days I may be feeling bad, but I’m making it through the season.”
Gonzalez takes the reins of the program back from her father, Nelson Malpica, the Lady Panthers’ longtime head coach who worked with assistant Luis Mendoza to lead the squad through 2021.
And the roster returns a wealth of bodies, talent and experience, as well as some key new faces expected to make immediate impacts.
“We only had one senior last year, so these girls have played varsity and have experience from last year,” Malpica said. “And we have a lot of kids this season. We have a bench now. Before, we’ve had years where we started with only seven or eight girls, and this year we have 32 locked in. And this is basically the first time that we’ve had a lot of people that play club. In the past, we’ve had one or two people, but we’ve got a lot of the girls this year that play club. So that’ll help us.”
Seniors Marie Sierra, Elysa Pitts and Reagan McDowell headline the key group of returners.
McDowell earned District 4-II MVP honors as a junior, and the coaches expect big strides and potential breakout performances from Sierra and Pitts this fall after strong summer showings.
“Then we have our two juniors that have been playing since they were freshmen, Kelis (Conley) and Brander (Graham),” Gonzalez said, continuing to list players to watch. “And then we got a transfer in, senior Karma (Kasubaski) from South Carolina, that last week was her first time playing. And she’s going to help us tremendously once she gets the groove knowing our team. That’s someone we weren’t expecting that I think’s going to help us out a lot.”
The coaches listed a pair of liberos, sophomore Krystel Amo and freshman Katelyn Reed, among the additional leaders of a talented underclassman group.
“(Amo) played last year, played club and came back, and, boy, she is a ball of fire,” the coach said. “And then we’ve got Katelyn Reed, who was student of the year from Woodlawn Middle, and she’s come in, like wow, playing varsity and stepping in pretty well and smart of course.
“We had a very good group of freshmen last year, and we have a bench. We haven’t had a bench in a long time, so we’ve got a lot of options. So, for me, I think we’re gonna surprise a lot of people. We are in a new district this year, a tougher district than we were in the past. But I think we’re gonna surprise a lot of people.”
Woodlawn’s increased attendance in recent years has returned the volleyball program to Division I, the LHSAA’s highest classification level for the sport.
And the Lady Panthers now have a District 4-I slate that includes St. Joseph’s Academy, Zachary, Central, Scotlandville and Baton Rouge High.
Early-season challenges such as Monday’s season opener against Parkview Baptist will test — and hopefully prepare — the team for what lies ahead.
The coaches praised their girls’ performance this summer and overall chemistry, but now want to see those dynamics come together in action on the court with consistency and against top competition.
And their messages to that end are clear.
“Fulfill your potential,” Mendoza said. “They haven’t fulfilled that. They’re not even close. We told them to hustle and show desire.”
Added Gonzalez: “I think in the jamboree, we got out-hustled… And that’s when I was telling them don’t give up. We were winning and then got down, and they stayed down instead of fighting through it. So we talked a lot about that. Be consistent. If you’re consistent, we’ll be fine.”
May 13, 2022
After a week of try-outs held in the Woodlawn High School gym, the coaching staff of the Lady Panther Volleyball Team has released the names of the members of the 2022-2023 Volleyball Team.
Congratulations to the following student-athletes have made the team:
- Krystel Amo, Sophomore
- Bree Blankenship, Sophomore
- Kelis Conley, Junior
- Branderia Graham, Junior
- Brianna Graham, Freshman
- Janae Granville, Junior
- Morgan Huey, Sophomore
- Amy Kirk, Sophomore
- Amelie LeMaire, Sophomore
- Seraya LeMaire, Senior
- Amari Lombard, Freshman
- Reagan McDowell, Senior
- Maya Montgomery, Sophomore
- Amari Nevills, Sophomore
- Elysa Pitts, Senior
- Brooklyn Potter, Sophomore
- Katelyn Reed, Freshman
- Kate Russell, Freshman
- Lacie Sierra, Sophomore
- Marie Sierra, Senior
- Kaylie Tate, Freshman
Incoming student-athletes who were not allowed to tryout should email Coach Gonzalez at [email protected]. Final tryouts will be held on Monday, May 23rd at 3 pm.
Aug 13, 2021
As the fall sports seasons at Woodlawn High begin, the Woodlawn Lady Panther Volleyball Team will be the first to take the courts. The Lady Panthers are looking to improve on last year’s 9-9 record in a season that was full of setbacks and delays.
Long-time Head Coach Nelson Malpica looks for leadership from six returning Lady Panthers. Leading the way is Junior Reagan McDowell, who was named to the 2020 All-District Team. Reagan will be joined by juniors Elyse Pitts and Marie Sierra, who look to add valuable experience to the Lady Panthers.
Senior Isabella Schamber and sophomores Branderia Graham and Kelis Conley are also expected to lead the Lady Panthers in the early parts of the season as other players gain experience.
“We need to work on improving early in the season, and hopefully peak in the playoffs,” said Malpica. “At the varsity level, we do not have a lot of depth aside from the six players we discussed. We will need others to step up on the varsity level.”
Coach Malpica looks to a talented freshman class, led by Lacie Sierra, to perhaps contribute early.
“Lacie played club and has experience from Woodlawn Middle. We think she can contribute very early in the season.”
The Lady Panthers are once again hosting two tournaments at Woodlawn. The Southland Invitational will be held September 3rd and 4th. The Rumble in the Jungle will be held September 24th and 25th. Outside of the tournaments, the Lady Panthers are looking forward to their District schedule as they look to improve from last year’s playoff experience.
The Lady Panthers will be on the court for the first action of the season in a scrimmage on Saturday, August 14th at 9 am. All tickets must be purchased online.
Season tickets can be purchased for the Lady Panthers by clicking here.
