Cross Country

After playing volleyball for 12 years, Madeline Ellis wanted to try something new. She ran her first season of track as a sophomore, and the following year took a bigger leap by joining the cross country team.

“I got involved because Coach Thompson convinced me to join because he thought I would enjoy it and I could have a positive impact on the team,” Ellis said.

While track and cross country both consist of running events, track includes multiple events like sprints, hurdles and jumps on a flat track and cross country focuses on long distance running over uneven ground.

“I do a lot better with longer distances, so going from the 3200 [meter] in track to the 5k in cross country was a nice transition,” Ellis said.

This year, Ellis serves as a mentor to underclassmen and helps them feel welcome and part of the team.

“It is a lot of pressure to have the underclassmen to be looking up at you for what to do,” Ellis said. “Even if you have a bad race, you have to be able to set it aside and cheer on your younger teammates and support them. It takes a lot mentally, but it’s worth it to see your team grow throughout the season.”

Ellis is committed to run for Texas Lutheran University track and cross country teams once she graduates.

“I love running, even if I was not going to run in college I would still run outside of school,” Ellis said. “Running is for both my physical and mental health, and it is a very important part of my life. I am going to miss the team and coach a lot, but I am very excited for the future and I can’t wait to see what I can do in college.”

Tennis

The tennis team ended their season by defeating Lockhart 19-0 and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in two years.

“We wanted this last year and we couldn’t,” senior captain Bhavya Teja Thirumalasetty said. “We were like, ‘next year’ and we finally made it. We unfortunately lost, but to make it there we worked really hard and that’s a big achievement for our school.”

The team’s dynamic was essential to their return to the playoffs. They practiced every day and spent time together outside of school, to get to know each other better off the court.

“Support is one of the biggest things,” Thirumalasetty said. “If no one’s cheering for you, that’s not gonna motivate you. But a good bond motivates you to win.”

As the team shifts toward the Spring season, Thirumalasetty hopes to make her own mark individually.

“If my freshman year self met my senior year self and saw how far I’ve come I’d be like ‘that’s crazy’,” Thirumalasetty said. “I want to continue to win during spring and prove myself.”

At the start of the volleyball season, junior captain Avery Ralston experienced a heel injury. Despite the setback, she returned ready to support her team.

“I got to improve with my teammates and help them succeed,” Ralston said. “We got a lot better throughout the year.”

The team played matches against competitive schools like Cedar Park, the 5A-D2 2025 State Champions.

“We had to play these tough matches and still played them pretty well,” Ralston said. “We came pretty close. Showing my teammates that I could be there for them and they can always come to me is a good feeling.”

Ralston is committed to Austin Peay State University to play in their Division 1 women’s volleyball program.

“Going to a 6A division next year is going to be tough and we’re going to have to work harder during the off season,” Ralston said. “I want to get to playoffs, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”