From the hardwood to the gridiron and beyond, taking a look back and ahead at the San Antonio-area high school sports landscape:

By the numbers
9: Area volleyball players selected to the TAPPS All-State first team. Antonian’s Olivia Arredondo made it in TAPPS 6A, Boerne Geneva’s Karynn Garrow in 5A, state champion Schertz John Paul’s Abbey Beckwith, Maura Asadourian and Sarah Hays and Holy Cross’ Alyssa Barrera made it in 3A. Keystone’s Alysa Walker and Gabrielle Sullivan earned spots on the 3A squad and Bracken Christian’s Aubrey Wheelock was on the 2A team.

4: Days until the University Interscholastic League allows high school soccer teams across the state to conduct their first after-school practices. The first day of practice is Nov. 29, with scrimmages first allowed on Dec. 10. The season opens Jan. 3 and concludes April 13-16 with the UIL state tournament at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown. The LEE and Boerne boys teams are the defending state champions in Class 6A and Class 4A, respectively.
TAPPS began its season on Nov. 1 and concludes with the state championships on March 8, 2002, in Round Rock. TMI is the defending TAPPS Division II boys state champion.

2: Publications that have Brandeis listed in the top five of their final national volleyball rankings. The Broncos (47-2), who less than a week ago captured the UIL Class 6A state championship by defeating Keller in five sets in the final, are No. 3 in MaxPreps’ top 25 and No. 4 in American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/USA Today Super 25 rankings.

Notebook
National honor: Brandeis’ Maddie Williams was tabbed the AVCA Region 4 Coach of the Year. Region 4 is comprised of schools in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi. Williams was lauded after leading the Broncos to their first UIL Class 6A state championship. She will be recognized during the AVCA Convention on Dec. 17 in Columbus, Ohio.

The honor was the second for someone associated with the Brandeis program. Senior outside hitter Jalyn Gibson was chosen as MaxPreps’ Texas player of the week after racking up 46 kills and 43 digs in wins over Bridgeland and Keller at the state tournament in Garland. A TCU signee and MVP of the state final, Gibson averaged 5.1 kills and 4.7 digs per set at state. She had 29 of Brandeis’ 60 kills in a five-set win vs. Keller.

Area signings/commitments
Reagan Elizondo, Cornerstone volleyball: Boise State (beach)
Demarco Escobar, Judson track and field: Texas A&M
Victoria Fontenot, New Braunfels Canyon volleyball: Eckerd College (Fla.)
Kendall Jeffers, New Braunfels volleyball: Mary Hardin-Baylor (beach)
Taylor Jernigan, Reagan soccer: Texas A&M

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Twitter: @sa_terrence1