The seasons for schools in UIL classes 1A through 4A and for TAPPS will conclude this weekend with crowning of state champions in Garland and New Braunfels.

For schools in UIL 6A and 5A, the journey to the ultimate prize gets underway Thursday with bidistrict matches. Here are some key area storylines to follow:

A wide-open 5A?

While Class 6A has two or three area teams that appear to be ahead of the pack, and several other contenders that could be serious threats, things in 5A aren’t so clear-cut.

On paper, New Braunfels Canyon (20-1) has the label as the team to beat. The Cougarettes captured an undefeated District 26-5A title and have won 17 straight matches, including topping Reagan 20-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-10 in a playoff warmup match on Monday.

Kyla Malone (207 kills and 230 digs), Erin Jones (119 kills, 189 digs, 325 assists and 26 aces), McKenzie Woitena (146 kills) and Addison Evans (378) have led the way for Canyon, which plays Leander at 7 p.m. Friday at Buda Johnson High School.

But the Cougarettes have plenty of suitors to keep an eye out for in the race for the crown.

• Alamo Heights (15-2) is the defending regional champion and returns middle hitter Hannah Whittingstall, outside hitters Kylie Wickley and Riley Mercer, setter Ruby O’Brien and libero Ella Sanders from last year’s landmark season, plus added freshman Grace Carroll and senior Maia Montoya. The Mules’ experience from last year could be invaluable. 
• Dripping Springs (17-5) finished third behind New Braunfels Canyon and Alamo Heights in district, but has played in the past two regional finals. The Tigers were hit hard by graduation a year ago, but have a formidable tradition. There was no better example of that than on Monday, when Dripping Springs edged District 25-6A champion Austin Vandergrift in five sets in a playoff warmup contest.
• Medina Valley (20-2) has quietly flown below the radar, rolling to the 28-5A title and suffering only a season-opening loss to La Vernia and a five-set decision on the road to Kerrville Tivy. The Panthers are led by 6-foot-3 senior middle hitter Kyla Solis and outside hitter Spencer McCool. Solis, a Clemson signee, has 211 kills, 44 blocks and 25 aces. McCool, a junior outside hitter, has registered 224 kills, 192 digs and 53 aces.

An added layer to how tough Region IV-5A might be, few area teams have been on a hotter streak than Boerne Champion (12-10). The Chargers overcame a 0-3 start to district to qualify for the postseason. They were 4-7 in league play, riding a three-match losing streak, and seemingly on the cusp of missing the playoffs for the first time in their 13-year history.

Champion, though, won five straight to pull even with Kerrville Tivy for 26-5A’s final playoff spot, then won a tiebreaker match on Monday to secure a postseason berth. The Chargers defeated Tivy twice in a week, but perhaps the most remarkable aspect of their late surge was that the team won six straight matches in sweeps.

So, here we are again

One of the intriguing parts of the playoffs is the prospects for rematches. Whether teams are playing for the second time within the same season or meeting for the second year in a row in the postseason, the encounters are sure to come with subplots and intensity.

Two such UIL Class 6A bidistrict encounters fit the bill. The headliner is Reagan vs. Clemens at 7 p.m. Thursday at Comal ISD’s Davenport High School. It will be the fourth time in six seasons the teams will play in the postseason. Reagan won in 2015 and 2017.

But a year ago, Clemens prevailed in the second round by rallying after dropping the first two sets to record a 19-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-7 triumph. Clemens went on to earn its first UIL state tournament berth, and players on the team credited the comeback win vs. Reagan as the impetus to the landmark achievement.

Also on Thursday, New Braunfels and Clark square off at 7 p.m. in Smithson Valley. It will be the second straight season the two longtime powers will meet. Clark won last year’s encounter in four sets.

Will late start help or hurt SAISD teams?

If one looks at the narrative from a physical or schematic point of view, then San Antonio ISD’s playoff-bound clubs Edison, Burbank, Highlands and Brackenridge might be playing catch-up.

All of the schools, except for Highlands, started their season on Oct. 16 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlands began on Oct. 20. The revised time frame probably didn’t afford coaches the time to tinker with lineups and rotations.

An even bigger obstacle was the schedule. Instead of the traditional round-robin District 27-5A calendar, teams only played each other once. That left little room for error, which could be a benefit. Because the season has already had a win-or-go-home feel to it from the start, SAISD clubs are already experienced with the mental and emotional sides that come with the pressure of playing in the playoffs.

Edison plays at Floresville at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, while Highlands takes on McCollum and Brackenridge faces Medina Valley in a Class 5A bidistrict doubleheader at the Alamo Convocation Center, the former match starting at 6 p.m. and the latter at 8 p.m. Burbank plays at Harlandale at 6 p.m. Friday.

Could this be Brandeis’ year?

While O’Connor enters the postseason as the area’s favorite to win the Region IV-6A championship, the Broncos might be second in the pecking order.

Brandeis has a similar vibe to what Clemens had a year ago — a successful, athletic and talented team that just needs a win in a particular moment to get over a hump for a big breakthrough. In 2016, Brandeis came awfully close to earning a trip to the UIL state tournament, losing in four sets to Reagan in the regional final.

Since then, though, the Broncos have lost in bidistrict in 2017 and 2019 and reached the third round before falling in four sets to eventual regional champion O’Connor in 2018.

With outside hitters Jalyn Gibson and Emma Halstead, outside hitter/setter Carlee Pharris and libero Amy DeWalt pacing the way, Brandeis overcame a key injury to middle blocker Leila Smalls and back-to-back setbacks to O’Connor and Madison earlier in the season to claim a second outright district champion and third overall.

The fact the Broncos won the District 28-6A crown while suffering only one loss in 16 matches, in a league that features area heavyweights Reagan, Clark, Churchill and Johnson, speaks volumes about the potential of coach Maddie Williams’ squad.