The Harley Davidson gave way to a child seat. The frequent burn-a-hole-into-your-soul stares that emerged after unforced errors or a lack of effort or communication aren’t as frequent anymore.

Samantha McLure has become a softie. She smiles and laughs more, allows her team the opportunity to navigate through rough spots before calling timeouts.

What hasn’t change, though, is the success.

Antonian is competing at the TAPPS 6A state volleyball tournament for the ninth time in 17 seasons under McLure. The Apaches (36-11) take on longtime nemesis Dallas Bishop Lynch at 1 p.m. Friday at Robinson High School in Waco. The rivals are facing off at the state tournament for the seventh time in 15 seasons. The series is tied at 3-3, with the Apaches topping Dallas Bishop Lynch in their most recent meeting, a five-setter in the 2017 state semifinals.

“I don’t think it would feel like a true state experience if we didn’t have to cross Bishop Lynch,” said McLure, who earlier this season collected her 500th win during her tenure at Antonian. “They are a great program and we have had some incredible matches. We know we have our hands full going into the semifinals.”

Antonian also is an established program. The Apaches have advanced to at least the regional final in all but one season under McLure’s guidance. They annually have beaten or held their own against some of the state’s top programs.

The rise to prominence started sixteen years ago. McLure arrived at the campus on West Avenue, having led archrival Incarnate Word to back-to-back state semifinal appearances.

“I know the girls had mixed emotions about me coming in, but I also knew they wanted to win,” McLure said. “I remember saying we were going to work hard, but we were going to be successful if we worked hard together. They were a hungry group, so it was easy to get them in the gym. Some were skeptical, but once we started practicing and having fun, they all started to buy in.”

With only one senior on the roster in 2006, outside hitter Danielle Guajardo, the Apaches won their first eight matches, but eventually needed to win their district finale vs. Austin St. Michael’s just to make the playoffs. In the postseason, Antonian edged district foe Providence in five sets in the first round, then topped defending state champion Houston St. Agnes in a regional final.

Antonian rallied to clip Dallas Ursuline in five sets in the state semifinals, and a day later rolled past Addison Trinity Christian 25-22, 18-25, 25-17, 25-14 at Taylor Field House to claim the state title.

“Right off the bat, the biggest thing that you can see with all of her teams is that it’s a family,” said Dr. Danielle Suarez, a local physical therapy clinical director who was a 5-foot-3 setter on the 2006 team and later played collegiately at Incarnate Word.

“Every year, whether it’s senior-heavy, freshmen-heavy, it was, ‘These are the people you’re going to have to fight with, and these are the people you’re doing it for.’ We were never the tallest. We were always the underdogs, but it was one of those things where that didn’t matter. You never disrespect your opponent by not doing your best. She kind of set the bar high for us. She made sure we knew what we’re capable of. She pushed us to get the very best out of us.”

And it showed in the results. The Apaches reached the regional final in 2007, the state semifinals in 2008, won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, and advanced to the state semifinals in 2011, falling just short of a three-peat.

“After the first year, I really felt that we had something special with the group of girls and the school,” McLure said. “Each year, we kept getting in a new group who were just as special or fun as the past group, so expectations were able to stay high. Seeing the involvement from past players, current players, and even future players, to keep our culture and traditions relevant, really made me understand and realize we have something truly special at Antonian.”

Nowadays, McLure is coaching the younger sisters of former players. Sophomore libero Anna Arceneaux’s older sister, Savannah Guzman, was the libero on the 2017 title team that defeated Bishop Lynch in the semifinals and Plano Prestonwood in the final in Waco. The siblings have already spoken about the possibility of traveling the same path to a title.

“We have a really great team, and I know we all want it so bad,” Arceneaux said.

The Apaches’ desire is fueled, in part, by the past four seasons. After winning it all in 2017, they lost in the regional final each time. Three of the setbacks were in five sets, including a year ago, which hit home for the seniors.

“We wanted to finally get past this round,” senior Sujeili Mermella said. “(Losing to Tomball Concordia in five sets in 2021), I had a hard time with it. I was really close with those seniors. I was not ready to cry.”
The tears this time around were of joy. Antonian finally snapped its “curse,” sweeping past Plano John Paul II last week in a regional final in Corsicana.

“For us to get past regionals is a really big deal,” Antonian junior outside hitter Bella Rodriguez said.
The Apaches, though, aren’t satisfied with getting of the regional-final hurdle. With a roster heavy with seniors and juniors, winning a state title is the focus.

“I think this year we just kind of took all that pressure off and played for each other,” said junior outside hitter Kalina Calvillo, the team’s top offensive threat. “Winning regionals, it’s just a really good feeling, but it’s not over yet. Right now, it’s just playing in the moment. It’s really exciting to be in this opportunity.”

The opportunity to play on the biggest stage was fostered 16 years ago but a squad that perhaps was greater than the sums of its parts.

“At the time, I really don’t think we understood what we had done,” McLure said. “Winning that first championship gave everyone the confidence and belief that we could have those expectations every year. Why not win state as many times as we can? I mean cross country does it.

“What the older girls don’t realize is that they are the reason I have ‘mellowed.’ They have set a standard to the program that girls coming into the program understand from the beginning. The traditions and expectations the former players have established, make the younger players want to compete at a high level and have the same expectations as them.”

terrence@terrencesports.com
Twitter: @sa_terrence1