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The start of the 2023 fall athletic season is finally here after the Lady Cards volleyball team started with a non-district game against the El Campo Lady Eagles on Tuesday, Aug. 8. Columbus begins their year with some statewide recognition already going their way as many expect them to repeat another highly successful year after becoming one of the state’s final four teams last season. The Texas Girls’ Coaches Association rewarded them for their semifinal appearance by ranking the Lady Cards in the top five of their preseason state poll. With many impact players returning to the squad, the TGCA placed Columbus in the fifth spot in their first ranking of the season.
Ahead of the Lady Cards are a few familiar teams that have shared some intense battles with Columbus throughout the years. Last year’s state champion, Gunter, populates the top spot while the state runners up from Bushland take the second-place spot. Columbus competed against Gunter in the semifinal last season and against Bushland in the same round the year prior as both teams went on to win the state championship. Goliad claimed the third-place spot with Tatum in fourth just ahead of the Lady Cards.
Columbus is looking to keep their streak of semifinal appearances alive this season after reaching the penultimate round in each of the past two seasons. They are hoping for another strong season that keeps them in the top five spots of the TGCA poll all the way throughout the regular season. One factor that will contribute to that goal is how the Lady Cards perform in non-district games.
The Lady Cards have dominated during the tournament schedule portion of the early-season in each of the last two seasons. After losing seven non-district games in 2021, they dropped their loss total to just three defeats outside of district play in 2022. Their non-district schedule often includes teams that go on to make the postseason as well as top teams from other divisions.
Columbus is looking to cut even more losses from their record book this season before they enter the district portion of the schedule. They have their hurdles to clear to achieve that goal as they look to take the advantage over teams that have gotten the best of the Lady Cards in the past. St. Joseph, a 5A team that had 37 wins last season, has taken a victory over Columbus in each of the last two seasons. The two teams are scheduled to face off once again this season as they compete during a late-August matchup before district play begins.
If Columbus can survive the tournament portion of the schedule with a similar level of dominance as last year, they will be in prime position to take advantage of a district that has not been able to keep up despite improving in overall talent among the ranks. Columbus lost just one district match in the last two seasons, falling to Hallettsville on Oct. 9 during the 2021 season. Not only did the Lady Cards not lose a single match during last season’s district schedule, but they lost only one set throughout the entirety of district championship run.
With the beginning of the new season, the Lady Cards are focused on repeating their recent success starting with their Aug. 8 competition. If they are able to continue their dominant run, TGCA is certain to recognize the Lady Cards as one of the top teams in the state. The results of the Aug. 8 game were not available by the press deadline.
