By Tom Behrens
Katy Independent School District student-athletes have worked hard to master their sports, and various media organizations and associations have recently honored several of them.
Cross-Country
Cinco Ranch High School freshman Heidi Nelson and Tompkins High School senior Daniel Figueroa received Houston Chronicle All Greater Houston honors.
Football
Katy High School senior offensive lineman Connor Galvin, senior kicker Seth Small, and senior defensive lineman Moro Ojomo, along with Taylor High School junior offensive lineman Andrew Coker, received Houston Chronicle All Greater Houston first-team honors.
Katy junior running back Deondrick Glass and Cinco Ranch senior running back Brant Kuithe received second-team honors.
Volleyball
Two Seven Lakes High School players received Houston Chronicle All Greater Houston honors. Freshman Ally Batenhorst was named newcomer of the year. Senior outside hitter/middle blocker Dani Batenhorst also received All Greater Houston honors.
The Chronicle named Tompkins coach Allison Merrell coach of the year.
Ally Batenhorst was also honored as Texas Association of Volleyball Coaches (TAVC) 6A newcomer of the year and made the Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA) all-state first team. She also made the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) all-state team.
Dani Batenhorst made TSWA all-state honorable mention and the TGCA all-state team.
Junior libero Natalie Winter made the TSWA all-state second team.
Junior setter Morgan Janda made TSWA all-state honorable mention and the TAVC all-state team.
TGCA also named these five student-athletes as all-state academic scholars:
- Katy senior defensive specialist Jessica Follis
- Katy senior middle blocker/outside striker Sophia Kidd
- Taylor senior outside hitter/outside striker Emma Demmerle
- Taylor senior defensive specialist Rachel Mann
- Mayde Creek senior libero/outside hitter Jacquelyn Fernandez.