Lady Rattlers' historic season ends in playoff loss

AUSTIN — Jared Te’o waited two years to say what most already knew.

He didn’t want to say it when Maggie Walsh first transferred to San Marcos from Denton Guyer in 2020 — a year earlier, Walsh played a key role in the Wildcats’ first-ever trip to the UIL region final, earning All-District 5-6A honors. He didn’t want to say it when she made a seamless switch from being a defensive specialist to being an outside hitter.

He didn’t want to say it when Walsh led the Lady Rattlers to an 11-10 overall record last season and an 8-6 record in district play. He didn’t want to say it when she helped them clinch District 26-6A’s final playoff spot, earning the purple and white’s first postseason appearance since 2017.

He didn’t want to say it when Walsh lifted San Marcos over Austin Vandegrift in a 3-1 road win on Nov. 20, 2020, for the program’s first playoff win since 2001. He didn’t want to say it when she was named District 26-6A’s Most Valuable Hitter at the end of the season.

He didn’t want to say it when Walsh eclipsed 1,000 career digs. He didn’t want to say it when she surpassed 1,000 career kills. He didn’t want to say it when she committed to Texas State.

He didn’t want to say it after Walsh posted a 10-kill, 13-dig double-double in a 3-0 sweep against Buda Hays on Oct. 29, 2021, which made this year’s team the winningest in school history and secured their second consecutive trip to the playoffs.

But when the Lady Rattlers’ season came to an end Tuesday after a 3-0 (18-25, 23-25, 10-25) loss at Vandegrift and Walsh had played in her final high school match, Te’o finally let it out.

.@SanMarcosHSVB Head Coach Jared Te’o (@CoachTeoVB) on tonight’s playoff game against Austin Vandegrift and this year’s historic season. ⤵️

Part 1:@smdrsports pic.twitter.com/odaCpgXpQd

— Jude McClaren (@judemcclaren) November 3, 2021

“Maggie is phenomenal, she's so good in so many ways. And I told her I would never compliment her like this until the end of her career here. And now that it's over — she does everything,” the head coach said. “She gives to her teammates, she can hit, she can block, she can serve, she can pass. She was very good when she got here. When I always get quoted for saying, like, 'She wasn't that good,' (I mean) offensively. She's always been a rock star defensively. So I can't say enough about her as a human being and I love her.”

It was poetic for San Marcos to finish this season in the exact same spot the team got its playoff win last year. Tuesday night marked the last game for six other seniors — outside hitters Sara Delgado and Joselyn Roberson, middle blocker Emery Jones, defensive specialists Iyanna Luna and Rianna Turner and setter Mia Maldonado. All but Roberson and Turner were members of the team during 2020’s postseason run.

Each filed out of the visitors’ locker room with red, puffy eyes, fresh off mourning the end of a historic era.

Te’o told them to chin up. There was too much to be proud of to be saddened by a single loss.

“I love them all and they've all contributed in some way,” Te’o said. “Last year, they put San Marcos on the map. And they continue to do so.”

Te’o will be tasked with rebuilding the rotation in the offseason. Of the 10 Lady Rattlers set to return in 2022, three registered kills and four passed for assists.

It’ll be tough to get back to the 32-13 overall record San Marcos finished with this year. But the head coach is determined to make it back.

“We told them it starts tomorrow,” Te’o said. “They've got to get stronger. They've got to get faster. They've got to play high-level club — which is something I said last year. And when we're playing teams like Vandegrift, you know, their entire bench is playing high(-level), competitive volleyball all year round. So hopefully we can get that happening. A lot of our freshmen do but we've just got to keep that momentum.

“Two years in a row cool, but you know, I'm competitive and like, I want to win everything. So I just want a little more.”