School Sports: Year Ahead
If you are one that has a great interest in school sports, then you are getting ready for another very interesting ride as Dripping Springs gears up for another very successful year. With the assignment to the overall weaker Austin UIL district, Dripping Springs is expected to improve on its 2017-18 ranking for the prestigious UIL Lone Star Cup emblematic of a school’s overall performance in all UIL-sponsored events. Last year Dripping Springs tied with Aledo for fourth in Class 5A with 76 points. School has begun for Dripping Springs and five sports are well underway.
Volleyball always gets a very early start on the school year and usually plays a third or more of their games by the time school begins. This is the most successful sport in the history of Dripping Springs with 29 titles, which easily leads any other sport in that department. The Lady Tigers have won the last six titles and they will absolutely have no opposition in taking their seventh this year.
Team tennis is another sport that gets a head start on the school year. Their program has flourished over the last half decade, as they have had to overcome some tough tennis programs in their district assignments to compete well. That should change this year.
Cross-country has long been a strong program with growing numbers each year. They will hit the courses soon in competition and give themselves another good chance to make it to the state meet later in the fall. Again the competition should take a hit in the district meet.
Golf has become a full-year sport. In the past it was played during the spring. Now most of the matches allowed are played in the fall and finished up in the spring. The sport has been getting stronger each year as well and like tennis has usually had to compete with some very good district opponents. That should change as well.
Football gets their first game activity later but practice begins three weeks before that first game and that is underway as we speak. The Tigers have enjoyed very successful backto-back seasons. Despite some heavy losses to graduation, that won’t change for the next two years with their district assignment. Most of their good competition will come from their first three non-district opponents in the form of Kerrville, Hays and New Braunfels Canyon. District will not provide much in the way of competition, which does not bode well for the starters because in many cases will be done by the half but is a boon for the reserves, as they should see more action than usual. The down side is getting the starters enough quality time to be ready for the playoffs.
For Dripping Springs fans who want to keep up with any or all of these sports, it would be best to check the school website for the schedules and other information. If you are looking for comparisons, school records, etc., then you need to click on the Athletic School Records section found on the website under athletics.
Another asset the community has in keeping up with the sports is the radio station KDRP 101.1. When you cannot actually attend the weekly football game, you still do not have to miss the exciting action. Clint Shields and his cohorts will bring you the play-by-play action as it occurs. This is their tenth year in action and when the team lines up against Kerrville at home on August 31, it will mark the 100thTiger broadcast for Shields. Quite a milestone for DS sports. Listen in. You will be glad you did.