Wylie incoming senior Zachary Brumfield helped to lead the Pirate boys’ cross country team to their seventh consecutive district title this past school year. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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Whether on a football field, cross country course, volleyball or basketball court, wrestling mat, tennis court, golf course or baseball or softball fields, the Wylie High School athletes made their mark during the 2024-25 school year.

The Wylie News is proud to introduce the first installment in a three-part series celebrating the top athletic moments, student-athletes, teams and performances from the past year. Categories for the inaugural C&S Media High School sports awards were selected by sports editor David Wolman, with winners published over three weeks.

Part I (July 10) includes the Biggest Story, Breakthrough Moment, Newcomer of the Year and Best Team.

Part II (July 17) will feature Best Game, Best Finish, Biggest Upset and Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year.

Part III (July 24) will wrap up the series with Coach of the Year, Most Improved Athlete, Best Female Athlete and Best Male Athlete.

Here are the winners of the first four awards – biggest story, breakthrough moment, best team and newcomer of the year. 

Biggest story: Cross country, tennis continues district dominance

Wylie continued its reign in two of its most consistent programs: boys’ cross country and team tennis.

Led by a first-place finish from incoming senior Zachary Brumfield, who ran to a winning time of 16:03, the Wylie boys’ cross country team won their eighth consecutive district title with a score of 25 points—16 ahead of runner-up Wylie East (41) and third-place Sachse (55).

On the tennis court, Wylie toppled Wylie East 13-2 in the final district matchup to capture their seventh consecutive district title. The Pirates outlasted Rockwall-Heath 10-4 in bi-district and shut out Temple 10-0 in the area, before falling 10-6 to Tyler Legacy in the third round.

Breakthrough moment: Girls’ golf qualifies for state tournament for 1^st time

For the first time in program history, the Wylie girls’ golf team advanced to the UIL Class 6A state tournament.

Wylie, with a five-player score of 624, finished in second place at the Region II-6A Tournament from Eagle’s Bluff Country Club in Bullard to earn one of three team berths in the Class 6A state tournament. 

Until this year, neither Wylie’s girls nor boys’ teams had qualified for the state tournament. The last individual girls’ qualifier was in 2013; the boys last qualified in 2014. 

Incoming sophomore Serina Armendariz and Klain Oak alumna Anjali Nair both shot 149, but Armendariz won a two-hole playoff over Nair to win the regional title.

The Lady Pirates concluded their best season in program history with a 10^th-place finish at state, shooting a 656 at White Wing Golf Club in Georgetown. Wylie won the district tournament for the third straight year with a score of 628—97 strokes better than runner-up Sachse. 

Newcomer of the Year: Serina Armendariz, girls’ golf

In the team’s first time to qualify for the Class 6A state tournament, it was a freshman Serina Armendariz who helped get Wylie over the hump.

Known for her poise in high-pressure situations, Aremdariz sank a shot for par in front of more than 100 spectators at the second playoff hole to win the individual title at the regional tournament. That shot came not long after she struggled on the final regulation hole, where she shot a score of eight, which dropped her into a tie for first place and forced a playoff between her and Nair for first place. But Armendariz quickly regrouped as proceeded to capture first place.

She also claimed the girls’ individual title at the District 9-6A Tournament, shooting a 147.

Best team: girls’ powerlifting

The Wylie High girls’ powerlifting team has a long history of regional dominance, with 16 regional titles and several top-four finishes at state. And until last year, the Lady Pirates had never won the unequipped state team title.

But Wylie finally got over the hump this year.

On March 12, the Lday Pirates won the Class 6A state title with team 32 points. Individual champions Thalia Gonzalez (114 pounds) and Maya Boykins (242) won individual state titles in their respective weight-class divisions at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg.

At the unequipped state meet, Nina Nguyen captured first place in the 114-pound weight class, adding to a banner year for the program.