Wylie East alumna Erika Hernandez fires the ball around the hands of Wylie senior Peyton Stade during a District 9-6A volleyball match on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from Montgomery Center. Hernandez was later named the district’s most valuable player. Photo by Maddie Smith / C&S Media
By David Wolman
Another school year has come and gone for student-athletes at Wylie East High School.
It was a successful year in many ways with the girls’ cross country, girls’ track and field, softball and volleyball teams all earning at least a share of the District 9-6A title.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the year that was for each sport. Fall sports will be reviewed this week, winter sports in the June 26 edition of the Wylie News and spring sports in the July 3 paper.
Football wins playoff game for the second year in a row:
One year after winning their first playoff contest since 2016, the Raiders added another playoff victory to their resume last fall. Wylie East topped Forney 35-28 in the bi-district round of the Class 6A Division II playoffs before being tripped up by DeSoto 51-17 in the area round.
With the win over Forney, Wylie East won their tenth game of the season, marking the first time in program history that the Raiders amassed back-to-back 10-win seasons. Wylie East finished 10-2 in both 2023 and 2024. The Raiders have won at least nine games in each of the last three years after going 10-39 from 2017 to 2021.
The Raiders ran roughshod over opponents behind a high-powered, versatile offense that averaged 42.3 points per game.
Alum quarterback Howard Fisher IV was named the District 9-6A offensive player of the year after he threw for 2,520 passing yards, rushed for 676 yards and tacked on 42 total touchdowns. Alum running back Michael Henderson was named the 9-6A two-way player of the year after he scampered for 1,126 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, Wylie East was stingy, holding opponents to 17.08 points per game. Alum defensive tackle Jayden Janshego was a wrecking ball. He was named the district’s defensive player of the year after he racked up 50 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries.
Volleyball conjures another playoff run:
Wylie East will have a new head coach next season. Tasha Hallam, who was Lake Highlands’ head coach from 2023 to 2024, will take over for Nicole Calverley. Calverley resigned earlier this year so that she can take a break from coaching.
Calverley elevated the program to the point where the Lady Raiders enjoyed their best three-year span in team history.
Her final season at the helm was particularly fun to watch. One year after Wylie East went to the regional final for the first time, the Lady Raiders were a regional semifinalist and finished with a 34-9 record.
A big reason behind the team’s success was the play of their five seniors. Two of those seniors, outside hitter/middle blocker Erika Hernandez, and defensive specialist Jordyn Wacaster, won district superlatives. Hernandez was named the 9-6A most valuable player after she logged 377 kills, 78 blocks, 104 digs and 77 service aces. Wacaster contributed a team-high 507 digs.
Girls’ cross country captures second straight district title:
One year after capturing their first-ever district championship, the Lady Raiders again found themselves on top of the medal stand.
Despite losing their top runner from the 2023 team, Wylie East made it look easy in capturing their second straight district title. Led by a dominant effort in which Wylie East placed seven runners in the top 10, the Lady Raiders repeated as district champions. Their team score of 21 points was 35 clear of runner-up Sachse (56).
Rising senior Madison Akers cruised to the 9-6A girls title in 19:48. She was joined in the top 10 by alumna Evelyn Seddig (third, 20:16), incoming sophomore Isabelle Price (fourth, 20:23), rising senior Layla Talbott (sixth, 20:43), alumnae Brookelyn Davis (seventh, 20:46) and Myranda Weid (eighth, 20:47) and incoming senior Alexis Schmidt (10th, 21:00).
The Wylie East boys were also a regional qualifier after placing third as a team at the district meet.
Rising junior Michael Price clocked a time of 16:10, good for third place. Alum Keigan Trussell placed fourth in a time of 16:18. Incoming senior Carter Roberts was ninth with a 16:38. Rising sophomore Kaleab Endale placed 12th in 17:17. Rising junior Benjamin Morrison was 13th in 17:24. Alum Logan Taber placed 17th in 17:43.
Wylie East didn’t have anyone qualify for the state meet.
Team tennis finishes as District 9-6A runner-up:
The Raiders’ tennis team, like the volleyball team, will have a new head coach next season as Jeff Davidson, most recently an assistant coach at Allen, has taken over the helm.
Wylie East finished in second place in District 9-6A and made the playoffs. The Raiders fell 10-8 to Rockwall in the bi-district round of the Class 6A playoffs.
At the district meet, Wylie East got a 4-2, 4-2 win from Wyatt Kelley over Wylie’s Nathan Fain at No. 2 boys singles. Earlier in the day, Kelley and Raiders teammate Tai Stamps overcame a 1-0 deficit to earn a 1-4, 4-2(3) victory against Wylie’s Elliot Halpin and Kushal Sheth at the No. 3 boys’ doubles line.
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