Photo by Victor Tapia
Lady Farmer senior Shelby Eaves was tabbed as the District
13-3A Co-Offensive Player of the Year along with Emory Rains’
senior Chelsee Hudson.

Eaves, Craddock top list in superlatives

By David Jenkins
Staff Writer

For the second straight season the Lady Farmers advanced to the Class 3A Region II playoffs.

They were rewarded for that recently with several District 13-3A awards.

Topping the list with superlatives were senior Shelby Eaves (co-Offensive Player of the Year with Emory Rains’ Chelsee Hudson) and junior Charla Craddock (co-Blocker of the Year with Rains’ Torie Talkington).

Named to the first team were a pair of seniors: libero Tara McGuire and setter Becky Forbus.

Junior defensive specialist Rachel Harrison was tabbed for the second team.

Rounding out the list with honorable mentions were senior middle blocker Veronica Berry and sophomore outside hitter Katy Adamson.

The Lady Farmers finished second in 13-3A at 7-3, one spot higher than in 2008. 

Taking the top spot was  recently crowned 3A state champion Lovejoy (10-0) and rounding out the standings were Emory Rains (third at 6-5), Princeton (fourth at 5-5), Community (fifth at 3-7) and Quinlan Ford (sixth at 0-10). 

During the playoffs the Lady Farmers captured the bi-district title (25-15, 25-13, 25-11 victory over 14-3A’s Mineola) and were an area finalist (25-22, 25-23, 25-23 loss to 16-3A’s Texarkana Pleasant Grove).

Farmersville loses four players to graduation: Eaves, McGuire, Forbus and Berry.

Returning  next season from the regular-season roster are Stephanie Helmberger, Julia Edge and Kaley Lokey, who was called up from the junior varsity A team.

The Lady Farmers have made the playoffs four consecutive seasons. 

Their longest postseason run was in 2007, when they made it to the 2A Region II semifinals before falling 25-23, 29-27, 25-21 to Jewett Leon. 

The head coach at the time was Debbie Robledo, who is currently coaching at Garland.

During that campaign the Lady Farmers went 24-8 overall and 9-1 in 13-2A, good for a co-district title with Melissa.

Also collecting superlatives in 13-3A were the following: 

• Co-Most Valuable Players were Lovejoy’s Natalie Puckett and Lauren McDaniel.

• The Defensive Player of the Year was Lovejoy’s Andi Malloy.

• Setter of the Year was Lovejoy’s Tyler Bradsher.

• Newcomer of the Year was Emory Rains’ Layci Trieb.

•  Coach of the Year was Lovejoy’s Ryan Mitchell.

The UIL will announce realignment Feb. 1 for 2010-’10 and 2011-’12 school years. 

That could possibly lead to the Lady Farmers dropping down one classification with a new district and opponents.