No Program has dominated like Lovejoy Volleyball! 10 State Championships in just 17 years of existence and the Coach of the Year Natalie Puckett is running out of fingers for all this State Title Bling! Coach Puckett has won 3 State Championships as a player, 1 as an assistant coach, and now 2 as Head Coach! Lovejoy is a DFW Powerhouse located in the most volleyball talent rich area in the Country! More than 60% of the state titles come from the DFW Region. Lovejoy has been to State 13 times in the last 16 years and by far the most storied program in America the last 2 decades. The Lady Leopards are led by State recognized talent in Skylar Jackson, Shelby Burris, McKenna Brand, Bethanie Wu, and SuperStar Freshman Gentry Barker. It’s a school that produces both athletic and academic excellence. Several girls are going to Ivy League Schools. It’s not often that a freshman even makes varsity…Not only did Gentry make the team but she also led the State’s juggernaut in kills (424) and had 17 kills and 11 digs in the State Title Game where she was named the State Championship MVP. It’s an easy argument to make that Gentry is the best high school freshman on the planet! She’s dominated in club volleyball since she was 7 and won National Championships in club volleyball and on the beach! She has a bright future and the Olympics are definitely in her future. It’s a spectacle everytime she spikes the ball! Lovejoy dominates in both athletics and academics as a Lone Star Cup Contender. Football is State Title Caliber with the legendary Todd Dodge now leading the way but, it’s Volleyball that sets the standard of excellence. It’s a special community that wins in so many ways… Both the Boys and the Girls won Cross Country State Championships.

Jeff Joseph is a rising star in the Texas High School Football Coaching Ranks. In just 2 short years as a head coach, he’s coached in every game possible at Port Neches-Groves. Back-to-Back State Championship Games and brought his Golden Triangle Community it’s first title in nearly 50 years! And even more impressive, took-out the defending champs of South Oak Cliff who were trying to complete the 3-Peat! Led by the biggest and baddest offensive line in the State on the 5A level…PNG’s Stars like Jackson Christian, Isaiah Nguyen, Connor Bailey, Shea Adams could really shine! Defense wins Championships and the Purple Wall was just too much for SOC.

Jeff is making his own legacy from an enormous coaching family! He’s a 3rd Generation Coach with Hall of Fame Pedigree. His Dad, Gary Joseph, led the Katy Tigers to 8 appearances in the State Title Game and 4 State Championships. Jeff played in one of those title games at the Houston Astrodome where he learned about the football crazed community of PNG that would eventually lure him there for his first Head Coaching Job. Jeff’s Grandfather Eddie had a long successful coaching career at Wharton HS and became the Executive VP of the Texas High School Coaches Association. Jeff has been surrounded by coaching greatness in stops as an assistant at Katy, Katy Seven Lakes, Magnolia West, Austin Westlake, Southlake Carroll, and Texas A&M. Jeff has coached in 4 State Title Games and 3 NCAA Bowl Games. The famous Dodge family has an assist in his coaching development. Coaching Icon Todd Dodge was on the district’s selection committee and recommended Jeff who had no head coaching experience for the job and the rest is history! Jeff also coached under Todd’s son Riley Dodge at Southlake Carroll. It always seems like 7-degrees of separation from the Dodge Football Family. Jeff is 28-4 in 2 seasons with a Ring and was born to coach with a heart of tradition at Powerhouse PNG.

It’s remarkable what Gilmer’s Alan Metzel has done in 4 short years as Head Football Coach. He’s won 21 of 24 playoff games with 3 trips to Jerry World. The Buckeyes win their 4th State Title in 9 appearances and Metzel’s first as a Head Coach. Alan is the nicest guy you will ever meet and hails from the Jeff Traylor coaching tree that’s turning into 5 trees! The Gilmer stadium is named after Metzel’s good buddy and the two combined for 3 State Championships together building Gilmer into a State & National power! UTSA’s Traylor left the perennial power in good hands with his assistants Matt Turner and Metzel. Eventually Metzel would get his shot as Head Coach after 17 years of being an assistant in the storied program. Traylor talks so fondly of Metzel and was at AT&T Stadium for his protege’s crowning moment!

What a journey it was… the Buckeyes started 0-2 and completely changed the defense at midseason when they were 3-3. That genius move rattled off 10 straight wins and the coveted Class-4AD2 State Championship. In the quarterfinals, Gilmer finally got over the hump and upended their heated rival Carthage! In the State Championship, it pitted the top two offenses in the State that couldn't be more different. Bellville’s Slot “T” and #1 Offense in the state against a traditional offense based on speed and talent. Gilmer’s revamped defense held an offense scoring 53 ppg to just 26 points in the Title Game! Gilmer is led by endless talent and a community that supports them through adversity. Super Stars like Cadon Tennison, Will Henderson, and Brendon Webb lead the way in a season inspired by the Japanese word Kaizen…continuous improvement!