Local Volleyball Teams Set For Busy Opening Month

By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY – The 2026 volleyball season will begin with scrimmages and tournaments in early August, followed by a full slate of regular-season matches for teams across Houston County and southern Anderson County. The schedules supplied for this preview include the Crockett Lady Bulldogs, Kennard Lady
Tigers, Lovelady Lady Lions, Grapeland Sandiettes, Latexo Lady Tigers and Elkhart Lady Elks. The first regular-season matches are scheduled for Aug. 11. Crockett will host Apple Springs, Grapeland will travel to Onalaska, Lovelady will host Trinity and Elkhart will host Oakwood. Several teams will be busy before those matches arrive. Grapeland, Latexo and Kennard are scheduled for the Crossroads Tournament Aug. 13 and 15. Crockett will compete in the Palestine Tournament during the same dates, while Elkhart is scheduled for the Leon Tournament. Crockett will meet Latexo on Aug. 18 before traveling to the Apple Springs Tournament Aug. 25 and the Latexo Tournament Aug. 27 and 29. The Lady Bulldogs will host Grapeland on Sept. 4, followed by a Groveton tournament Sept. 5 and a home match against Hearne Sept. 8. Crockett’s schedule also includes matches against Lovelady, Corrigan-Camden, New Waverly, Onalaska, Anderson-Shiro, Coldspring and Trinity. The first district game marked on the schedule is Sept. 22 against New Waverly. Kennard’s early schedule includes a home match against Crockett on Aug. 18, the Franklin Tournament Aug. 20-22, a match at Huntington Aug. 25 and the Latexo Tournament Aug. 27 and 29. The Lady Tigers also have matches scheduled against North Zulch, Colmesneil, Anderson- Shiro, Richards and Chester before the district portion of the schedule begins Sept. 22 against Cushing. Kennard’s district schedule includes additional games against Alto, Groveton, Corrigan and Grapeland, with both home and away dates listed throughout October. Lovelady will open its regular schedule at home against Trinity on Aug. 11. The Lady Lions will then travel to Cayuga Aug. 18 and Onalaska Aug. 25 before hosting Corrigan-Camden Aug. 28. The schedule continues with matches against Oakwood, North Zulch, Crockett, Grapeland and Garrison. Lovelady’s district schedule begins Sept. 22 at Centerville, followed by games against Normangee, Leon and lola. The Sandiettes will compete in the Crossroads Tournament Aug. 13 and 15, the Athens Tournament Aug. 27 and 29 and the Groveton junior varsity tournament Sept. 5. Local matchups include games at Crockett Sept. 4, at Lovelady Sept. 15, at Kennard Sept. 18 and at Latexo Oct. 1.