Senior-laden Comfort team ready for a strong showing in district

So far, the Comfort volleyball team has had a pretty non-district part of its season.

The Deer took first place at the Natalia and Center Point Tournaments and recently finished as the consolation champs at the Johnson City tourney.

Comfort still has a few more non-district matches left before opening league play on Sept. 20 at home against Llano.

They’ve come a long way since starting the year at 0-2. Even though the Deer dropped its first two matches of the season, head coach Norma Viera wasn’t too worried.

“We have nowhere to go but up,” she said after the 0-2 start. “They’re always ready to go, the chemistry is there so we’ll see what we can do.”

Viera, who is beginning her fifth year at Comfort, said the main goal is to make the playoffs but added that there’s more to it than that. 

“We have to change that mindset of just making the playoffs, at the end of volleyball they’re ready for basketball, the next sport,” she said. “Making the playoffs is their goal but I would like to go two or three rounds, that’s my goal.”

A look at the team

This year’s Comfort roster has an odd mix of seniors and sophomores. There are eight seniors and four sophomores and only three juniors for a total of 15 players.

Seniors are Tori Hernandez, Molly Hamilton, Meghan Davis, Emily Rivera, Allison Zaiser, Jackie Zapata, Kassie Padilla and Gigi Stehling.

Sophomores are Katie Buck, Taylor Tompkins, Hope Van Geffen and Ansley Hill, while juniors are Madison Gowan, Katie Haffner and Aubrey Finke.

“They get along, so the chemistry is good,” Viera said. “They can play, they just have to be consistent and keep playing and not be up and down. Hopefully they’ll want to play and I can get some leaders out there to lead them.”

A look at the district

Included in District 5-3A along with Comfort is Llano, Blanco, Ingram, Brady and Florence.

“Ingram should be good, Blanco will be good, but I haven’t seen Brady, Florence or Llano,” Viera said. “Hopefully this group will come together and finish strong and get some playoff experience as well.”