Busy Day, Morning Edition...

Last Friday was a busy day. It started out with me going to Snyder to cover Wylie's volleyball team playing Springtown in the semifinals of the region I-3A tournament. This was going to be one of their toughest tests of the playoffs so far. Springtown had some big hitters up front and had dropped down from Class 4A where they were a pretty good program. Plus, Wylie had been ranked #1 in Class 3A all season so, they had they've had a target on their back all season.

The match started out with Wylie jumping out to a quick lead and they ended up winning the first game pretty easily. The next two game Springtown played a lot better but Wylie's biggest strength during their last three years has been the lack of mistakes they've made and the great setting and passing they have. That was the difference between them and Springtown was the superior setting, putting the ball right where it needed to be and fooling the big blockers up front.

The Coliseum in Snyder is a really great place to shoot volleyball in comparison to some of these dark gyms I've been shooting in for most of the season. For one, it has really nice light, a big improvement over most high school gyms. The other thing I like is the stands are really high, looking down on the court. This makes for clean backgrounds and a fresh look on things from what I've shot most of the year. Another thing I really like about shooting in there is the east side of the court is draped from floor to ceiling with a black curtain. It make for just perfect black backgrounds. It's not often I can shoot a whole volleyball match, or any event, and be able to totally control my backgrounds. It's a nice change.

Football Friday...

It seems like it's becoming a trend this year that I'm getting a lot of players leaping and hurdling other players. That trend continued in Wylie's game against Snyder. The game started out pretty slow but really started to pick up after the first quarter. Bot teams spent most of the first quarter holding on to the ball, with only three total possessions between them. Then Wylie's offense really started to pick things up and their defense which has been tough all year just kept clamping down. In the second half things were broken wide open. One thing that was nice is I think this was the fastest game I may have ever shot. The game was finished in just over two hours. It was crazy walking off the field and not feeling like I had to rushed to make deadline.

Opening the Postseason...

Hardin-Simmons started what is going to be the first of many post-season volleyball matches I'll cover over the next couple of weeks with a match against East Texas Baptist in the quarterfinals of the American Southwest Conference tournament and then a couple days later with the finals against UT-Dallas. It was the first time in a few weeks that I got to see a competitive match. Lately I've been covering a lot of 3-game sweeps, so to see the team I was covering get pushed to four games was kind of welcome for once. It also left me with more opportunities for pictures.

The first match going four games happened on deadline and while I was glad for the extra time it did make me a little nervous about getting back, but I knew as long as they didn't got to a fifth game, I'd be back in plenty of time. It also gave me plenty of time to get an idea who the hitters and the best defensive players were since this was only the second time in the season I had gotten to shoot them.

For the Cowgirls championship match against UT-Dallas, I was kind of hoping for an extra game since I was getting to the match a little late after having to cover a football game that went to overtime. However, that didn't happen, the teams did stretch every game out about as far as they could though, with all three ending 25-23. I guess that was just as good, besides, I pretty much knew what my photo was going to be and it was going to happen at the end of the match. The great thing I have always like about volleyball is since they celebrate pretty much every point, I know at the end there will certainly be a good celebration there.

Another Blowout...

I found lately that no matter which side of a blowout you shoot, there aren't a whole lot of great photos to be found beyond the second quarter. Mostly because the starters have already been pulled from the game and the guys that are in are just there to kill the clock. The crowd is usually bored, if they haven't gone home yet. So, I need to make sure I get everything I need in the first half if thing are looking lopsided, Cooper's game against Odessa Permian was just like that. I made a few decent frames, but am looking forward to the playoffs in a couple weeks for some closer, more competitive games.

Leaping Around the Field...

Shooting both teams can be both beneficial and a burden. So, when I shot the ACU game against Midwestern State, I had to shoot MSU for the Wichita Falls paper. Usually if I have to shoot both teams I will concentrate on the offenses. Meaning if there is a big defensive play or a big sack I'm usually going to be on the wrong side of the ball. It happens and there's just nothing you can do about it, you can be everywhere on the field, you just need to take your chances and hope something happens on the side of the ball your watching.

Well, luckily, during this game I seemed to be on the right side of the play a few times. It also helps that the Midwestern running back like to hurdle defenders... that's always nice. Add in a few nice plays by ACU including a really nice catch and I can leave after the game with a smile on my face instead of knowing what I missed.

I'm Coming Around on Volleyball

When I first started shooting volleyball, I thought it was one of the most difficult sports to shoot. And, while it is still not an easy sport to shoot, I am enjoying covering it a lot more. I guess covering Wylie, the number one Class 3A team in state helps. Though, the way they've just been mowing over the teams they've played so far has made it tough to get some really great stuff since the matches get done so quick. Hopefully now, with the playoffs starting some of the matches will be a little more exciting, and I'll have had enough practice to get decent shots.

HSU vs ETBU...

I find it kind of funny sometimes how I can spend a whole game shooting and the majority of my best photos come from just a couple minute period. The game between Hardin-Simmons and East Texas Baptist was just that. The game was kind of turning into a blowout and I was thinking of leaving at half time, however, it was homecoming and I needed to get a shot of the homecoming queen (that's a whole 'nother rant for another time).

So, I figured I'd stick around for the first few minutes of the third quarter to see how things played out. It really paid off, since my best photos all came from about a five minute stretch to start the second half. It also blew an already lopsided game even more wide open. By the fourth quarter the backups were in and they were pretty much just running out the clock... my queue to leave.