Athlete Spotlight: Kiley Wiechring


By: Carol

In the world of student-athletes, there are those who stand out not only for their exceptional skills on the court but also for their dedication to academics and their ability to balance the demands of both worlds. One such outstanding individual is Kiley Wiechering, a name that has become synonymous with excellence in both sports and academics at Pleasanton High School. 

Kiley’s journey as an athlete began at a young age when she discovered her passion for sports, especially volleyball. Growing up in a family that valued athletics and education, Kiley was encouraged to explore her interests. She tried her hand at various sports, from softball to track and basketball, but ultimately found her main calling in the world of volleyball. Since the young age of about five Kiley could be found on a volleyball court. “ It’s my calm space” siad Kiley. 

As Kiley progressed through her volleyball career, her talent continued to shine. She joined our high school’s varsity team and quickly became a standout player. Her incredible work ethic, determination, and leadership skills earned her the respect of her coaches and teammates. 

Her performances on the court were nothing short of spectacular. She consistently led her team in scoring and demonstrated her versatility and ability to impact the game in multiple ways. Her dedication to the sport was unwavering, as she often spent extra hours practicing and refining her skills.

While Kiley’s love for volleyball was undeniable, she understood the importance of a well-rounded education. From an early age, she excelled in the classroom, consistently earning top grades and demonstrating a thirst for knowledge. Kiley’s dedication to academics never wavered, even as her volleyball career began to take off. She managed to strike a balance between her sports commitments and her studies, a feat that many find incredibly challenging. 

Kiley is undoubtedly a standout athlete at Pleasanton High School. Kiley’s athletic career serves as a testament to the power of passion, hard work, and dedication in achieving one’s goals. As she continues to shine both on and off the court, there is no doubt that Kiley’s dedication, work ethic, and ability to persevere in the face of challenges make her a role model for upcoming athletes.

PHS is beyond lucky to have a Student athlete like Kiley. All of us here in the PHS journalism staff would like to wish Kiley and the rest of her team good luck for the rest of their 2023 volleyball season.

 

Cross Country


By: Carol

For the high school cross country team, the start of the season marks the beginning of a journey filled with sweat, tears, and unrelenting determination. Theirs is a sport that celebrates the human spirit’s capacity for endurance and resilience. Whether they’re racing against the clock or supporting their teammates, these young athletes are bound by a common love for cross country running and a shared goal of personal and collective growth. As they lace up their running shoes and set off on this season’s adventure, they are a shining example of the power of passion, teamwork, and the indomitable spirit of high school sports.

Cross country is often referred to as a “team sport disguised as an individual sport,” and the camaraderie among the athletes is unparalleled. The bond formed through countless hours of training and shared experiences is one of the team’s greatest strengths. Whether it’s motivating each other during grueling hill sprints or cheering on their teammates during races, this unity is what sets them apart. The athletes on the Pleasanton high school team understand that the journey to success is paved with hard work and dedication. They’ve spent the off-season building their strength, improving their speed, and fine-tuning their running techniques in preparation for the upcoming races. 

Kassidy Vickers is a current senior on the team and gave the journalism staff an inside scoop of the team this year saying “ Our first meet was tougher than expected but we all made it through and were there for each other and I’m excited to see how our team progresses.”

All cross country stats can be found on the cross country instagram and/or facebook page. We are so proud of our cross country team and wish them nothing but success for the rest of their season.

 

Tennis


By: Carol

With the cool breeze of fall gently ushering in a new beginning, the excitement is palpable as the high school tennis team readies itself for a brand-new season. As the tennis courts come to life with the sound of rackets and the thud of tennis balls, the team embarks on a journey filled with dedication, camaraderie and victory. 

For the athletes on the high school tennis team, tennis is more than just a sport—it’s a tight-knit community of individuals bound by a common passion. As the season begins, the players are not merely teammates; they’re family. The camaraderie built through countless hours of practice and shared victories and defeats is what sets this team apart. Senior Evelynn Caraway said, “ When we play matches two times a week and have practice almost every day the team is more like family and even though we lost many seniors last year our team bond is stronger than ever.”

Behind every successful team is a coach with a well-thought-out strategy. Coach Everett, with years of experience and a deep love for the game, has devised a practice that focuses on refining each player’s skills. From perfecting their serves to working on their volleys, the team is prepared to face any challenge that comes their way. As Coach Evertt puts it, “Success is not just about winning matches, but about growing as individuals and as a team. My goal is to develop both as players and as people.”

The high school tennis team eagerly anticipates the fierce competition that awaits them. As the schedule unfolds, they will face rival schools and neighboring districts, putting their skills to the test. The thrill of competition is what drives these athletes to push their limits and strive for victory. 

Tennis

By: Carol

 

The PHS spring tennis season is started with a bang. The first game of the season took Pleasanton to the Somerset Varsity Invitational where Pleasanton won overall as a team. On January 27th Pleasanton hosted the first home tournament of the new year with over 5 teams in attendance. Our team took a full sweep placing 1st and/or 2nd in all brackets. On February 3rd Pleasanton attended the 44th annual Uvalde Varsity Invitational, no teams placed but head tennis Coach Everett said he could not be more proud of his players and their effort in such a competitive tournament. On February 17th Pleasanton played at the Navarro Varsity invitational, where boys doubles number one took home gold. Most recently our Eagle Tennis team played at the Cecil Vasquez Varsity invitational, placing second main draw with girls doubles, first main draw boy doubles, and first in mixed doubles. 

This month the PHS journalism staff had the opportunity to speak with the Head and Varsity Coach Everett as well as varsity girls doubles player Evelynn Caraway. Coach Everett the head tennis coach here at PHS for the past 2 years, has an amazing passion for tennis and wishes to pass that on to his players. The coach said he felt confident in the upcoming matches, the team was coming together and pushing each other to get better and better every day. He notes that there is progress to be made and the tennis program is nowhere near perfect but he is more than proud of his players and their commitment to the sport. 

Evelynn Caraway is part of the varsity girls number one team. As a junior, she is looking forward to the time the team still has with seniors and the major tournaments yet to come. Every day from 3 to 5:30 Evelynn is at the practice putting in the hard work. She says “This year we are coming together as a team. Everyone supports everyone and no matter what we can always have a great time.” Evelynn wishes the best for her and her teammates as they move further into their spring season. 

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Yarnell

By: Carol

For this month’s staff spotlight the PHS journalism staff selected Mrs. Yarnell. With this being said, we had the opportunity to interview her and ask her some questions about her journey here at PHS. Mrs. Yarnell went to high school at Worthington Kilbourne High School in Columbus, Ohio. Receiving her Bachelors of Music Education at Harding University and Masters of Music in Percussion Performance at the University of Central Arkansas. One of her favorite things about working with the students here at PHS is getting to see them grow from the time they were in junior high barley counting rhythms till when their seniors performing at state. It is very clear to see how passionate Mrs. Yarnell is about teaching and directing here at PHS. She told us that each year brings something new, something different. The seniors graduate and incoming freshmen are finding their places in the high school band. She states “ It’s really exciting to watch the band learn about each other and how to work together at the beginning of the year.” Every year she looks forward to seeing her upperclassman grow into leadership positions showing a newer maturity than in previous years. 

Mrs. Yarnell is a valued teacher here at PHS who cares deeply for her students and is always willing to do her best to make sure her students succeed. She has shown to be very committed and attentive. Her good deeds never go unnoticed, she’s making a huge impact on students  and we at PHS can’t wait to see what she has planned for the future.

Football

By: Carol

The Pleasanton Eagle football team played the Floresville Tigers, on October 28th with home field advantage. The Eagles took the win at this home conference game by a score of 35-14. The following Friday, November 4th The Eagles played and won their last home game against the Beeville Trojans in overtime by a score of 34-28. Entering the first round of play-offs, the Eagles were ready to dominate. Held in Corpus Christi, the Eagles played the Tuloso-Midway Warriors. Within the first 2 quarters the Eagles were leading with a 14-0 score showing no mercy as they continued on. By the third quarter the Eagles had put 28 more points on board which was quickly followed with a single 6 point touchdown made by Tuloso-Midway. In the last few minutes of the game our competitors decided to come and play adding an additional 14 points to the board by the end of the fourth quarter. Despite Tuloso’s hard fought efforts, the Eagles came out with a score of 42-20 advancing them to round 2 of play-offs against the Boerne Greyhounds. For the next week the Eagles prepped for the fight of their lives. On November 18th the Eagles traveled to Alamo Heights Stadium ready for the 7 pm kickoff. First quarter the Greyhounds came out fast with a 1 yard touchdown within the first few minutes of the first quarter. However, Eagles pushed back with a 7yd touchdown only minutes later only to be scored on once again by the Greyhounds ending the quarter with a 7-14 score. Within the second quarter Pleasanton put up another 7 points followed by another touchdown from the Greyhounds. With a 5 yard pass in the third quarter by the greyhounds quaterback they were leading 40-14 and finished the third quarter with a 43-14 lead. By the fourth quarter the eagles were feeling it but were no where close to giving up, they weren’t going down without a fight. Fourth quarter, Boerne had 1st down, with 11 minutes to go, and the ball on Pleasanton’s 12-yard line. The Greyhounds completed a 12 yard pass for a touchdown and PAT bringing the score to 50-14. Pleasanton had a 1st down with 6 minutes to go, and the ball was on Boerne’s 41-yard line. The Eagles completed a mighty 36-yard pass for a touchdown and a good PAT adding another 7 points to the board. With four minutes remaining the Eagles were giving it their all. Despite our team’s efforts, Bernoe came out with a 50-21 score advancing them to the next round and putting our season to an end.

There is no denying that our team was something special, these guys came out every Friday and fought hard in the name of our school. More than anything though this was a family, these were brothers, and the truth of the matter it was some of their last times on field. I had the opportunity to ask one of our seniors, number 78, Joe-Manuel Ortiz about his experiences as a senior on the team and what he wishes for them moving forward. This year the Eagles had a tough schedule but they played as hard as they could and Ortiz can say he was happy with the season the team had. Partly through the season, Ortiz was out of injury and he told us “ I got past my injury by working with our amazing training staff, they helped me get better and back out on the field.” There is no doubt that the ending of every year is difficult and even more so for seniors who will be moving on to the next chapters of their lives, Ortiz saying, “The hardest part of leaving this team is the memories we had together and all the time we spent together as a family.”  

Football teaches many lessons to players, and our amazing head football coach, Coach Liska can say he has seen this firsthand. Coach Liska saw the potential in his players and pushed them to be the best they could be this season despite the hecticness that came with it. “I knew we could be really good, and I knew we had the opportunity to meet all the goals we had set, our team had the opportunity to make district and play-offs,” Coach Liska. Moving into next year the team plans to improve upon discipline and team comradery. For seniors leaving Coach Liska hopes the lessons learned in football will become things they can implement in life as they grow into careers and become future fathers and husbands. For returning players it’s the work that they put in now that will determine the season next year and the coaching staff is eager to see these boys make the best out of every year in football. When asked what would be the hardest part of this season ending Liska told us “Finialty, you see the seniors walk out the door for the last time, that’s always difficult, taking up equipment is never fun, and seeing a kid walk out the door that you’re not gonna get to work with anymore and hope that the life lessons you’ve shared carry on.” 

Good luck to those graduating; your impact left a mark on this program, and we all wish you the best in life.

Farewell Mrs. Higginbotham

By: Libby Sanchez & Shyanne Carol

The month of October is filled with joy and excitement with all the events it holds. The month of homecoming week, our first homecoming dance, and pink out. Not many things could ruin the vibe October gives off, except for one. After 12 years of hard work at PHS, we bid goodbye to one of our favorite front office ladies, Mrs. Higginbotham. 

Mrs. Higginbotham was the principal’s secretary and was in charge of many tasks in that position. Always scheduling appointments for the principal, keeping tabs on files, and coordinating overall workflow and activities through the central office. It will be a huge adjustment getting used to her absence, but I have no doubt we can make that adjustment. 

One of Mrs. Higginbotham’s most admirable qualities was her willingness to listen to student concerns. Any student needing to meet with the principal would first go through Mrs. Higginbotham, and she always made sure students were prepared to give their best version of themselves. 

Though she will be greatly missed here at PHS, especially her welcoming smile when walking into the office, PHS is grateful to have had someone like her leave such a great impact on students and staff members. We wish her the absolute best retirement, and we hope she comes back to see some of her biggest fans graduate in May!

Homecoming ’22

By: Libby Sanchez & Shyanne Carol

Homecoming week is by far the week most looked forward to by students during the school year. Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors band together to decorate halls representing each theme throughout the week. Our first-ever HOCO dance was held the Saturday following homecoming week and it was an absolute blast. Our gratitude goes out to all the volunteers and participants who helped make homecoming week a success.  

 

Senior hallway decorating (winners) on Saturday & Sunday prior to Homecoming:

Senior, Brylee Miller wrote “one last dance” tp fit the 80’s theme in the senior hallway.

Seniors Brylee Miller, Trinity Garcia, Eileen Jaksik, and Emery Gillespie.

Monday’s bikers vs. surfers:

Senior, Bianca Cruz, dressed as a surfer during homecoming week.

Senior, Jaelyn Morales, dressed as a biker for homecoming week.

Tuesday’s country vs. country club:

Seniors Madison McDaniel, Eileen Jaksik, and Victoria Urbanzyk dressed up for homecoming week.

Seniors Sadie McAda and Trinity Garcia dressed up for homecoming week.

 

Wednesday’s Soccer mom vs. BBQ dad:

Senior, Michael Castillo, and junior, Chance Heyman, dressed up for homecoming week.

Junior Melinda Randolph dressed up for homecoming week.

 

Thursday’s Generation day:

Senior Sadie McAda wins best dressed and poses for a photo.

Seniors Sadie McAda, Elly Hernandez, Riley Porter, Trinity Garcia, Victoria Urbanzyk, and Grace Keylich pose for a picture.

 

Friday’s Green out: 

Juniors Raegan Hollis and Larissa Villareal showing off their homecoming mums.

Juniors Illiana Solorzano, Emree Adamitz, Kassidy Vickers, and Evelynn Caraway showing off their mums for homecoming.

Saturday’s First Annual HOCO Dance:

Senior Emery Gillespie and junior, Alex Balderas at the homecoming dance.

Seniors Paige David and Slayde Huggins at the homecoming dance.

Order on Court

By: Shyanne Sexton and Kassidy Vickers 

Doubles Partners Evelynn Caraway (left) and Makenzie Richter (right).

Pleasanton High School’s tennis team started off the season with a tournament against Ingram on Wednesday, August 14th. Though they fought hard, the match ended with a 3-10 loss. On August 8th Pleasanton played La Vernia on home courts, and they finished with a 2-12  loss. The following Wednesday the team traveled to Somerset ending the night with their first team win of  12-3. Starting the month of September, Pleasanton faced Navarro in a tough fight ending with a score of 4-15. Later on September 14th, the tennis team got their second big win of the season against Gonzales with a final score of 18-1. 

With the start of this season, we have already seen some great athletes including sophomore, Farah Standley. We interviewed Farah and she sees the start of this season as strong and even though there have been a few losses there have been wins along with it. Her teammates are also important to her and left a great message to her fellow teammates saying, “Stay out of your head and keep going and never stop fighting because the biggest comebacks are possible if you just keep working.” This is a great mindset for all athletes, especially our tennis players as they go through their season. 

We wish the Eagle tennis team the best of luck as they continue on with their season and dominate on the court. 

 

Tennis

By: Shyanne Sexton

As a result of the loss at regionals, this tennis season has officially ended. Devon Clark, a player on our boys singles team, attended the regional tournament at HEB Corpus Tennis Center on Wednesday, April 13. Against Needville, Devon played hard to finish the first set 4-6 and fought hard to finish the second set 3-6. Although Devon was not able to continue, it was a tough  loss and a valuable learning experience. Upon finishing the season, Everett stated “I am very proud of each player for working hard and how much they have improved this season and I cannot wait to see how they do in future seasons.”

All of us here at PHS journalism wish the tennis team all the best for the future as we conclude this season.

Keep calm, Golf on

By: Shyanne Sexton

The golf season is in full swing, and our players are dominating. So far, the results of the tournaments suggest a successful season. Head golf coach, Coach Guerra envisions that during this year’s district tournament our golf team will not only win the championship for the eighth consecutive year, but also compete at the regional tournament for the 11th year in a row, as well as qualify for a state tournament for the second consecutive year.

In all tournaments so far, our men’s golf team has finished within the top five. They placed second in a home tournament, first in tournaments in both Somerset and Jourdanton, as well as third in two tournaments held by Divine. There are only three players on the girls golf team this year and therefore no team awards are given. In spite of this, Sadie McAda did perform well at the SAISD tournament, finishing as the 3rd place medalist.

Recently golf team members have been working on improving their course management skills and short game to help lower overall team scores. It is during this time that Coach Guerra likes to adjust players’ swings and from there, make minor adjustments to their game that will enable players to be more successful. I had the pleasure of interviewing Coach Gurrea last week. I asked him what makes coaching this team fun and what motivates him to continue coaching. His answer was simple: “The attitude and work ethic that these golfers show everyday are what make coaching this team fun.”

Our golf team is a great example of success; we at PHS wish them the best!

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Lozano

By: Shyanne Sexton

Each month, the Quill publishes a “Staff Spotlight” article to highlight and celebrate some of the talented and dedicated staff here at PHS. During February and March, The journalism staff decided to highlight Staff member Mrs. Lozano. 

Mrs. Lozano is currently the Digital media and graphic specialist at Pleasanton High School. After graduating from Pleasanton High School in the year 2009, she attended Coastal Bend College to further her education. Mrs. Lozano values her personal development and chooses to surround herself with other people who are successful, such as Mrs. Moos. She and Mrs. Moos are very compatible in the work environment. They tend to collaborate which permits both of them to grow and see things from a different perspective. When asked what one good thing your boss would say about you,he responded with “I’m dependable”. She says ”The administration, staff and students at PHS have really made me feel appreciated!”This alone gives her the motivation to come to work every day and take on whatever tasks she is given. Outside of school life Mrs. Lozano loves spending time with her two beautiful daughters, Kyndall and Kaylie. As well as owning a small photography business where she gets to spend time working at sessions or editing photos.

Mrs. Lozano is a one in a million staff member. She has shown to be successful both inside and outside of school. And all of us here at Pleasanton High School are very grateful to have someone as wonderful as her working on our campus.

Boys Basketball

By: Shyanne Sexton

We are in the thick of basketball season, and the Pleasanton boy’s team is dominating. The results so far indicate a promising season despite a couple bumps on the way. Now it’s a straight shot to the district championships and perhaps even a state championship. It is the players, both on and off the court, who bring the energy, hyping everyone up and pushing them closer toward their goals.

Let’s talk about scores. The Eagles beat Great Hearts Northern Oaks 87-50 on Friday, December 12 at home. In the days following, on December 14, the boys were victorious over Brooks Academy, coming away with a 65-40 victory, and on that Friday they had a 71-50 victory against Uvalde, showing their depth and resilience. After a string of wins, the boys played London on Tuesday, December 29, and lost 55-64. But picked it up again on Friday, December 31 against Davenport, winning 69-43. After playing Fox Tech at home, the Eagles won 81-61 the following week. The next two games would be district games, both of which the team won by over a 10 point lead.

When asked how this season differed from previous ones, players said, “Last year I don’t think we were bad, but as a team we didn’t have time to develop and understand each other’s styles but we are definitely better than last year”. In addition, the boys basketball team continues to impress and PHS is very fortunate to have these players. The PHS journalism staff wishes them the best of luck throughout district play.

AND THAT’S A WRAP

By: Shyanne Sexton

We have reached the end of the Lady Eagles volleyball season. November was a tough month for our Lady Eagles as they fought two tough battles: one against Boerne and the other against Needville.

On November 2nd, Boerne lost 3-1 in four sets due to a very tough game played by the Eagles.

In Needville’s victory over the Lady Eagles on the third of November, the season came to an end. The Lady Eagles fought hard, but Needville came out on top with a 3-1 victory. 

In the opinion of head volleyball coach, Gabrile Agurrie, the girls had a great year. This year’s Lady Eagles made it all the way to the second round of the playoffs. Receiving two honorable mentions, two first teamers, and a district MVP award (Sadie McAda).

The Eagles are now working on improving their speed in off-season classes so that they can compete at a higher level with our district’s top two teams next year. When asked how he sees the future seasons unfolding, head coach Agurrie replied “It is very bright. I’m only losing three seniors this year, so we will have a lot of experience coming back next year.” .

The Lady Eagles prove to be better and better each year, improving and accomplishing more and all of us at PHS wish them the best with future seasons.

Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Glass

By: Shyanne Sexton

Among the many great teachers at PHS, Mrs. Glass is one of the best, teaching Principles of Health Science, Medical Terminology, and CNA (certified nursing assistant). In spite of being a nurse for years and enjoying her job, Mrs. Glass has always had a desire to become a teacher. She chose to be an educator for the same reasons she chose to be a nurse: to help people. High school is a critical time for young adults to become aware of their interests, as well as decide what they really want to do with their life. Mrs. Glass hopes to help them make the most of this time. 

As a teacher, Mrs. Glass implores to cultivate a positive relationship with students within her classroom. She proves to be an attentive listener for her students saying “People too often just listen for their turn to speak. I try to pay attention to the important things people are telling me. If there is an issue that I can help with, I want to.” Apart from listening, she takes the time to support and encourage students’ efforts and successes. She understands that motivating students is more than giving prizes, but it is also acknowledging their successes and never dwelling on their failures.

Whenever possible, Mrs. Glass strives to keep up to date on both teaching and nursing practice in order to better maintain her personal development. She states “You should always be willing to challenge current practices and investigate the possibilities of making them better.”

Aside from the classroom, Mrs. Glass has a lovely family. You can always find her in the company of one of her three sons, as she enjoys being in their presence even if it’s just driving them around.

PHS is fortunate to have such a great teacher as Mrs. Glass, and we wish to thank her for all she does.

Student Spotlight: Alexis Ramos

By: Shyanne Sexton

Alexis Ramos is a junior here at PHS. Her hard work, academic excellence, and leadership qualities make her a valuable member of our school. In addition to being the Junior class president, she is also the treasurer of BPA, and she qualified for state competition twice. She also plays volleyball for the JV team. According to Alexis, her favorite thing about school is the great atmosphere that all the teachers create in their classrooms and around campus. In the interview, she went on to talk about how English is her favorite subject since she has always enjoyed different kinds of literature. Coach Bird’s dual role as Alexis’s coach and teacher further showed Alexis just how innovative he is as a teacher as he always finds new creative ways to teach. When asked about her biggest influence, Alexis replied  “Mrs. Novosad because I had her in both 8th and 9th grade and I know I can count on her to help me out on anything”. 

PHS is grateful to have Alexis as a student and we wish her the best!