NEDERLAND — Payton Swanson was close to not playing volleyball her last two years at Nederland High School.
She is glad she did now.
Swanson returned to the court following a rough sophomore season and now is part of the Southeast Texas Coaches’ Association All-Star game sponsored by CHRISTUS.
Swanson will join two other Bulldogs volleyball players at East Chambers High School as Caroline Noel and Emma Forsythe will also play in the game. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.
“I am so glad I did choose to come back,” Swanson said. “It was very hard to come back after my sophomore year. I am so glad I did.”
Noel is getting ready to head off to Denton to play volleyball at Texas Women’s University.
The three Bulldogs players led Nederland to a 26-13 record this past season. Nederland finished in second in District 22-5A and went to the second round of the playoffs.
Noel said she cannot wait to step on the court one last time in a Nederland uniform and play a match with her high school teammates.
“It feels awesome,” Noel said. “I miss all the girls and my team. I probably will not get to see them because I am going off to Denton this summer. I felt so honored to be picked to play in this game.”
Noel and Swanson are also both excited to play on the same team as players from teams they have faced off against.
The Nederland duo will be on the East Team that also includes Bridge City’s Kaitlin Thayer and West Orange-Stark’s Ashlynn Whisneant and Phillis Jones.
The West Team’s roster includes Ozen’s Brittanie Cockrell and Chelse Gloude and West Brook’s Tamia Edwards.
“It is kind of nerve-wracking because I have not played in so long,” Swanson said. “I am eager to see if I am still as good as I was a couple of months ago. It is exciting. It is great to be on the court again with my teammates.”