Category: Lytle Pirates & Lady Pirates Sports

Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports Editor
The Lytle Lady Pirates’ volleyball 2026 season has officially begun! With a Parent/Alumni game and a couple of scrimmages under their belt, the black and gold are primed for tournament season. Last year, the Lady Pirates were sixth in the district standings with a record of 4-10 and an overall record of 12-25. Head coach Maggie McOsker said that the ultimate goal for this team, like any other, is to make the post season. In order to reach that goal, she has been imploring the importance of establishing “winning habits.”
“I want our girls to understand that winning habits aren’t something you suddenly develop when district starts, they are built during every drill, every practice, every workout and every match,” McOsker said. “If we can consistently do the little things right and continue getting better each week, I believe we’ll put ourselves in a position to accomplish the goals we’ve set for this season.”
McOsker said the biggest lesson from last season was how important consistency and confidence are. She called back to moments where they were playing to their potential, but there were also moments where they let mistakes snowball and let the momentum of the matches get away from them. So this year they are emphasizing the art of “resetting.”
“Volleyball is a game of mistakes; you’re going to make them. What matters is what you do on the very next ball,” McOsker said. “We have to learn to stay composed, trust one another, and continue competing regardless of the score.”
It’s no secret that Lytle athletics is overflowing with talented players, they can hang with the best of the best any given night. The tricky part about being successful is maintaining that level of play throughout the season. McOsker highlighted three things in order to sustain success: mental toughness, communication and consistency. Moreover, McOsker has stressed the importance of not getting content. The continuous striving for improvement in all facets of the games is what separates the good the from the great.
“Every match has to be approached as another opportunity to improve.  Our varsity team had a great summer and won the CYDI Silver Bracket Championship in a league of 33 teams, which was a great accomplishment and showed them what they’re capable of, but that’s also just one step. We want to take that confidence and use it as motivation to keep raising our standard,” McOsker said.
The expectations may be high, but the team has the energy and attitude to match it. The girls have put in a lot of work this offseason between summer leagues, training and skill work. McOsker was elated to see the group has shown the desire to improve every day.
“What I’ve enjoyed most is seeing different girls begin to find their voices and understand their roles. Leadership doesn’t always have to come from the loudest person in the gym. Sometimes it’s the player who consistently works hard, picks up a teammate after a mistake, or sets the standard during a drill.”
This sets the standard for the younger groups like the JV and freshmen who have made “leaps and bounds of improvements this summer.”
Overall, McOsker is excited about the direction of the entire Lytle volleyball program. The work being done this off season extends to the junior high girls as well who have been diligently working with their volleyball coaches as well as their strength and conditioning coach. Sustained success isn’t a year to year plan, it’s a culmination of consistent effort and the desire to improve that trickles down to everyone involved. A winning program doesn’t begin with one person, it starts with the culture established by the community.
“More than anything, I want our girls to enjoy this season and understand how quickly it goes by. We want to win, compete for a postseason spot, and accomplish some big goals, but we also want to build something that lasts,” McOsker said. “We want our younger players watching the older girls and thinking, ‘That’s the standard I want to live up to.’”
The Lady Pirates will travel to Tilden for their first tournament of the season on Thursday, Aug. 15.
Varsity: Lila Cortinas, Loudyn Perez, Karley Aguilera, Julie Massiate, Emma Fernandez, Payton Devaney, Milahni Mejia, Macey Ford, Madison Hernandez, Mikailah Mejia and Lillian Evans.
JV1: Sophie Aguirre, Avary Hernandez, Priscilla Martinez, Jazlene Dominguez, Lilliana Gallegos, Annabella Simmons, Marley Macias, Analia Menchaca, Autumn Foster, Gia Gonzales.
JV2: Aubrey Olivarez, Jocelyn Hernendez, Miranda Leija, Marlen Vasquez, Aaliyah Rodriguez, Alexa Flores, Allie Dempsey, Addisyn Lara, Arabella Castro, Amerlie Hernandez, Celia Perales.

Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports Editor
The Lytle Pirates’ historic season comes to an end in Kenedy after falling to the Orange Grove Bulldogs in two games. Despite the series only lasting two games, the fight and effort put on by both teams is undeniable.
Game one was where all the drama took center stage. Head coach Bryan Bippert said the first game had everything you could ask for as a baseball fan.
“We saw a great pitching performances from both teams, especially Devin Cordova. We turned in two double plays.  Weston Jackson’s catch in centerfield was one of the best catches I have ever seen,” Bippert said. “We had a ton of quality at-bats including clutch hits from Devin and Seth Pierce. Good bunting from both teams. Controversial calls and the crowd jeering.”
The pinnacle of the game came from the clutch three-run homerun from Mason Hill to put the Pirates ahead going into the last inning.
However, the Bulldogs miraculously rallied and scored five runs in the final frame to take the lead and game 8-9.
Bippert lamented the team’s missed opportunity, having been three outs away from a win.
“It makes me sick to my stomach,” Bippert admitted. “It was difficult to deal with…we had won all our previous 18 games.”
Game two was a much more straight forward victory for the Bulldogs. Bippert gave credit to Orange Grove’s pitcher Leelan Rodriguez for his performance, coupled with clutch and timely hitting, Lytle found themselves playing from behind all game. The Pirates would fall 6-1.
This Pirates squad will be forever etched as one of the most successful teams in the program’s history, finishing the season with an overall record of 27-8-1 and undefeated in district play at 10-0. The 27 wins are the most ever in the history of the school since starting the program in 1981. This Pirates squad also set a record for most consecutive wins at 18 in a row.
To be able to execute at high level like this requires not just skill, but consistency, grit and experience. This dugout consisted of seven seniors, five(Devin Cordova, Toby Davila, Damien Barco, Juan Patlan and Travis Norton) of which have been with the program since their freshmen year. Along with juniors Mason Hill and Weston Jackson, who have also been playing since their freshman year, Bippert described this mix of seasoned veterans as a “recipe for success.”
“These guys know each other well.  They know the importance of the little things in this game.  We have leaders by example and we have vocal leaders,” Bippert said. “Both held everyone accountable all season long and helped us to compete at a very high level for a long time.”
Looking ahead, Bippert assured that this 2026 team has raised the bar for all the young players in the program. They have proven what is possible for Lytle and the legacy they leave behind will continue to propel the Pirates’ baseball program for years to come.
The departing seniors consist of Devin Cordova, Toby Davila, Damien Barco, Juan Patlan, Travis Norton, Lee Mills and Chase Guevara. This group earned four District championships, four Bi-District championships and two Area championships throughout their careers.  No other baseball class has accomplished this.
Devin Cordova, Toby Davila, Damien Barco, Juan Patlan and Travis Norton are four-year lettermen that started at their positions for their entire high school careers.
“Thank you to all of our fans for your tremendous support throughout this season,” Bippert said.  “We are extremely proud of our accomplishments. We know that we are not perfect, but we hope that we have represented our school with pride and class.”…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Lytle Pirate runners Jewell Hicks, Jacob Cantu, and Sebastian Garcia earned the right to compete at the UIL State Track and Field Meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin after their outstanding performances at Regional just a couple of weeks ago. As hundreds of athletes hit the track over the weekend showcasing some of the best athletes in Texas, the Lytle Pirates proved they belonged among the elite.
Competing against the top runners in the state, the Pirates delivered memorable performances and represented their school and community with determination, toughness, and honor on the biggest stage high school track has to offer.
Together, Cantu, Hicks, and Garcia gave Pirate fans plenty to celebrate and added another memorable chapter to Lytle’s proud track and field tradition which has now made numerous State appearances over the last few decades…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports Editor
Lytle baseball continues its historic run by taking down the Poth Pirates in two games for the Area Championship. Game one was a defensive battle until the fourth inning where Lytle got on the board first after an error by Poth. Lytle would capitalize on that momentum and tack on six more runs to win 7-0. The next game brought out the best in Poth. Faced with elimination…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!