Sachse volleyball players celebrate a point won by the Lady Mustangs during an Oct. 29, 2024, home match against Lakeview Centennial. Photo by Tina Lopez / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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Another school year has come and gone for student-athletes at Sachse High School.

It was a successful year in so many ways. 

The Mustangs’ football team went undefeated in district play for the second year in a row, the baseball team captured their third consecutive district championship, the girls’ basketball team went without a loss in district play for the third time over the past four seasons, the girls’ soccer team made a historic run to the Class 6A Division I regional final, both the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams qualified for the Region II-6A meet, and the boys’ basketball and volleyball teams both made the postseason.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the year that was for each sport. Fall sports will be reviewed this week, winter sports in the June 26 edition of the Sachse News and spring sports in the July 3 paper.

Dominance on the gridiron:

The Mustangs dominated to a perfect 8-0 record in District 9-6A play for the second season in a row while outscoring their opponents 361-100 and winning all but one district game by at least 10 points.

Offensively, Sachse pivoted from an explosive passing game to a run-first approach that wore down opponents to the tune of 246.7 rushing yards per game. Alum Brendon Haygood earned district MVP after he logged a career-best 1,590 rushing yards with 16 rushing scores. He, alum running back Keandre Little (663 rushing yards) and rising senior dual-threat quarterback Dirk Williams Jr. (311 rushing yards) made for a dynamic 1-2-3 punch in the backfield.

Defensively, Sachse’s front seven caused havoc. The Mustangs racked up 38 sacks and 130 tackles for loss on the season, while their secondary helped to force 14 interceptions.

Alum wide receiver Kaliq Lockett, a Texas signee, finished second in team history in receiving yards with 2,666 yards, trailing only Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Duvernay, who logged 2,697 yards.

Business as usual for volleyball team:

Sachse has never missed the playoffs, and the Lady Mustangs made sure that streak continued.

It wasn’t any easy task given that Sachse had to replace seven seniors from the 2023 team that went 32-13 and made it four rounds deep in the playoffs, including the powerful hand of 9-6A MVP Favor Anyanwu.

The good news for Sachse is that Kaelynn Sims, a UNLV signee, was already producing at the outside hitter position. Sims logged 439 kills her junior season. During her senior season, she carried the offensive load for the Lady Mustangs. She was named the district’s co-offensive player after she racked up 598 kills. 

Sims helped to lead Sachse to a 23-18 record and another playoff appearance. The Lady Mustangs lost to Rockwall in three sets in a Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff contest.

Sachse also received great play in the back row from defensive specialist Taber Torres, who was bestowed with 9-6A defensive player of the year. 

Ngo paces cross country team:

Both the Sachse boys’ and girls’ cross country teams finished their season at the Region II-6A meet. The Lady Mustangs qualified for the regional meet after placing second at the District 9-6A meet, while the Mustang boys earned third place.

A freshman led the way for the Lady Mustangs. Aurora Ngo capped off an incredible first season in high school with a second-place finish at the district meet.

Ngo was one of two Lady Mustangs to place in the top 10. Alumnae Ana Ortega earned ninth overall with a time of 20:54. Rising sophomore Kaitlyn Herrera earned 11^th in 21:04. Rising sophomore Adeline Moss captured 17^th place in 21:31, while incoming senior Sophia Olade earned a 19^th-place finish. 

On the boys’ side, alum Ethan Massey ran to seventh in 16:31, while rising senior Roman Rabel was eighth in 16:33. Incoming junior Samuel Ledbetter was 10^th in 16:39. Alum Daniel Springman earned 14^th place in 17:28. Rising sophomore Dominic Richardson was 16th in 17:43. Sadiki Mburu took 18^th in 17:58 and Ozzy Heredia was 19^th in 17:59.