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Katie Doerre has spent her high school softball career traveling the nation. She is gone so much that she sometimes forgets what her own bed feels like.

“I’ve been traveling pretty much all summer for four years,” Doerre said. “(Recently she spent) one week at Gold Nationals in Oklahoma, where I had a full week there and came home for one day, before I got on a plane to go California for a week.”

That dedication has earned Doerre a spot at Texas State University as a catcher, as well as recognition as one of the best softball players ever at Tomball High School (THS).

Playing the sport since she was very young – “I started playing tee-ball when I was four.” --- Doerre found her calling as a catcher early in life.

“I started off at third base and the outfield and then one of the coaches, I think it was 10 and under (league), asked if anyone wanted to be the catcher because one was hurt, so I just put the gear on and went out there,” she said. “I’ve been catching ever since.”

Doerre describes herself as a take-charge catcher. She studies hitters tendency and calls pitch sequences based upon that study. She thrives on pressure.

“I’ve called every game in high school -- all four years,” she said. “I kind of taught myself how to when I was younger and then one of the main people to help was my tournament coach, Richard Bass. He had me mirror one of the older catchers when I was a freshman.”

“I want to be the person to win the game, or on the defensive side to make a play at the plate,” she added.  “I love those moments.”

Now heading off to college, Doerre said it will be an adjustment, but she has other goals, including hopefully making the U.S. national team someday.

“That’s been a goal of mine since I was a little kid,” she said. “They took it out (of the Olympics) and it was kind of a bummer, but there is talk of them bringing it back for 2016, which would be perfect because it’s my senior year.”

She chose Texas State, she said, because it felt like family.

“It seemed like they really, really wanted me,” Doerre said. “They pursued me the hardest. They started looking at me when I was a freshman. I like the town a lot. My parents told me it’s not just about softball it’s about what you want to do and they have my degree plan, which is physical therapy.”

Doerre said that her career choice wasn’t her father’s -- Tomball Police Cpt. Rickey Doerre -- first choice.

“Dad wanted me to be an FBI agent or wildlife,” she said laughing.

She credits her father for his help along the way as her first coach.

He has done so much for me,” she said.

As for her favorite memories of playing at Tomball?

“It was junior year and we were playing Pearland, a really intense game and we were tied with runners at first and second,” Doerre said. “I was at bat and I had gotten a really bad strike call on me at my ankles. Then the pitcher throws me an outside rise ball and I took it yard to the opposite field.”

The competition isn’t the only thing Doerre said she will miss.

“Tomball is really supportive of their sports teams and I’ll miss that, but I’ll really miss the girls. The team is like family and we are all splitting up.”

Doerre said that while her high school chapter is now over, she wouldn’t change a thing.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better career.”

STARKVILLE, Miss. - It was a remarkable debut weekend in collegiate volleyball, as Mississippi State’s libero position has helped Roxanne McVey earn Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors.

McVey, a former Tomball Lady Cougar standout, took the early SEC league for digs with 88 scoops during three matches in the Maroon Classic. McVey tallied 21 digs in her first collegiate match, added 25 in Saturday’s win over ULM and concluded the weekend in the Newell-Grissom Building with a school-record 42 digs in the tourney championship match against Kennesaw State. She bettered the previous school record of 39 digs set by Shauna Owens in 1991 against Sam Houston State. For the week, McVey averaged 7.33 digs per set and better than 30 per match.

It’s the third straight season and fourth overall that a Mississippi State player has earned the league’s weekly honor for freshmen. She joins previous honorees Martina Gregusova (2006), Paris Perret (2010) and Lainey Wyman (2011).

The Tomball Lady Cougar volleyball team pose for a photo after winning their bi-district playoff game against Houston Milby, by a score of 25-13, 25-11 and 25-6 recently. Tomball advanced to the area round, taking on Santa Fe over the weekend. Results were not available as of press time. The Lady Cougars won another district championship this season, this time capturing the District 22-4A title.

The Tomball Lady Cougars basketball squad advanced to the 4A area championship game, after an undefeated run through District 22-4A competition and a mauling of Houston Austin in the bi-district round.

The Lady Cougars have rolled off 11 consecutive wins in cruising to a 27-6 overall record and number 15 4A state ranking.

Their first playoff game was at home against Houston Austin Feb. 11. The Lady Cougars ran to a 20-3 lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back, as they rolled to a 59-20 win.

Tomball's Carissa Diaz led all scorers with 21 points on 10-21 shooting, while also grabbing nine rebounds. Senior Lexe Marks dropped in 12 points for the Lady Cougars, while senior Layna Waters added seven points and three assists.

The Lady Cougars traveled to Don Coleman Coliseum in Houston Feb. 15, to take on Foster in the Area Championship game. Results were not available at press time.

Throughout the Tomball Lady Cougars playoff run, they barreled their way through opponents with strong defense and a meticulous offense. In the regional championship game Feb. 22, Tomball ran into an opponent with a stifling defense to match and fell just short of the 4A Final Four, falling to top-ranked Georgetown 41-30.

The disappointing loss came one game after a thrilling win over Pflugerville Connally Feb. 21, in the regional semifinals.

Facing a team that likes to run up and down the court, the Lady Cougars took their ball control offense to another level in that contest, defeating Connally 45-40. Tomball raced to a big lead, before going ice cold in the third quarter.

The Lady Cougars found themselves down 30-28 in the final period, when Alayna Waters made a layup while getting fouled. Waters made the free throw, giving Tomball back the lead, one they wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the game.

After the hard fought victory, the Lady Cougars faced a daunting challenge in the regional championship game, as their opponent would be the top-ranked Georgetown Lady Eagles.

Georgetown raced to an 8-0 lead en route to a 13 point halftime lead.

Tomball coach Karen Lemker told her team at halftime that mistakes caused the early deficit and that if they played better in the second half they could still make it a game.
The Lady Cougars closed the gap to six with about three minutes to play, but the Lady Eagles were able to hit clutch free throws down the stretch, in pulling away for a 41-30 victory.

Carissa Diaz led Tomball with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Lexe Mark added seven points.

The loss ended the most successful run for the Lady Cougars (30-7) since 1994, which was Tomball's last appearance at state.