It has been two weeks since my last update and in that time all but one area spring sports team has seen its season come to a close. In the Class 4A softball playoffs, Seguin is still alive and will play Corpus Christi-Moody in a best-of-three series this weekend. A victory in that set would likely move the Matadors into a regional championship match-up with New Braunfels-Canyon. First things first, though, as Moody awaits on Friday and Saturday of this week.
Now.. to the spring sports wrap-ups……
UIL State Track & Field
Three area athletes competed at the UIL State Track & Field Meet on Friday and Saturday of last week at Myers Stadium in Austin. The top finisher was Navarro’s Sarah Korn, who was the state runner-up in the Class 2A girls’ pole vault.
In the Class 4A boys’ high jump, Seguin’s Joe Sepulveda ended up in a tie for fifth. Sean Hesler, in the Class 3A boys’ 100 meters, took seventh place.
UIL State Tennis
The only two area athletes to make the UIL State Tennis Tournament both came from Navarro. In Class 2A boys’ singles, Ryan Burdick advanced to the state title match were he fell in three sets. Burdick made the state tournament three times in his high school career and advanced further with each showing. Burdick was eliminated in the quarterfinals as a freshman, the semifinals as a junior, and the finals as a senior.
Also for Navarro, Katherine Cruz made it to state in Class 2A girls’ singles. As was the case in her state appearance last season, Cruz was knocked out in the quarterfinals.
TAPPS State Track & Field
A total of six Lifegate athletes completed at the TAPPS State Track & Field Meet two weekends ago in Waco. The Falcons won the state title in the TAPPS Class 1A boys’ 4 x 200-meter relay. Lifegate also took second place in the TAPPS Class 1A boys’ 4 x 100-meter relay.
There were two other second place finishers for the Falcons. Caleb Tate ended up in second place in the TAPPS Class 1A boys’ 100 meters. Austin Swick was the second place finisher in the TAPPS Class 1A boys’ 200 meters.
Texas Lutheran baseball
The Bulldogs had their season end in the final elimination bracket game of the American Southwest Conference Tournament. After advancing past UT-Dallas in the opening round of the tournament the Bulldogs went 1-2 at Katt-Isbel during championship weekend. Both TLU losses came to 8th-ranked Mississippi College. TLU fell to the Choctaws in 10 innings and in 11 innings. Sandwiched between those defeats was a victory over Hardin-Simmons.
TLU, MC, and 19th-ranked UT-Tyler all finished as 30-win teams this season. Only UTT (as the conference champion) and MC (as an at-large selection) are headed to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Individually, two Bulldogs earned first team all-ASC West Division status this season. Starting pitcher Brad Orosey and closer Tom Hembree each were on the first team. Orosey was named the division’s pitcher of the year. He posted a 10-1 record. Hembree finished the season with a division-leading seven saves.
Marion baseball
After earning a share of the District 27-3A title, the Bulldogs won a coin flip with LaVernia for the district’s bi-district round bye. The Bulldogs, after the first round bye, opened the Class 3A playoffs over the weekend with an area round series against Bellville. Marion committed 10 errors in the first game on Thursday and lost 16-4. The Bulldogs bounced back with a good performance in the second game on Saturday but still lost 2-1.
Marion softball
The Bulldogs moved through the bi-district round with a sweep of Goliad but then fell to Sweeny in a single game in the Class 3A Area Round. Marion dropped the Sweeny game 4-0.
Navarro baseball
The Panthers cruised to the District 28-2A title but then were knocked out of the playoffs in two games. Navarro had a bye through the bi-district round but lost twice to Weimar in the Class 2A Area Round. Weimar won Thursday 4-2 and then defeated the Panthers 4-3 on Saturday to win the best-of-three series.
Navarro softball
Navarro defeated Comfort in the bi-district round but fell to Rogers in the area round. Rogers won the first game 2-1 and then rolled to a 9-4 victory in the second game.