State Championship Previews

 admin  |    Jun 4th, 2024

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6A

State Semifinals, Friday, June 7

4:00 PM
Flower Mound (40-5) vs Pearland (36-8-1)

7:00 PM
Tomball (39-3) vs San Antonio Johnson (33-11)

State Championship – Saturday, June 8

4:00 PM

TEAMS

Region I – Flower Mound
2024 Record: 40-5
2024 Playoff Record: 10-2
State Playoff Appearances: 2003, 2004, 2014, 2023
State Championships: 2014 (5A)

Region II – Tomball
2024 Record: 39-3
2024 Playoff Record: 10-0
State Playoff Appearances: 2013, 2015
State Championships: 2013 (4A)

Region III – Pearland
2024 Record: 39-3
2024 Playoff Record: 10-3
State Playoff Appearances: 1980, 1981, 1984, 2009, 2014, 2023
State Championships: 1980 (4A)

Region IV – San Antonio Johnson
2024 Record: 33-11
2024 Playoff Record: 10-3
State Playoff Appearances: 2016
State Championships: None

5A

Lucas Lovejoy (29-7-2) Vs. Magnolia West (26-14-1)

Lovejoy
Bi-District: W 10-1, 7-2 over Red Oak
Area: W 3-2, 4-1 over Porter
Regional Quarterfinals: W 2-3, 3-2, 3-0 over Hallsville
Regional Semifinals: W 10-2, 7-1 over Frisco
Regional Finals: W 8-5, 6-2 over Forney

Magnolia West
Bi-District: W 3-2, 5-4 over Lake Belton
Area: W 8-3, 2-0 over Elgin
Regional Quarterfinals: W 10-4, 1-0 over A&M Consolidated
Regional Semifinals: W 7-2, 9-3 over Santa Fe
Regional Finals: W 8-1, 10-3 over Lake Creek

Lovejoy is making their first state tournament appearance despite being a traditionally tough baseball program.  The writing was on the wall for this Lovejoy team to make a move after they defeated preseason regional favorite Hallsville in the regional quarterfinal round, in what proved to be their toughest series en route to this state championship appearance.  Grant Harland and Logan Corley are probably the two names that Ryan Gros will call on in Round Rock on the mound, as they both have 9 wins on the season.  Meanwhile, Magnolia West is making their second consecutive trip to the state tournament and will be looking to defend their state championship from 2023.  Though Magnolia West finished 4th in their district, it was evident before the season started they were capable of a run like this with the talent they had on their roster.  You have to give credit to Travis Earles and his staff for getting his team locked in for the playoffs, where they have yet to lose a ball game.  I do believe this is a toss up.

Grapevine (38-5) Vs. Leander Rouse (34-9-1)

Grapevine
Bi-District: W 6-5, 2-1 over Mansfield Timberview
Area: W 7-2, 3-5, 10-2 over Northwest
Regional Quarterfinals: W 3-1, 4-0 over Rider
Regional Semifinals: W 5-0, 4-0 over Lubbock Cooper
Regional Finals: W 0-1, 8-2, 12-1 over Argyle

Leander Rouse
Bi-District: W 6-2, 7-1 over Smithson Valley
Area: W 10-1, 3-4, 8-3 over S.A. Alamo Heights
Regional Quarterfinals: W 3-0, 2-1 over Cedar Park
Regional Semifinals: W 4-1, 7-0 over Victoria East
Regional Finals: W 10-1, 8-0 over McAllen Memorial

Argyle – the preseason number one team in the state – made it difficult on Grapevine – the regular season number one team in the state – but it is the Mustangs that are advancing on to the state tournament out of the DFW area.  We’ve felt that Grapevine, despite losing a few games in the playoffs, has been the most consistent team in the state all year when you look at their complete body of work.  Their pitching staff is very deep, and the likes of Dasan Hill (DBU) can get up to 95-96 MPH with the fastball at times.  We saw 98 MPH last year at state, and that translated to a dominating semifinal performance from James Ellwanger of Magnolia West.  Leander Rouse is back in the state tournament again, this time as a 3 seed.  This is Rouse’s 2nd state tournament appearance (2021), with the first trip coming as a 4-seed.  You have to give credit to Coach Krempin and his staff as they always have propelled their teams to another level once the games really start to matter the most.

4A

State Semifinals, Wednesday, June 5

1:00 PM
Corpus Christi Calallen (36-9) vs Longview Spring Hill (30-10-1)

4:00 PM
Canyon (30-8-1) vs Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (31-9-1)

State Championship – Thursday, June 6

6:00 PM

TEAMS

Region I – Canyon
2024 Record: 30-8-1
2024 Playoff Record: 9-1
State Playoff Appearances: 1988, 2003
State Championships: None

Region II – Texarkana Liberty-Eylau
2024 Record: 31-9-1
2024 Playoff Record: 9-2
State Playoff Appearances: 2006, 2007, 2023
State Championships: 2006 (3A)

Region III – Longview Spring Hill
2024 Record: 30-10-1
2024 Playoff Record: 10-1
State Playoff Appearances: First Appearance
State Championships: None

Region IV – Calallen
2024 Record: 36-9
2024 Playoff Record: 10-1
State Playoff Appearances: 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011
State Championships: 2000 (4A). 2005 (4A), 2008 (4A)

3A

Brock (34-3) Vs. London (39-3)

Brock
Bi-District: W 5-1, 3-2 over Bowie
Area: W 3-2, 14-6 over Clyde
Regional Quarterfinals: W 8-1, 12-1 over Holliday
Regional Semifinals: W 12-2, 19-1 over Lubbock-Cooper Liberty
Regional Finals: W 1-5, 7-2, 9-3 over Jacksboro

London
Bi-District: W 10-0, 11-0 over George West
Area: W 12-0, 14-0 over Santa Rosa
Regional Quarterfinals: W 8-2, 11-0 over Lyford
Regional Semifinals: W 13-4, 3-0 over Columbus

Brock finally dropped a game to Jacksboro in game 1 this past week in the regional finals, but the bats really came alive like they really have been all postseason in what was convincing wins in game 2 and 3 to advance to Round Rock.  Brock is making their 8th trip to the state tournament, with 3 coming in the last 4 years.  Region I was a region that had a lot of contenders in our eyes and was stronger than normal, so to see Brock come out of this means they are going to have a legit shot at capturing the state championship this weekend.  London has been the most consistent team in all of baseball the past four seasons.  The Pirates have made it to the state tournament in each of those seasons and won the state championship in 2022.  This team might be more loaded than any of the others, with a starting pitching staff of Blake Lyne (Texas A&M) and Blake Watters (Midland College) leading the way.

Gunter (37-1) Vs. Franklin (33-5)

Gunter
Bi-District: W 16-3, 11-0 over Grand Saline
Area: W 1-0 over Ponder
Regional Quarterfinals: W 3-0, 1-2, 4-0 over Edgewood
Regional Semifinals: W 9-2 over Tatum
Regional Finals: W 3-1, 3-2 over Boyd

Franklin 
Bi-District: W 7-0, 9-1 over Rogers
Area: W 4-1, 1-0 over Maypearl
Regional Quarterfinals: W 5-3, 2-4, 2-1 over Troy
Regional Semifinals: W 2-0, 7-2 over Huntington
Regional Finals: W 5-6, 7-0, 10-0 over Orangefield

Gunter passed the ultimate test in region II, knocking off defending regional and state champ Boyd in Frisco in a very impressive two-game sweep.  Boyd had returned the house from their state championship winning team, but so did an always-talented Gunter.  The Tigers are making their whopping 10th trip to state, with most recent trips coming in 2021, 2022, and now 2024.  The Tigers are incredibly deep on the mound, with Brooks Griggs-Bell (12-0), Jarrett Waggoner (12-0) and Jake Ivey (8-0) all undefeated on the season.  Franklin is making their first trip to Round Rock, navigating through what was an always-tough region III field of teams.  We have mentioned Franklin’s pitching staff all year long, as despite losing game one to Orangefield, they posted two shutouts, including a no-hitter in game 3 from Sr Cadyn Shaw.  Cort Lowry and Josh Atomanczyk have yet to lose a game on the mound.

2A

Hawley
This is Hawley’s first trip to the State Tournament

Collinsville
This is Collinsville’s 4th trip to the State Tournament. They have 1 State Championship. Prior
appearances:

2022-2023 State Finalist – lost to Harleton 4-3 in the semifinals
1998-1999 State Champions defeating Cross Plains 6-5
1997-1998 State Finalist – lost to Thrall in the championship game 10-2

Centerville
This is Centerville’s first trip to the State Tournament

Flatonia
This is Flatonia’s 7 th trip to the State Tournament. They have 3 State Championships. Prior Appearances:
2015-2016 State Champions defeating Beckville 7-1
2014-2015 State Champions defeating Crawford 7-4
2013-2014 State Finalist – lost to Douglass in the championship game 10-0
2007-2008 State Finalist – lost to Bosqueville in the championship game 10-3
1992-1993 State Champions defeating Ponder 2-1
1991-1992 State Finalist – lost to Valley Mills in the championship game 9-4

1A

Ira
This is Ira’s first State Tournament appearance.

Abbott
This is Abbott’s 6th State Tournament appearance. They have 2 State Championships. Prior
appearances:
2022-2023 State Champions defeating Fayetteville 6-5
2021-2022 State Finalist – lost to D’Hanis 16-0 in the semifinals.
2017-2018 State Finalist – lost to Fayetteville 11-7 in the semifinals
2016-2017 State Champion defeating Fayetteville 11-7
1984-1985 State Finalist – lost to Fayetteville 7-2 in the semifinals

Chester
This is Chester’s first State Tournament appearance.

Fayetteville
This is Fayetteville’s 10 th State Tournament appearance. They have 3 State Championships. Prior
appearances:
2022-2023 State Finalist – lost to Abbott in the Championship game 6-5
2020-2021 State Champions defeating Kennard 6-4
2017-2018 State Finalist – lost to Slocum 6-3 in the Championship game.
2016-2017 State Finalist – lost to Abbott in the Championship game 11-7
2011-2012 State Champion defeating Stamford 10-0
1998-1999 State Finalist – lost to Collinsville 6-3 in the semifinals
1996-1997 State Champions defeating Spurger 6-2
1984-1985 State Finalist – lost to Colmesneil in the Championship game 12-0
1978-1979 State Finalist – lost to Colmesneil 7-4 in the semifinals