Lee is led by veteran head coach David Schmidt, who is in his 24th season as a head coach and he returns four starters.
Seniors Justyn Valdez (OF/P), Jacob Vasquez (P) and Devin Izaguirre (3B) are all back for the Ganders. Another starter back in the mix is sophomore Blake White, who will play shortstop.
Other players to watch include Izayah Hernandez (LF), Alex Moreno (CF), and Joseph Nino (Catcher).
VYPE was on the scene to capture all the action. Check out the photo gallery and video below for the Behind the Scenes of the Award Ceremony and more!!
Magnolia West's James Ellwanger
Almost by fate, the final two Houston area teams that remain in the Class 5A postseason come from the same district.
Magnolia West ended the regular season as the District 21-5A champions (12-2) with Lake Creek right on their heels in the No. 2 spot (11-3). But that was the regular season--this is the playoffs, where anything can happen.
2022-23 Magnolia West BaseballJuan De Leon (VYPE)
Throughout the 5A bracketology, neither ballclub has yet to drop a single game and they don’t plan on doing so anytime soon.
The Mustangs, led by first-year coach Travis Earles, are coming off a statement sweep over an imposing Barbers Hill team.
Dallas Baptist-signee James Ellwanger (Sr. RHP)Juan De Leon (VYPE)
Game No. 1 was played at the University of Houston’s Schroeder Park, and saw senior right-hander James Ellwanger deliver yet another exemplary performance on the mound. The Dallas Baptist-signee threw for his second shutout of the postseason, while tacking on nine strikeouts.
In addition, senior IF/P Caylon Dygert, Brandon Seidmeyer (Sr. C), Hayden Carpenter (Sr. OF), and senior 1B Wade Nobles each contributed an RBI on the batting side to round out their 4-0 victory,
Magnolia West's Brandon SeidmeyerJuan De Leon (VYPE)
Sam Houston State University’s Don Sanders Stadium was the venue for game two, which saw Mag West punch their ticket to the Regional Finals with a 3-1 win over the Eagles--bringing their season record to 32-4.
2022-23 Lake Creek BaseballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
On the other side, Lake Creek won a decisive single-elimination game against La Porte.
The Lions’ ace, Weston Moss (Sr. RHP) was as effective as ever on the mound. The Texas A&M-signee ultimately earned the “W” for his start, while senior left-hander Jackson Wilkerson delivered the save in relief.
Texas A&M-signee Weston Moss (Sr. RHP)Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
At the plate, Samson Pugh (Sr. IF/OF) and junior infielder Austin Wiederhold remained consistent in the contest--each tallied two base hits--to usher Lake Creek to a 5-2 victory against the Bulldogs, bringing the team’s record to 26-9 on the season.
Lake Creek's Samson PughBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Despite their relatively short history, Lake Creek is no stranger to this stage, considering they reached the Regional Finals a year ago.
But, given how both of these teams have played through the postseason, this could be anyone’s series.
The Battle for Montgomery County, and more importantly the right to enter the State Tournament, begins this week. This will not be one you want to miss.
The Bridgeland team sings their school alma mater after winning the Region II FInal
After dropping the opener against Langham Creek (3-1) in last week’s Region II Finals, the Bears answered with style in game two--with a particularly impressive showing from senior OF Haylie Stum (2-3, 3 RBI, HR) and senior catcher Lilli Piersons (2-3, 2R, 3B) in their 5-1 win.
However, the finale between the two powerhouses was where Bridgeland had the opportunity to truly show their mettle.
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
Haylie Stum (Sr. OF/P)
Langham Creek took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning of game three, when senior 3B Trinity Allen would respond with an RBI-double to make the score 2-1, which would remain the score until the final inning.
The Lobos gave Bridgeland a scare in the bottom of inning No. 6, with two runners on base and no outs, but junior right-hander Sydney Jackson had things under control.
Bridgeland's Sydney JacksonMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“I have a tendency to just block out everything,” Jackson said. “I just focus on me and Lilli--pitcher and catcher relationship--and I just have to settle myself down a little bit. I have to take my time and really think about what I want to do.”
Jackson showed tremendous composure under pressure, striking out the next three batters to keep their deficit at one run, giving Bridgeland one last chance to keep their season alive in the seventh.
Bridgeland Softball is STATE-BOUNDwww.youtube.com
Senior OF Mia Landry came in the clutch with a base hit and subsequent steal to get into scoring position. With one out on the board, Rylie Marquart (So. IF) would hit a sac-fly to allow Landry to tag in from third-base to eventually bring the game into extra-innings.
Bridgeland would proceed to take the lead in the eighth, via a sac-fly hit by Haylie Stum, and ultimately secure their spot in the State Tournament by a score of 3-2--sending the team and the crowd into an uproar on the field.
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
“It’s unbelievable to have made it this fair,” said Jackson. “We’ve been working so hard, and our team chemistry has just put us in this position to go to the next level.”
McLennan-signee Trinity Allen concurred with that sentiment
Bridgeland's Trinity Allen Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
“What makes this team special is our chemistry,” she said. “It’s also our ability to bounce back through any adversity. We trust one another, we trust our coaches, and having our fans as a support system really helps us to achieve that.”
Bridgeland did have plenty of support in the stands for the subsequent matches--with some fans even clad in fruit-themed attire. The fanbase will soon be following the team to Austin, where they will compete for a state championship.
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
For the seniors on the team--who already graduated last week--these last few moments together are essentially the “extra-innings” of their high school career.
“It’s such a blessing and it is so exciting to still be playing with these girls,” said fellow McLennan-signee Lilli Piersons. “Beyond our extended time--we just love each other so much. It’s so exciting that we don’t really ever get tired of each other.”
Bridgeland's Lilli PiersonMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
The State Semis begin this Friday at Red & Charline McCombs Field, where Bridgeland will face Denton Guyer.
Expect the Bears to make the most of it, as they aim to cap off their historic season with some hardware.
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