Logically, we’d start our playoff preview with the bigger 6A Division 1 schools and work our way down. However, if you’ve been following our Power Rankings all season, you already know that the Westlake Lady Chaparrals are the top-ranked Girls Basketball team in the Austin area. In a nod to their domination of the Austin area, we’ll tip things off with 6A Division 2.
So, the question as the playoffs get underway is can the undefeated Lady Chaps (35-0) continue their domination all the way to the Alamodome. They take their first steps along the Region IV bracket on Tuesday night (2/17) against Vista Ridge (20-14). District 25-6A Champion Vandegrift (27-6) and Austin High (22-11) square off on the other side of the 6A D2 Region IV bracket.
Unlike their Division 2 counterparts, the four Austin-area teams in 6A Division 1 begin their playoff run without Westlake looming on the horizon. Lake Travis (23-11) squares off against Cedar Ridge (17-10) while Round Rock (24-7) clashes with Bowie (23-11). The winners in both divisions will face off with San Antonio squads in the Area round and will continue facing south through the Regional Finals.
The Glenn Grizzlies were the class of the 5A clubs this winter, coming closer than any other team this year to defeating Westlake. Yet it’s a testament to the strength of District 25-6A that the Lady Grizzlies played a number of highly competitive district games, losing one of them to perennial playoff power Liberty Hill along the way. As the district is paired with 26-6A in the first round, all four teams immediately face teams from the San Antonio area in their Region IV Bi-district round.
Glenn (30-3) opens with San Antonio Pieper (18-13) while Hays (21-13) drew a tough first-round matchup with undefeated San Antonio Wagner (32-0) in 5A Division 1. District runner-up Liberty Hill (28-7) faces Kerrville Tivy (23-11) Tuesday night, ironically right before 4A Legacy Ranch, the new Liberty Hill ISD school, makes its historic first-ever playoff appearance in the nightcap. Meanwhile, arch-rival Cedar Park (22-10) faces Boerne (26-7) in the opening round. Teams will continue to face opponents from San Antonio or further south throughout the regional tournament.
Meanwhile, it’ll be an all-Austin area first round between District 23-5A and District 24-5A, with the former historically dominating. From the Law of Unintended Consequences, the third and fourth place teams in each district will square off in Division 1 while the top two teams in each district will meet in Division 2. Not a great system.
It will be Anderson (16-9) meeting Georgetown (17-14) while Hendrickson (19-13) matches up with McCallum (14-18) across the Division 1 bracket. District 23-5A champion Weiss (21-10) faces Austin LASA (22-12) and 24-5A champion Crockett (29-8) meets Pflugerville (17-15) in Division 2. With both districts part of Region III, Houston awaits the winners.
Manor New Tech, Lago Vista, Legacy Ranch and Austin LBJ battled it out in District 25-4A and will represent the Austin area in Class 4A. Lago Vista and Long Creek, the new school in New Braunfels, clash atop the Region IV Division 1 bracket while Austin LBJ and San Antonio Davenport meet across the bracket. In Division 2, New Tech meets Wimberley while Legacy Ranch takes on Wimberley to open the playoffs.
After a wild winter and with spring on the horizon, let the road to the Alamodome begin.
