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REGIONAL FINALS: Forney and Lovejoy baseball go head-to-head
Ready for anything, the Forney Jackrabbits and the Lucas Lovejoy Leopards baseball teams have been working all season for the chance to make their way to the UIL Baseball State Tournament. Now, both teams are just one series victory away from punching their ticket-- all they have to do is make it past each other! VYPE DFW takes a look into these teams' seasons so far as they enter their regional finals series!
Forney Jackrabbits (31-11-1, 9-3)
Boasting an incredible record this season, the Forney Jackrabbits have made it their mission to put a stop to anyone they play against. Learning from tough moments on the field, the team posted several victories through non-district play that set the tone for the rest of the season. Securing wins over Sunnyvale, Mesquite Poteet, Kaufman, Lake Ridge, and more helped the team prepare for a tough district schedule.
Finishing second in their district with only three losses against district opponents, the Jackrabbits recorded big victories over Crandall (3-2, 10-0), Terrell (6-1, 13-2), Ennis (2-0), Lancaster (10-1, 7-0), and more before finding themselves poised for a strong playoff run. So far in the playoffs, the likes of Dylan Clark, Caleb Turner, Lucas Ramsey, Eli Benavides, Andrew Swint, and others have helped guide the team to victories over Melissa (1-0, 8-0), Whitehouse (0-4, 2-1, 3-1), Lufkin (4-1, 0-1, 4-3), and Frisco Lone Star (0-2, 10-0, 3-2).
Lucas Lovejoy Leopards (27-7-2, 12-0)
Dylan Sears, Aarren Marshall, Grant Harland, Kyle Branch, Matthew Mainord, Nolan Novotny, Parker McGrael, and other talented athletes have helped lead the Leopards to a successful season so far this spring. Setting the tone against non-district opponents, Lovejoy defeated Frisco Wakeland, El Paso Americas, Prosper Walnut Grove, Conway, and others as they sharpened their skills for the rest of their regular season schedule.
In district, the Leopards left no stone unturned as they took down each opponent with zero hesitation. Showcasing their power over the likes of Melissa (1-0, 5-2), Greenville (3-0, 11-1), Denison (10-0, 19-1), and others, the Leopards outscored their opponents in dominating fashion by utilizing timely hits and powerful defensive plays. Once in the playoffs, the team downed Red Oak (10-1, 7-2), Porter (3-2, 4-1), Hallsville (2-3, 3-2, 3-0), and Frisco (10-2, 7-1) in order to make it to the regional finals.
What To Expect:
Both teams are tested, challenged, resilient, and focused. As they enter the regional finals series, fans can be sure that these squads are going to leave it all on the field. Looking to make a statement victory, Forney is willing to pull out all the stops while Lovejoy is looking to take an early lead and hold it. Both teams can be expected to play hard with high hopes of punching their ticket to the state tournament.
RECRUIT SCOOP: All eyes are on Forney LB and Aggie-commit
Kelvion Riggins was the anchor of the Forney defense last year, helping lead the Jackrabbits to a 13-2 record and a State Semifinal appearance.
After a great junior season the star 2025 linebacker pledged his commitment to Texas A&M in January.
Riggins was one of the first commits in the 2025 class for Texas A&M and new staff under coach Mike Elko. Since then, he’s been locked in on what the Aggies are trying to build.
“The history and culture at the school and throughout the program is amazing,” he said. “I just see Coach Elko building that winning culture like he did at Duke.”
The Aggie linebacker commit was one of the best defensive players in the state last year, but football wasn’t originally what he wanted to play.
“I honestly started playing football because I was trash at baseball,” he laughed. “My Dad was my coach and told me I should try football. Once I got to my freshman year, I started doing my thing and figured out football is what I wanted to do.”
Sports is a family affair in the Riggins house. Kelvion’s Dad played at Georgia Southern, his Mom ran track and his sister is Top 40 softball player in the country for the Class of 2027.
“We’re a sports family,” he said. “When I’m not focusing on football, I’m supporting my sister who’s a freshman on varsity. We are always doing something that has to do with sports.”
Outside of playing football, Riggins has started coaching youth players in the Blue Chips football camp. For Riggins, it’s all about showing the kids the sport he loves.
“I just wanted to give back to the little kids,” Riggins said. “I wanted to show some love and how to play the game the right way. That's the same way I had players and coaches do for me at a young age.”
With the athletic pedigree, his commitment in the bag, what else does he have to accomplish?
“Obviously, the goal for this year is to make it to State and win it all," he said. "For me, I’m trying to have 150 tackles, 30 tackles for loss and three pick six’s.”