GAMES
RANKINGS
ON MY WHISTLE: Katy softball finishes job; wins State with power surge
The Katy Tigers are once again the queens of Texas softball.
Katy captured the Class 6A Division II State Championship with a convincing 7-2 victory over Forney, bringing the title back to one of the state's premier programs.
The Tigers' powerful lineup — dubbed "Death Valley" — was virtually unstoppable all season. The trio of EK Smith, an Oklahoma signee, Evie Willemssen, an Auburn commit, and Maddie Smith, an NC State signee, combined for an astounding 64 home runs and provided one of the most feared offenses in Texas.
In the circle, freshman sensation Haley Schmitt was dominant from start to finish, posting a remarkable 0.59 ERA and emerging as one of the state's brightest young stars.
While it's been seven years since Katy last hoisted a state championship trophy, the wait proved well worth it as the Tigers reclaimed their place atop Texas high school softball.
VYPE's Matt Malatesta caught up with the players and head coach Meghan VanEtta after the final out and championship celebration.
Watch here.
St. Francis OF Jaime Oakland courtesy St. Francis High School
ROAD TO STATE: California High School softball down to Final Fours
The final softball competition in California continues Thursday after a highly competitive first-round action of the California Interscholastic Federation was completed Tuesday.
The best game of the day in the top Divisions was in Northern California Division 1, where Nebraska signee Jaime Oakland and top junior prospect Peyton Tsao, a Stanford commit, each scored on a single sacrifice fly by Maya Meltz to lift host fourth-seed St. Francis-Mountain View to a 4-3 Northern California quarterfinal win over North Coast Section champion San Ramon Valley-Danville.
The Lancers (26-4), who were upset in the Central Coast Section semifinals last week, now travel to nationally-ranked Destiny Christian-Sacramento (29-0) semifinal game.
All semifinal games throughout the Golden State are 4 p.m. on Thursday.
San Ramon Valley (23-7), a surprise road team considering it won its NCS D1 title game 17-1 over College Park-Pleasant Hill, took a 2-0 lead thanks to Natalie Sun, who drilled a solo home run and an RBI single in the first four innings.
St. Francis tied it 2-2 in the fourth on RBI singles from Itzel Hernandez and Cam Elliott, but the Wolves went back up by a run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Mads Sekera, scoring Kennedy Warren.
But in the bottom half, the Lancers loaded the bases with one out on two walks and an error before Meltz was retired on a great grab toward the line by Charlie Callison, who slightly lost her footing. Oakland scored easily and Tsao was sent home also. She just beat the throw.
Now the Lancers get a Destiny Christian team that has outscored opponents by a 365-29 count, including a 1-0 win over St. Francis on March 25 when Roxanne Sardo and Ayla Tuua combined on a two hitter with just three strikeouts. Mercedes Collier, who won Tuesday’s game to improve to 13-2, gave up just two hits to Destiny Christian and struck out seven.
Destiny Christian, which opened NorCal play with a 13-2 win over College Park, is ranked ninth nationally according to MaxPreps.com. The Lions are led by senior Ayla Tuua, an LSU signee, and Purdue-bound Roxanne Sardo who have combined for 29 home runs and 121 RBIs, 18 and 76 delivered by Tuua.
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NORCAL BRACKETS
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NORCAL FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Division 1
Tuesday’s first round
No. 1 Destiny Christian 13, No. 8 College Park 2
No. 4 St. Francis 4, No. 5 San Ramon Valley 3
No. 6 Whitney 12, No. 3 Archbishop Mitty 4
No. 2 Clovis East 4, No. 7 Elk Grove 1
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Thursday’s semifinals
No. 4 St. Francis (26-4) at No. 1 Destiny Christian (29-0)
No. 6 Whitney (25-8) at No. 2 Clovis East (22-4)
Division 2
No. 1 Alameda, bye
No. 5 Hollister 9, No. 4 Vanden 3
No. 3 Willow Glen 4, No. 6 Central Catholic 1
No. 2 Del Oro 10, No. 7 Northgate 0
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Thursday’s semifinals
No. 5 Hollister (22-7) at No. 1 Alameda (23-5)
No. 3 Willow Glen (23-7) at No. 2 Del Oro (21-8)
Division 3
No. 1 Monterey, bye
No. 5 Chico 12, No. 4 Chowchilla 6
No. 6 East Nicolaus 3, No. 3 Rodriguez-Fairfield 2
No. 2 Las Plumas 9, No. 7 Foothill-Pleasanton 2
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Thursday’s semifinals
No. 5 Chico (25-7) at No. 1 Monterey (16-10)
No. 6 East Nicolaus (26-1) at No. 2 Las Plumas (29-1-1)
Division 4
No. 1 West Valley, bye
No. 5 Escalon 6, No. 4 Alhambra 5
No. 3 Live Oak 9, No. 6 Amador-Sutter Creek 8
No. 2 Alisal 12, No. 7 Newark Memorial 0
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Thursday’s semifinals
No. 5 Escalon (16-11) at No. 1 West Valley (28-2)
No. 3 Live Oak (15-8) at No. 2 Alisal (21-5)
Division 5
No. 1 Notre Dame-Belmont, bye
No. 4 Moreau Catholic 10, No. 5 Chester 0
No. 3 Durham 12, No. 6 Lowell 2
No. 2 Le Grand 10, No. 7 Justin-Siena 0
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Thursday’s semifinals
No. 4 Moreau Catholic (17-12) at No. 1 Notre Dame-Belmont (16-11-1)
No. 3 Durham (20-10) at No. 2 Le Grand (20-7)
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SOCAL RESULTS
Top Division 1 seed Mater Dei Catholic-San Diego received a first-round bye and will face fifth-seed Point Loma, a 10-1 winner over Whittier Christian. Ella Poulin and Remington Spangler each hit homers for Point Loma (24-9).
The other semifinal game will pit second-seed La Habra, which hosts sixth-seed St. Paul. Both teams won first-round games by forfeit due to opponents’ honoring travel ball commitments, according to multiple reports.
Alyssa Hernandez, a senior outfielder, leads La Habra (24-8) with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs, while St. Paul (20-13) is led by senior third baseman Mia Negrete (.453 average, seven home runs).
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BRACKETS