While waiting for the Alvord/Peaster playoff game to finish before taking the field Friday in Mineral Wells, a member of the Clyde High School baseball coaching staff explained to one of his players that Decatur was "lucky" to be in the playoffs. He went on to explain that Decatur had to win its last game of the year to "sneak" in.
For five innings Friday night at Birdville High School, the Northwest softball team flirted with disaster. Its opportunistic offense had disappeared in the Class 5A area championship game against Arlington.
The Alvord High School baseball team cruised through district play because of a balanced attack - stellar pitching, dangerous hitting and pesky defense.
The Northwest and Carrollton Creekview softball teams finished district play on different notes. The Lady Texans lost their only 5-5A game and played just well enough to close out with a win, while the Mustangs finished strong to steal the fourth and final playoff spot in District 6-5A.
The season continues this week for two area high school baseball teams moving on to the state playoffs. Decatur and Alvord survived brutal district races to finish third and capture a bid to the postseason.
The adjective to the word "clutch" is defined in the dictionary as: Something done or accomplished in a critical situation: Dependable in clutch situations.
This has been an up-and-down season for the Paradise High School baseball team. The team has played to coach Scott Broussard's expectations sometimes, while other times the locals play like the young team it is.
Chico High School softball coach Mike May got the kind of start in District 9-2A that he had hoped for. His crew won five games and sat alone in third place going into the second half of the season.
This proved to be a challenging season for the Bridgeport High School softball team. A new coach, new pitchers and several changes on defense were just a few of the noticeable changes in this rebuilding season.
The Alvord High School baseball team has not played in a playoff game since 2002. That year was one to remember as the group advanced to the regional finals and were one win away from going to the state tournament.
The Decatur High School softball team was the area's hottest team the last three weeks. The group beat Sanger and Argyle to move from the bottom half of the district standings to third and into the state playoffs.
It was a tough year for the Boyd High School softball team. The group, nearly all seniors, grew up watching the program shine while going to the playoffs nine straight years.
Things did not look good for Chico High School Friday night in Henrietta. The young bunch committed six errors and gave the Bearcats plenty of offensive help to make things interesting.
Bridgeport High School baseball coach John Ward did not need to say much Friday night to get his troops fired up to play Gainesville. A victory would keep the team in third place with Decatur going into the final game of the season against the Eagles.
Bridgeport High School softball coach Heath Iglesias knew he had his hands full Tuesday when his bunch had to travel to Montague County to face Bowie. It was a task bigger than the rebuilding Sissies could handle.
After falling behind 2-0 early in Tuesday's home game against Henrietta, the Alvord High School baseball team did not seem fazed. In fact, it was just the calm before the storm for the hosts.
The Chico High School softball coach has dealt with limited personnel in several sports. In a school of just 216 students, losing any athlete to injury or grades makes a difference, and it did Tuesday at home against Alvord.
A week ago it look liked the Decatur High School softball team's decade-long run of playoff appearances was coming to an end. In reality, that served as a wake-up for the Lady Eagles and they have salvaged their small playoff hopes going into the final game of the season against 8-3A champion Bowie.
Bridgeport High School baseball coach John Ward didn't have to say much to motivate his team in Bowie on Tuesday. A victory over the Jackrabbits and a Decatur loss to Whitesboro would allow the Bulls to move into a third-place tie with their Eagle rivals with two games left to play.
The Alvord High School softball team has not clinched a spot in the state playoffs. In fact, if the group does not win one - in not both - of its last two games, then it's likely there will not be a postseason.
The Bridgeport High School baseball team has a little work to do in its final three games of district play. The group dropped two games last week to fall one game behind Decatur for the third and final playoff spot.
It was an up-and-down kind of week for the Alvord High School baseball team. The Bulldogs are holding on to the third-place playoff spot in a tight race that will likely go down to the final game.
There have been more downs than ups this season for the Bridgeport High School softball team. A recent win over rival Decatur had been one of the bright spots so far.
For six innings Tuesday at home, the Boyd High School softball team gave Brock plenty of fits. However, it was the fourth inning that decided the game.
For four innings Tuesday night against Holliday, the Chico High School softball team played like its coach expects -great on offense and consistent on defense.
There were about a dozen Decatur students grilling hot dogs and hamburgers from the backs of pickups behind the left-field wall Tuesday night during their team's game against Gainesville. It's not unusual for the fans to barbecue while watching the action perched above the fence line.
The Decatur High School baseball team has had its share of problems to work out this season. One thing that has been fairly consistent, however, is its ability to hit the ball. The group did plenty of it Friday night in Bridgeport.
The last six years of the Decatur and Bridgeport softball rivalry have been one-sided. The Lady Eagles have dominated the Sissies while racking up five district championships during a stretch in which BHS has not made the playoffs.
The Chico High School softball team finally got in some good weather for a district game. However, they didn't get to enjoy it for long as they sent Jacksboro back home early.
There have been some close calls in district play for the Northwest High School softball team. The defending 5-5A champs have battled from behind to win three times in the last three weeks and needed an extra inning to get by Keller.
Decatur High School baseball coach Chris Carter saw something Tuesday night in Bowie that he has expected all along. The first-year coach watched as his team played good defense behind starting pitcher Colton Cangley.
It's still a little early to know who the pretenders and the contenders are in the playoff race, but Paradise and Millsap high schools are expected to be two of the contenders this season.
Chico High School softball coach Mike May is learning to be a patient man. He knows his young team, which includes just two seniors, is going to make mistakes during this reloading season.
It's been a challenging first two months of the season for the Bridgeport High School softball team. Young players, a new coach and a tough schedule have made things difficult this season.
Racking up more errors than hits will usually lead to defeat. That was exactly the case Tuesday afternoon when the Decatur High School softball team made the short trip to Bowie.
Teams have not fared well against the Alvord High School baseball team when Asa Hand is on the mound. The standout pitcher has not lost a game through one month of the season and has made things easy at times.
It did not take long for the Decatur High School baseball team to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Pilot Point earlier last week. The Eagles got back on track Thursday with a convincing win over Argyle, a program that has beat DHS in all sports on the boys' side so far this year.
The Northwest High School softball team continues to prove that tradition doesn't graduate. The group has faced a major reloading season with a new starting pitcher and a defense that has every player in a new position.
To have a chance at beating undefeated Brock Thursday night, the Paradise High School baseball team needed to play solid defense and hit the ball well.
The Chico High School softball team proved that its successful preseason was no fluke. The team won four of its first five district games and are among the leaders fighting for a playoff spot as the halfway mark draws closer.
Watching Chico High School softball coach Mike May during Monday's rival game against Alvord may have been a little deceiving. His frustrations with his team's base-running decisions made him a little more vocal than normal.
The Paradise High School baseball team just might be the youngest in the county, but it is quickly maturing as the district playoff race heats up. The group has clearly put its district opening loss to Cisco behind.
Decatur High School softball coach Scott McTee was all smiles after one week of district play. His team won its first three games and were enjoying life atop the standings.
If there were any frustrations to losing a couple of early district games, the Paradise High School softball team has found a way to get over it - get offensive.
After losing its first district game of the young season last week against unbeaten City View, the Chico High School softball coach Mike May had a chance Thursday to see how his team would react to adversity against Jacksboro.
The first week of the District 10-2A softball season did not go quite as expected for Paradise High School. The group dropped its first two games and was in the bottom of the standings, looking up at everyone.
The growing pains continued at home Friday for the Decatur High School baseball team. This time, however, it was a little more costly as the breakdown came in a district game against Pilot Point.
The Alvord High School baseball team got the kind of start it wanted Friday night against Olney. The locals hit the ball well and scored quickly against one of the top teams in District 9-2A.
The Alvord High School baseball team did a little bit of everything last week in its first two district games of the season. The group had big hits, untimely errors and got solid pitching and it all resulted in a win and a loss.
There was no shortage of offense this week for the Decatur High School softball team. The crew combined for 28 hits in two games against Gainesville and Whitesboro, which led to a pair of easy wins.
Despite losing several talented seniors from last year's team, Paradise High School still has big expectations once again this season. If the group is to get back to the state playoffs, however, it can't repeat Wednesday's performance too many times.
First-year Decatur High School baseball coach Chris Carter is still waiting for his team to show some defensive consistency. His crew is averaging three errors a game which has been the toughest thing to overcome through one month of the season.
Weather played havoc on the Boyd High School softball team's playing time last week. This week, however, it was Millsap and Brock wrecking havoc on the locals.
The rebuilding struggles continued this week for the Bridgeport High School softball team. The loss of two four-year starters who are now playing in college is just one of a few reasons this has been a tough start for the team.
Offensively-minded Bulls open district with back-to-back wins
After a rough preseason that saw the Bridgeport High School baseball team lose some close games, things have started to turn around for the club. The group proved it this week with a pair of wins over Whitesboro and Pilot Point to begin District 8-3A play.
Northwest has had its share of multi-year softball standouts in the last few seasons. Senior A.J. Deal is one of those veterans who have helped take the program to a level most only dream about.
Cold temperatures and as much as nine inches of snow blanketed Wise County last Thursday. By Saturday afternoon, however, the snow was a distant memory, but Chico High School pitcher Seth Woods did a little blanketing himself.
The Decatur High School baseball team is hoping the final week of the season before District 8-3A play is enough time to improve defensively. The locals got their chance at last weekend's American Cancer Society Tournament in Windthorst.
It's clear that the Alvord High School softball team is not satisfied with second best. The group took second place at its own tournament two weeks ago but did even better last weekend in Perrin Whitt.
After Friday's district opener with Jacksboro was snowed out, the Chico High School softball team patiently waited for the weather to clear before returning to the field.
After spending the last four years winning games with excellent pitching and consistent defense, the Northwest High School softball team has found a new way to come out on top - hitting.
The pitching is good and the defense is coming around slowly but surely, but Decatur High School softball coach Scott McTee is waiting for his batting order to get more consistent at the plate.
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