Texas Girls Coaches Association

2008 Softball Poll

June 2, 2008
Final Season Poll
Top 25

Poll notes: The top four teams in each class are automatically the four teams that are the Regional champions. The top two are 1 and 2 with the two state semi-finalists tying for third and numbering then starting at 5 going to 25.

The next grouping is teams that had both strong regular seasons and good playoff runs. Finally tournament and regular season considerations are compared.

Please realize that there are about 32 district champions in each classification and district champions that failed to advance are in danger of not being ranked in final poll.

Relative comparisons from early in the season do not carry much weight in the final poll. Wins in February and March are interesting, victories in May are critical.
I appreciate all your input and please recognize that I need your input to put together a meaningful poll.

Thanks and great season.
Butch Hart
TGCA Pollster
ejhartvb@yahoo.com

NOTICE: Please refer questions, comments and most importantly --
updated information -- to me at my email address.

Thank you. Butch Hart
ejhartvb@yahoo.com

Conference 1A

Conference 2A

1

Shiner

1

East Bernard

2

Bosqueville

2

Coahoma

3t

Maud

3t

Big Sandy Harmony

3t

Eula

3t

Sadler S&S Consolidated

5

Thorndale

5

Poth

6

Windthorst

6

Hawley

7

Marfa

7

Woden

8

Alto

8

Aubrey

9

Iola

9

Danbury

10

Ralls

10

Yorktown

11

Detroit

11

Brock

12

Valley Mills

12

New Boston

13

Woodsboro

13

Maypearl

14

Slocum

14

Stinnet West Texas

15

Archer City

15

Tatum

16

Falls City

16

Denver City

17

D'Hanis

17

George West

18

Martin's Mill

18

Early

19

Flatonia

19

Dilley

20

Clarendon

20

Lago Vista

21

Hubbard

21

Kermit

22

West Hardin

22

Buffalo

23

Cross Roads

23

Crawford

24

Dodd City

24

Quitman

25

Eldorado

25

Wichita Falls City View

Comments: Shiner really brought their sticks ot the state tournament with an 11-1 run rule win over Maud in the semifinals followed by an 11-1 run rule win over defending champion Bosqueville in the finals. Shiner became the third school to win three state softball titles (joining Pasadena Dobie and Keller) and in doing became the first 1A school to turn the trick. Maud and Eula had great seasons finishing with state appearances while several teams closed out strong regular seasons with excellent playoff runs including Thorndale, Windthorst, Marfa, Alto and Iola. A record, 13 district champions, failed to win one round in post season play.

Comments: East Bernard had one of the most exciting playoff runs in years as the Bramarettes placed second in district with two losses to Danbury the roaring out to sweep Franklin, Rosebud-Lott, Yorktown and Poth to win a final four berth. East Bernard continued behind the pitching of Courtney Repka to win their first ever state softball championship. Repka pitched back-to-back one hitters as East Bernard edged Big Sandy Harmony 2-1 and clipped Coahoma 1-0 in the finals. Tough finish for Harmony which was a seventh inning dropped ball from eliminating East Bernard but that's why they play on the field and not in the polls. Four other district second place teams had strong finishes, three in Region I. Hawley was second to Coahoma in district then played all the way to the regional finals where they lost two more times to Coahoma. Stinnett West Texas placed second to Bushland then defeated Muleshoe, Slaton and Post before losing to Hawley in regional semifinal action. Denver city was second to Slaton but advanced two rounds then lost to Coahoma. Tatum was second to Elysian Fields but advanced three rounds before losing to harmony. Eleven district champions failed to win a round in post season play.

Conference 3A

Conference 4A

1

Huntington

1

Aledo

2

Texarkana Liberty Eylau

2

Nederland

3t

Burkburnett

3t

Waco Midway

3t

Medina Valley

3t

Dripping Springs

5

Andrews

5

McKinney North

6

La Vernia

6

Cedar Park Vista Ridge

7

Longview Spring Hill

7

Barbers Hill

8

Needville

8

Joshua

9

Robinson

9

Hallsville

10

Sinton

10

Wolfforth Frenship

11

Levelland

11

Kingsville King

12

Canyon

12

Huntsville

13

West Columbia

13

Waxahachie

14

Royse City

14

Pampa

15

Yoakum

15

Montgomery

16

Frisco Wakeland

16

Robstown

17

LaGrange

17

El Paso Chapin

18

Splendora

18

Mercedes

19

Celina

19

New Braunfels Canyon

20

Devine

20

Forney

21

Bullard

21

Richmond Foster

22

Raymondville

22

Alamo Heights

23

West

23

Elgin

24

Wills Point

24

Santa Fe

25

Hutto

25

Mesquite Poteet

Comments: Huntington shutout 20 of 21 opponents to end the season including a 1-0 win over Texarkana Liberty Eylau in the finals. Huntington beat Burkburnett 2-1 in one semi-final while TLE defeated defending champion Medina Valley. Ten district champions failed to win their first round series.

Comments: What a season in class 4A as Aledo and unbeaten hurler Whitney Canion claimed both the state title on the field and the USA Today national championship on the books. Nederland had an amazing finish and a number of teams who had great regular season faltered with first round playoff losses knocking them down or sometimes out in the final polls. 12 district champions failed to win their first round series matches and several of these were highly regarded teams meaning that perhaps OI had given them a bit too much credit corpus Christi Moody, Denton Ryan, Canutillo were all out in one while likely the highest achieving districts were 8, 18 and 25. district 8 champion Aledo had to beat runner-up up Joshua in the region 1 finals while District 25 champion Dripping Springs had to oust second place Cedar Park Vista Ridge in the Region IV finals. District 18 champion Brenham lost to Huntsville who finished third in the district then Huntsville lost to Nederland but district 18 runner up Montgomery advanced ot the regional level before losing in the semi-finals to Barbers Hill.

Conference 5A

1

Alvin

2

Austin Bowie

3t

Garland

3t

Odessa

5

Smithson Valley

6

Brazoswood

7

Tomball

8

Weatherford

9

Klein Oak

10

Mesquite

11

Flower Mound

12

Katy Taylor

13

LaJoya

14

Houston Bellaire

15

San Benito

16

Coppell

17

Lubbock Coronado

18

Katy Cinco Ranch

19

Pearland

20

LaPorte

21

Spring

22

El Paso Bel Air

23

Pasadena Dobie

24

Plano West

25

Justin Northwest

Comments: Alvin became the first ever fourth place team to claim a championship in any sport when the Yellow Jackets defeated Austin Bowie 1-0 in the finals. Six district champions failed to advance but two fourth place teams made a huge splash in the playoff pond. Alvin placed fourth in District 24 then eliminated Elkins, Dobie, Baytown Sterling, Bellaire and finally Brazoswood in Region III finals. While Alvin was dazzling the competition in Houston, Tomball was wrecking Region II after finishing fourth in District 16, Tomball beat Magnolia, Bryan, Spring, Mesquite then lost to Garland in the Region II finals. There was some serious reckoning in 5a playoffs as Garland took down Plano West the Klein oak and Tomball while Austin Bowie beat San Antonio Connor and beat highly regarded Smithson Valley. Alvin was fourth due to injuries and illness and showed their stuff on the field while Odessa beat strong opponents in Burleson, Coppell and Weatherford to earn their shot at state.