Texas High School 5A Softball

[lefty04]

Gotta believe the defending 5A champs Deer Park will be in the hunt.

negative, they will be lucky to make the playoffs.

I agree that Pearland will win it all in 5A this year. It appears they have the pitching and hitting to do so. If the old "injury bug" can stay away. They are a very solid team.

I am interested in why you feel Deer Park won't make the playoffs?? Is this opinion based on facts, or just a feeling ?? They are the State Champs. I understand they only lost a couple of players from last year, and may be picking up a few very good Freshman.

[fastpitchforever]

Has the Woodlands fallen way out of the picture?

[DP3816]

Has the Woodlands fallen way out of the picture?

Since Paige McDuffie graduated, well yes they have.

[Realist]

Has the Woodlands fallen way out of the picture?

Since Paige McDuffie graduated, well yes they have.

Wow, I can't believe anyone is still saying that. Paige McDuffee never threw a pitch last year and they made it all the way to the Regional Finals, one game away from going back to Austin for the State Tournament.

[DP3816]

Has the Woodlands fallen way out of the picture?

Since Paige McDuffie graduated, well yes they have.

Wow, I can't believe anyone is still saying that. Paige McDuffee never threw a pitch last year and they made it all the way to the Regional Finals, one game away from going back to Austin for the State Tournament.

Didn't mean to disrespect the Woodlands. Just making a point about how strong McDuffie was.

[RexinTex]

Has the Woodlands fallen way out of the picture?

Since Paige McDuffie graduated, well yes they have.

Wow, I can't believe anyone is still saying that. Paige McDuffee never threw a pitch last year and they made it all the way to the Regional Finals, one game away from going back to Austin for the State Tournament.

Didn't mean to disrespect the Woodlands. Just making a point about how strong McDuffie was.

McDuffee is good no doubt. UCLA doesn't recruit kids that can't play but the Woodlands lost a lot more than just McDuffee. She never pitched a game that I saw, she played 1b and was good at it. She can hit too.
All of the other Sr that they lost went to D1 schools to play softball:

SS Batted 3rd for them and was a stud up the middle. Hard to replace all that she did.
3B One of the most feared hitters in the state for the last few years and has a rocket arm. Had a lot of big hits in big situations.
C The best defensive catcher I have worked with in several years and was the leader of that defense. Due to the youth of their team, they will miss her a LOT more than McDuffee.


From what I saw in fall ball (I know its just fall ball) but they have more than capable bodies to fill every spot. They are going to be FAST (like DP last season) and anyone that has seen them play knows that the coach there knows how to use speed to his advantage. Their pitchers that did so well last year are a year older now (sophomore and junior) and that is a huge growth time, but they will be more vulnerable than in years past with all they lost. I would be VERY surprised NOT to see them go very deep in the playoffs again in spite of their losses.

Pearland lost some big time players too, but not at the core like the Woodlands. Their young pitcher is going to be a sophomore this year and if she has learned to control her pitches, I promise you they will be very good. Not going to be as deep at pitcher, but they shouldn't need to be.

Alvin is usually good too, but they graduated a ton of kids. If they make a run, that coach is going to earn her money.

I dont expect to see DP back this season, but I didn't expect them to win it all last season and they won it convicingly. Them losing the Davenport kid is going to hurt them worse than the Woodlands losing McDuffee.

Klein Collins is done.

Bellaire graduated a bunch of kids too, but they are competitive every year and they didnt lose their #1 pitcher.

Austin Westlake is going to be good this year. Graduated their catcher as well but they get their pitcher back and she is good.

Oak Ridge has talent, but poorly coached.

Bryan is going to surprise some people, but now they are in the Woodlands district and I don't think Bryan is as good as either the Woodlands or Oak Ridge.

Kingwood will be pretty solid. They have a true work horse pitcher who can control a game when she is on.

Tomball is now in 4A but I wish they wouldn't have split them yet, they have some talent and so does Tomball Memorial and that would be a good squad up north as well if it were still one school.

These are all my opinion and just what I saw in games that I worked last season and some this fall. I do not have a kid at any of these schools. I work a lot of games in north Houston/Conroe/Bryan-CS areas so I am only talking about the teams that I saw during the season last year and in the playoffs. I didnt see any Dallas teams so I dont know what they have up there.

[slaphitter]

Happy to see some of you are getting into the swing of things on High School Softball. It will be here before you know it.

Alot of the established team names are popping up as possible contenders. It appears so far Pearland and the Woodlands may be the teams to watch (same as last year). Which on paper seems to be correct. Deer Park (State Champs) Is getting no respect (as last year) as is Klein Collins and Alvin.
Could turn out to be a very interesting year. With alot of could be's, maybe's and down right No Way's.

[MavFan]

Alvin is replacing 3/4 of their infield, one of their 2 pitchers, their catcher and at least 1 outfielder, they could be starting as many as 3 freshman, 2 on the left side of the infield. I also heard they had a catcher whose transfer was challenged and she was ultimately ruled ineligible for varsity play. Stinks for the kid.

Deer Park will miss their pitcher, their jr pitcher is good, but she was more effective because the senior pitcher ate up a lot of innings.

22-5A is not going to be a strong districe, Pearland will go undefeated, Alvin, Manvel, who lost 6 starters themselves, and Pasadena Memorial will be the other 3 playoff teams.

[frito_burrito]

de cinco ranch softball es gunna be de team to beat.

[txfastptchcoach]

Okay I got sucked into this one!!!!
My perspective and it don't mean S#!&.

Woodlands:
Pitching got knocked around against good hitting teams last year but should be better. Has good lower classmen to step in but will be hard to replace what they lost. You have to have 2 pitcher's once playoffs start it's vidal if ACE has bad day.

Pearland:
Should be STOUT!!!! Team full of alot of D1 recruits. Pitching should be GOOD but they need a #2 to go with #1 if she has bad day. A good fielding team will give this team fits because coach plays SMALL ball unless her 2 big hitters are at the plate. Better be able to play defense and pitch to beat them. REALLY good crop of Freshmen coming in. Should be good for years to come.

Alvin:
Good pitching but LOST alot of pieces to the puzzle. Coaching cost them a STATE title last year. I was at the game they lost to Deer Park and they had WAY to much Traffic on the bases to only score one run. Depends on what girls decide to play for her to see what kind of team she will have.

Klein Collins:
Good pitching but LOST alot of POP to graduation, but still should be in contention. They have alot of lower classmen talent. Don't sleep on them. I see kids playing there normal positions this upcoming year.

Deer Park:
Defending State Champs and only lost one starting player out of lineup. This team will send out 8 D1 recruits in starting lineup with 2 or 3 really good incoming Freshmen along with stout Sophmore/Junior class. They have a returning established GOOD pitcher that pitched even innings with Davenport last year along with the playoffs. Ask Pearland she shut them down in first game and came in saved 2 game along with getting the win against Alvin. This team needs the freshman pitcher or Sophmore pitcher to establish themselves as #2. This team can flat out rake along with being able to play small ball. Plenty of speed to go along with power.

Braoswood:[/b]
GOOD pitching and only lost a couple of player's. Don't sleep on them because they always find away to plug another kid into a spot and make a run at the playoffs. TON of speed on this team and play REALLY good defense.


Okay you sucked me in so now lets hear everyone's opinion. I've commented on teams that I've had kids that played for me. I make a point to watch each of them as much as possible.