Klein Oak is ready to reclaim status as stalwart in Class 6A

Klein Oak is on a mission.

The Panthers are one of the Houston area’s most accomplished softball teams, with a state championship to their credit from 1998, but they haven’t survived the first round of the playoffs since 2009.

They missed the postseason in 2013 and 2014.

But after repeating as District 15-6A champions, this time with a 14-0 record, they’re determined to get back on track.

“Having The Woodlands as an opponent makes it a tough first round, but we think we have what we need, if we do everything we need to do, to make it through,” first-year coach Lise DeBruin said. First-round treat

It’s a ridiculous firstround fight for a No. 1 seed, really.

The Woodlands won state and national championships in 2011 and made the state tournament for the second straight season last year, and the Highlanders are bound to be emotional after losing their longtime coach, Richard Jorgensen, under tragic circumstances two weeks ago. Facing charges for a sexual assault of one of his players, Jorgensen apparently took his own life April 14.

The Woodlands and Klein Oak meet in a bestof-three Region II-6A bi-district series at 6 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday and at 2 p.m. Saturday for a decisive Game 3, if necessary, all at Tomball.

“They come from a really strong district,” DeBruin said. “They beat Atascocita this year … and they’re a really good team. And with our location, we’re so close together, a lot of these kids know each other.

“They play with each other outside of school, and so that always causes a little bit of a rivalry.” Balanced Panthers

The Panthers are really good, too.

In their first year under DeBruin, the former Tomball Memorial coach who replaced retired skipper Jav Vela, they claimed an outright district title, after sharing it with Spring last year, and kept improving.

They outscored their district opponents 79-2 in the second round.

Senior pitcher Taylor Makowsky has 110 strikeouts and a 1.20 ERA in 97 innings pitched. She also boasts a .509 batting average with four home runs.

“She’s a senior, so she has lots of experience, she throws the ball hard (and) she also has good off-speed when she needs it,” DeBruin said.

Senior catcher Rebecca Snow, the cleanup batter, paces the offense with a .662 average and 28 RBIs.

Junior shortstop Sarah Briers, the leadoff batter, is hitting .591 with 31 runs scored, and sophomore first baseman Kaitlyn Bagby has 30 RBIs.

“We had everyone on the team step in and contribute something big at some point during district, and we’re hoping to continue that in the playoffs,” DeBruin said. Powerful region

Klein Oak and The Woodlands are teams to watch, but they’re not the area’s only powerful entries in Region II-6A.

Kingwood (27-5) is the area’s highest-ranked team, and Atascocita (235), led by pitcher Shelby McGlaun, shared the 16-6A title with Kingwood and enters the playoffs as the district’s top seed.

In loaded Region III-6A, two-time state champion Deer Park is the No. 1 team in the state, Katy is the defending state champion and two-time state champion Pearland boasts a roster with 14 seniors signed by colleges

“It’s ridiculous,” Pearland coach Laneigh Clark said. “I don’t care what anybody says, it’s the toughest region in the state.

“They can say whatever they want to, but it’s by far the toughest region in the state.”