Pearland, Alvin step closer to showdown
Two local softball teams are still alive in the playoffs and might be on a collision course for the regional championship round.
Pearland and Alvin make up half of the remaining field that will pit the two District 22-6A teams against two teams from Katy ISD. The semifinal winners will play for a berth in the state tournament next week.
Pearland scored the biggest knockout of the third round when it swept Deer Park, the nation’s No. 4-ranked team. The Lady Oilers won the first game, 3-1, and the second game, 3-2. It was a big turnaround from the regular season meeting that Deer Park won, 8-0.
Next up for Pearland is Seven Lakes. They will meet in a best-of-three series Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. At Pearland. The second game will be played at Seven Lake Friday at 6 p.m. If a third game is necessary it will follow game two.
The other semifinal pits Alvin and defending state champion Katy. Alvin, which is in its first season under the leadership of former Dawson coach Dave McCorkle, is into the regional semifinals for the second year in a row.
The Lady Yellowjackets swept Brazoswood in the third round, an impressive feat against one of the Houston area’s perennial powers.
Alvin and Katy will play a best-of-three series. The first game is 6 p.m. Thursday at Alvin. The second game is 6 p.m. Friday at Katy. If a third game is required it will be played at 12 p.m. Saturday at Tompkins.
Manvel second at state
The Manvel boys came within four points of repeating as Class 6A state champions last week in Austin. The Mavericks scored 50 points to finish second behind DeSoto.
Manvel got a bulk of its points from winning the 800-meter relay and placing second in the 400 relay. Caleb Jolivette ran on both of those relays and added a third-place finish in the 100-meter dash.
Howard Fields also earned a medal with his third-place finish in the 400 dash. Michael Tolds was fifth in the high jump. For Manvel girls, Bellodgia Roberson placed third in the discus throw.
Three other local athletes scored points at state. Dawson’s Kameron Hypolite won bronze in the long jump as did Dawson’s Paige Kimble in the 300 hurdles. Clear Brook’s Brandon Taylor fell short of a medal but placed fourth in the 100 dash and 200 dash.