HS BASEBALL: The Woodlands, Oak Ridge, Grand Oaks, and Willis All Start The 6A State Playoffs With A Bang As The 2nd Round Approaches

DISTRICT 13 – The high school varsity baseball playoffs are well underway, with the best teams in Texas battling for a shot at the State Championship. In District 13, 4 teams made the postseason, with Oak Ridge, The Woodlands, Grand Oaks, and Willis all securing a spot in the dance this season. The Bi-District round started with a bang, as all 4 teams defeated their District 14 opponents and advanced to the 2nd Area Round of the state tournament. Let's review each team's previous round and what lies ahead for them this week.

Oak Ridge War Eagles: A Tough Challenge Ahead

Coming off a district championship, the Oak Ridge War Eagles were considered one of the strongest teams entering the Division II bracket. Led by power hitters Luis Olmeda and Jonell Rodriguez, Oak Ridge boasts one of the best offenses in the district, scoring 228 runs on 276 hits this season. Olmeda currently leads the team in batting average (0.514), runs (39), RBIs (34), and home runs (7), making him a formidable batter for any opposing pitcher. Rodriguez isn’t far behind, with a batting average of 0.435 and a team-high 37 hits. Other players like Drayton Urbay (0.417 BA), Dereck Hernandez (0.443 BA), Kole DeBerardinis (0.387 BA), and Carson Holamon (0.386 BA) all contribute heavily to this high-powered offense, giving it power up and down the 9-man lineup.

Their 1st series of the tournament was against Spring, a team that finished 4th in District 14 but had some solid wins throughout the season. Game 1 was closer than expected, with Oak Ridge having to come back after a 3-0 3rd inning put them in a tough spot. Luckily, the bats came alive later, as an Urbay single drove in Rodriguez in the 4th, and Rodriguez drove in another run in the 5th on an RBI single, making the game 3-2. Going into the 7th, the War Eagles were still down, but a clutch home run from catcher Corben Alexander tied the game. The winning run was scored by Rodriguez off an error by the Spring shortstop, resulting in the final score of 4-3. After that scary Game 1, the War Eagles got back on track in Game 2, pummeling the Lions 8-2 in a classic offensive showcase. Rodriguez was dominant again, collecting 2 hits (a double and a triple) and scoring 2 runs. Urbay, Hernandez, Olmeda, and Holamon all recorded 2 hits as well, with Hernandez tallying 3 RBIs throughout the game. Olmeda was solid on both the mound and the plate, pitching 5 innings with 6 strikeouts and 2 earned runs. It was a solid game all around for the War Eagles, who now advance to the 2nd round to face Tomball.

In the 2nd round, the War Eagles face their greatest challenge of the season: a 3-game series against the Tomball Cougars. Much like Oak Ridge, Tomball has had an incredible season thus far. In fact, they might be having one of the greatest high school baseball seasons of all time, posting a jaw-dropping 34-0-1 record heading into this series. Being a top team in Texas is no surprise, but they also currently sit at #1 in the entire country, according to MaxPreps rankings. This, of course, makes Oak Ridge massive underdogs in this series, but it could also provide some of the best games of this year's state tournament. We know Oak Ridge has a powerful offense capable of some monstrous games if given the chance, but they will have to take down a pitching unit that has surrendered only 81 runs in 35 games, or 2.3 runs per game. Tomball also boasts a superpowered offense, scoring an insane 336 total runs throughout the season, which is 108 more runs than Oak Ridge did all season. In just the 1st round, Tomball decimated their opponent in Langham Creek, winning game 1 8-0 and game 2 20-4. It is going to be an uphill battle for Oak Ridge, but upsets can happen, and if Oak Ridge is able to pull it off, it might be one of the greatest upsets we’ve ever seen.

The Woodlands Highlanders: Starting The Playoffs Strong

After a disappointing end to the season, The Woodlands Highlanders enter the playoffs on a mission to prove they are still among the best teams in the state. They face an interesting bracket path in Division I, with several challenges if they want to go far in the tournament. Much like their rivals in Oak Ridge, The Woodlands boasts an outstanding offense, scoring 198 runs on 270 total hits this season. Cash Clayton (0.354 BA), Cruz Romo (0.421 BA), Bryson Bourn (0.408 BA), and Cash McWhorter (0.329 BA) have all had solid seasons, with Clayton and Romo tied for the team lead in hits at 32. Clayton also leads the Highlanders in home runs with 4 so far this season, while Romo leads in RBIs with 24. Other hitters such as Johan Fernandez, Chase Bradley, Jack Smejkal, and Elias Diaz round out a lineup that has been among the best in the district this season.

In Round 1, The Woodlands faced the MacArthur Generals, who finished 2nd in District 14 with a 17-13 record. MacArthur had a solid offense coming into this game, but their firepower was quickly shut down by elite pitching from the Highlanders. The Woodlands completed routs in both games, winning Game 1 9-1 and Game 2 11-1. 4 different Highlanders recorded 2 or more hits, with Fernandez going 3-3 at the plate while Bourn drove in 3 runs on 2 hits. Cash Clayton pitched a solid outing, striking out 5 batters and allowing only 1 earned run over 5 innings. Game 2 was much of the same, as 8 Highlanders recorded hits, with Bourn, Romo, Bradley, Smejkal, and McWhorter all getting 2 hits on the day. Starter Jack Smejkal was pulled early for Luke Sheeren, who pitched a solid 5-innings, recording 8 strikeouts while allowing only 2 hits. The Woodlands finished the series in a strong position and showed why they were such a feared team coming into this tournament.

For round 2, The Woodlands will face an old rival, the Klein Oak Panthers, a District 15 team that finished 3rd with a 21-13 record. Don’t let the lower record fool you, as District 15 is home to some of the best teams in the state, like Tomball and Magnolia West, a team the Highlanders faced earlier in the season. The Panthers score a fair number of runs, but their biggest weakness is defense, as they’ve allowed 177 runs throughout the season, giving The Woodlands a clear path to victory. Still, the Panthers came the closest to beating the #1-ranked Tomball in district play, so they could still give the Highlanders some trouble if the offense doesn’t show up for the series. Hitters to watch include SS Brody Fortunato and Jacob George, both capable of putting this offense on their backs if given the chance. Overall, this is an opponent The Woodlands can take on and has a good chance of getting through without any trouble. The series could very well go to 3 games, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Highlanders take care of business in just 2 games.

Grand Oaks Grizzlies: Taking Down Whoever Stands Against Them

Coming off a 3rd-place finish in the district, the Grand Oaks Grizzlies made it back to the playoffs after missing them entirely in 2025. With a solid balance between offense and defense, the Grizzlies have been a fun team to watch, with some solid wins throughout the season. On the pitching side, both Noah Lopez (0.91 ERA) and Drew Johnson (2.10 ERA) have been solid starters for the Grizzlies, with pitchers like Ben Garrett and Cade Calhoun right behind them on a solid overall staff. Hitting isn’t always at the same caliber as some other teams in the district, but they still have solid outings that let them put away games handily. They have hitters throughout the lineup, with guys like Callum Wilson (0.360 BA), Sebastian Segura (0.346 BA), Colton Tally (0.400 BA), Owen Eastwood (0.469 BA), and Brody Freitas (0.345 BA) all being contributors. Tally currently leads the team in hits and runs with 28 hits and 23 runs scored this season. Clayton is right behind him with 24 hits, but leads in home runs with 4 thus far and in doubles with 10. They are a team that can get hot on offense, but as we saw in the Willis series, they can sometimes struggle to get good contact late in games.

Round 1 luckily didn’t have that issue, as they took on the Aldine Mustangs, a team that won District 14 and finished with a perfect 14-0 district record. Aldine came into this game allowing only 26 runs throughout district play, a factor that didn’t play much into this series, as Grand Oaks was able to run up the score on the Mustangs and sweep them in 2 games. Game 1 was an easy 8-1 win for the Grizzlies, with all but 2 hitters recording a hit. The Grizzlies took a 6-0 lead in the 3rd inning after several hits drove in runs, before 3 straight walks brought in an extra 2 runs. Johnson was excellent on the mound for Grand Oaks, too, pitching all 7 innings, allowing only 1 earned run in the 7th, and striking out 6 batters on his way to the win. Game 2 was much of the same, as the Grizzlies ran away with the win 10-0 on the backs of another fantastic pitching outing. On the mound was Lopez, who struck out 7 batters and allowed only 1 hit all game, staying in the game for all 5 innings. Wilson, Martin, and Tally took this game over on offense. Wilson recorded 2 hits and 4 RBIs, while both Martin and Tally recorded 2 hits each. It was a dominant victory over a team that was supposed to be the best District 14 had to offer, and mercy ruling them in 5 innings just shows why Grand Oaks is not to be messed with this tournament.

Round 2 is somewhat “easier” for the Grizzlies, as they now face the Klein Collins Tigers, who finished 4th in District 15 with a 16-16 record. The Tigers don’t score many runs and allow more runs than they score, making them an interesting team heading into this series. They handled Cy-Ranch in 2 games in the 1st round, so they aren’t to be taken lightly, but a win for Grand Oaks feels plausible. We’ve seen Grand Oaks struggle with middle-of-the-pack teams before, such as in the Willis series, but if the offense and pitching come through, it shouldn’t be a long series. You never want to underestimate a team in the 2nd round, but out of all the matchups in the 2nd round, this one might be a quick one for the Grizzlies if they can play their game and keep their hot streak going.

Willis Wildkats: Showing Why District 13 Is A Baseball Hotbed

Despite a 4th-place finish, the Willis Wildcats entered the playoffs on a hot streak and hungry to prove they are still a team to fear in the postseason. Willis exemplifies why District 13 is one of the toughest districts in the state. Despite a lower-than-expected finish, they can still dominate opponents when everything is clicking. An offense led by hitters Gage Blinka (0.371 BA), Keaton Jeffcoat (0.381 BA), Mason Miller (0.338 BA), and Hunter Slott (0.360 BA) delivers solid outings and makes consistent contact in almost every game. Blinka is, without a doubt, the engine of this offense, leading the team in runs (27), hits (33), RBIs (19), and home runs (5) while also recording the team's 2nd-best 18 stolen bases. On that note, stolen bases is where Willis really excels, swiping 101 bags throughout the season, the most in the district. Pitching can be suspect at times, but solid performances toward the end of the season provide confidence they can get things done when it matters most. They are a boom-or-bust team that could make some noise in the tournament if given the opportunity.

For round 1, Wills faced the Dekaney Wildcats in a battle of similar mascots. Dekaney finished 3rd in District 14 with an overall record of 17-13-2, making the game feel like a coin flip going in. Willis quickly showed that wasn’t the case, sweeping Dekaney with a 9-6 win in game 1 and a 12-2 win in game 2. Game 1 was a close one, as Willis was down 6-5 in the 7th inning before rattling off 4 runs to take a decisive win. The chaos began with 2 wild pitches that allowed 2 runners to score, followed by a sac bunt and a fielder’s choice RBI that scored 2 more runs, reaching the final score of 9-6. Keaton Jeffcoat recorded 3 hits and scored 3 times, with several other Willis batters, including Zakos, Dorwart, and Abke, getting hits as well. Pitching was questionable, with Shey Holliday and Brock Brown striking out only 5 batters combined, and Holliday letting up 5 runs (only 1 was earned). Game 2 was a different story, as the Wildkats smashed through Dekaney with a 12-2 win in 5 innings. Jeffcoat was the star on offense again, recording 4 hits in 4 at-bats, scoring 3 times, and driving in 2 runs. Dorwart, Roberts, Holliday, and Blinka also recorded multiple hits, making this one a pure offensive masterclass from Willis. Pitching was solid too, with Kash Abke going all 5 innings, striking out 3 batters, and allowing 2 hits and 2 earned runs. Overall, this was the series the Wildkats were looking for, and it was an incredible start to the postseason for a team that was struggling early in the season.

Round 2 is going to be an interesting one for sure, as Willis now matches up against the Magnolia West Mustangs, a team we’ve seen tango with District 13 before. The Mustangs finished 2nd in District 15, right behind Tomball, and will certainly be a tough challenge for the Wildkats in the 2nd round. The Woodlands took on Mag West a while back, and that one ended 1-0, with the Mustangs flexing their elite pitching core. Willis has the offensive firepower to beat them, and their strengths, like stealing bases, will be huge if they want to pull off the win. If the Wildkats can get a few runs, it could be enough to get through this series, but it’s not going to be easy. This one could easily go 3 games, and it’s one of those instances where adjustments are likely to be made constantly throughout the series. We can see a world where Willis wins, but among all the District 13 vs. 15 matchups in the 2nd round, this one truly feels like a tough one to call.

Final Thoughts

Altogether, our District 13 teams have been excellent thus far in the state tournament, sweeping all District 14 teams in the 1st round, much like football earlier this school year. Funnily enough, they have the chance to wipe another district out of the tournament, as all 2nd-round matchups are District 13 vs. District 15. Games like Oak Ridge vs. Tomball are shaping up to be classics, and whoever makes it out of this round will be viewed as a successful baseball team when the tournament ends. We wish all these teams the best of luck moving forward, and we hope to be writing about their exploits positively after the end of the 2nd round.