BY KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — The regular season is wrapped up and the playoff picture is set, for the most part.
In District 32-6A, perennial powers Harlingen South and back-to-back district champion San Benito are prepared to make another playoff run.
Brownsville Hanna is back in the playoffs after a six-year absence, and Los Fresnos is back in the postseason after a small three-year drought.
Lyford, Rio Hondo and Brownsville Veterans Memorial all hoisted district titles again and are in position for another run.
Here is what is known.
Two of the longest tenured coaches in Elias Martinez and Richard Tressler will meet again when Harlingen South locks horns with Edinburg North, respectively, in a best-of-three series starting Wednesday at Edinburg North. Game 2 will be Thursday at Harlingen South, and Game 3, if needed, will be Friday at ENHS. All games are set for 7 p.m.
Los Fresnos clashed with Weslaco High in a one-game playoff Friday at Weslaco, with the first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Hanna will tangle with Edinburg Vela in a best-of-three series starting Thursday at Hanna. Game 2 will be played Friday at Vela and Game 3, if needed, will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at Vela. Games 1 and 2 are set for 7 p.m.
District champion San Benito is still awaiting its opponent out of District 31-6A. The Lady ’Hounds meet either Weslaco East or Edinburg High. Those two will have a play-in game at 7 p.m. Monday at Weslaco East.
In District 32-4A, it took the final day of the regular season to decide the fourth spot. Raymondville got past Zapata 13-1, and La Feria lost 9-0 to Rio Hondo. With the win, the Lady Bearkats are heading to the playoffs.
Port Isabel has a date with Beeville Jones in a one-game playoff at 7 p.m. Thursday at Kingsville King. Raymondville meets Sinton, with the time and location still to be decided. Zapata will meet Rockport-Fulton, and district champion Rio Hondo faces either Orange Grove or Ingleside.
In Class 5A, Brownsville Veterans will meet Sharyland High with the time and date to be decided.
In Class 3A, Lyford takes on either Corpus Christi London or San Diego. In Class 2A, Lasara clinched its first playoff berth in program history and meets Freer in a one-game playoff at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Kingsville.
“Feeling of excitement throughout the team and school,” Lasara coach Rey Garza said via text about the fifth-year program reaching the playoffs for the first time. “Our seniors have taken a lot of pride in getting after it this season and punching a ticket into playoffs. These seniors were eighth-graders when softball program went UIL.
“This is a special group of girls, from our five seniors to our juniors, to our sophomore pitcher and catcher, to our freshman that are contributing. Been a team effort all season.”