Softball Playoff Information

Regional Finals

Keller (31-2-1) vs. Plano (25-4)

One-game playoff: 7:00 Friday at Denton Ryan

5101 E McKinney St, Denton, TX 76208

Maroon monsoon: Lady Wildcats’ offense fuels sweep of Permian in regional semis

Matt Welch mwelch@starlocalmedia.com. May 18, 2018

After traveling 200 miles west for the latest chapter of its playoff run, Plano Senior may as well have hit 200 miles worth of softballs during its regional semifinal series against Odessa Permian.

Over the course of their two fourth-round matchups, the Lady Wildcats totaled 22 runs and 29 hits against a Permian squad ranked No. 6 in Class 6A by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. That pedigree was no match for a surging Plano offense, which finished off a two-game sweep of Permian on Friday with a 12-5 victory at Abilene Christian University.

Bolstered by Thursday’s dramatic 10-9 win to begin the best-of-3 series, the Lady Wildcats notched their fourth consecutive game with at least 10 runs scored, thanks to 13 hits and another contagious case of the long ball.

Sophomore Lily Ray, senior Bronte Rhoden and sophomore Audrey McNeill all hit home runs in Friday’s win, extending the team’s homer streak to six straight games and marking the third time this postseason the Lady Wildcats have gone yard three times in a single game.

In Friday’s case, those bombs helped build a 6-0 lead Plano never relinquished.

Permian threatened midway through with five runs to close the gap to 7-5 before the Lady Wildcats iced the victory with five unanswered runs over the final two innings, including four in the seventh stanza.

Four Plano batters logged multi-hit outings in the win, including three apiece from senior Lindsay Edwards and McNeill – the latter pitching all 15 innings during the two-game series. Rhoden added four RBIs on 2-of-4 hitting and junior Czoey White notched two hits as well.

Bound for the fifth round, the Lady Wildcats will next meet two-time reigning Class 6A state champion Keller at a time and place to be determined.

Complete story at PLANO STAR COURIER

Championship Cats: Plano Senior girls capture first state championship

Wildcats clutch down the stretch to earn crown

Devin Hasson dhasson@starlocalmedia.com

SAN ANTONIO—Plano Senior’s determination would not be denied.

On the cusp of history, the Lady Wildcats trailed Converse Judson by as many as 10 in the second half, but their play, and their confidence, never wavered.

Plano made clutch play after clutch play down the stretch to claw its way back into it.

After a series of big plays by several different players, Plano had Lolo Davenport at the free throw line with 6.3 seconds left and a two-point lead. Davenport made the first and when the second slipped off the rim, Jordyn Merritt was there for the putback to seal a 62-58 victory and set off a raucous celebration to cap the Class 6A championship game at the Alamodome.

See full story at PLANO STAR COURIER.

2018 SportsDayHS girls basketball Player of the Year: Plano forward Jordyn Merritt

Jordyn Merritt-Plano, So., F, 6-2

The biggest basket of Jordyn Merritt's career -- and in the history of Plano girls basketball -- is still a blur.

"I don't even remember that happening. It all happened so quickly," the Plano sophomore forward said. "I didn't know that time was literally almost out. I just got the rebound."

With Plano leading by two with 6.3 seconds remaining in the Class 6A state championship game, Lolo Davenport missed the second of two free throws. But Merritt grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on a layup to clinch Plano's 62-58 victory over Converse Judson. It gave Plano its first state title in girls basketball.

"Being the first team from Plano Senior, it was amazing," Merritt said. "To bring the trophy back home for all of Plano, our school, everybody in the community, felt great."

How did Plano celebrate?

"As a team, we went back to the hotel and we jumped in the pool in our uniforms," Merritt said.

Merritt finished with a team-high 15 points in the state final after scoring 16 in a state semifinal victory against Cypress Creek. She missed five weeks because of a concussion and ankle injury but averaged 13 points and 7.4 rebounds in the regular season. She averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in the playoffs and was an all-state selection by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.