Coming off their shocking 5-3 upset victory over the then 10th-ranked Maypearl Panthers, the upstart Clifton Cubs became painfully aware that they might have just woke up the sleeping giant. Looking like the team that captured the 2023 District 17-3A title and marched to the Class 3A state semifinals, Maypearl stormed back for a dominating 20-0 win over Clifton at Cub Field last Tuesday night to salvage a split of the two-game, homeand- home series.

Despite carrying a fourgame losing streak into the 2024 Texas high school softball regular season finale, the Clifton Lady Cub dream of achieving backto- back playoff appearances remained a realistic possibility as Clifton faced a must-win scenario against Maypearl. And in the headto- head battle for District 17-3A’s final postseason berth, the Lady Cubs wanted it more.

While being well-represented at the UIL Class 3A, Region III Track and Field Championships held last Friday and Saturday at Midway High School in Hewitt, the Clifton boys and girls needed a couple of gold medal efforts to advance to the Class 3A State Championships May 2 in Austin. Breaking his own school record with a time of 48.74, junior Ray Ochoa qualified for the state meet by capturing the gold medal in the 400-meter dash.

Just when they needed it most, the Clifton Cub baseball team came up with its biggest win of the season. Shaking off back-to-back lopsided losses to the 16thranked West Trojans, the Cubs shocked the 10thranked Maypearl Panthers, 5-3, on the road last Friday night to seize control of their postseason destiny.

Oh, so close. But with each heartbreaking loss during the current fourgame skid, the Clifton Lady Cub softball squad has seen its postseason hopes slip slide a little further away.

Competing in the District 17/18-3A Area Championships last Thursday at Whitney High School, the Clifton Lady Cubs finished as the area runner-up overall as a team with 111 points behind Area champion West with 146 points. In the process, the Lady Cubs qualified nine athletes to compete in 10 events at the Class 3A, Region 3 Track & Field Championships held this Friday-Saturday at Midway High School in Hewitt.

Putting the team concept first over individual goals and performances, the Meridian boys outscored the seven-team field to repeat as overall team champions at the District 20-1A Track and Field Championship last Wednesday at Jacket Stadium in Meridian. Advancing 17 athletes to compete in 11 events at the District 19-20 Area Championships Wednesday in Dublin, the Jackets ran away from the field for the team title with 172 points, easily outscoring runner-up Iredell with 117 points and third place Covington with 109.

With the first round of District 12-1A competition behind them, the Meridian Lady Jacket softball team turned its attention to facing a round of playing the district’s four Class 2A teams. While the first two games against three games against the Hamilton Lady Bulldogs, the Hico Lady Tigers and the Itasca Lady Wampus Cats has produced mixed results, the Lady Jackets will wrap up their Class 2A tour this week before resuming the second round of District 12-1A play.

After posting three consecutive run-rule victories in the first round of District 171A competition, the Meridian Yellowjackets appeared on the verge of rolling unchallenged to their first outright district championship since 2010. But then, the unexpected happened.

Losing back-to-back games as they made the turn down the home stretch of the 2024 Texas high school softball season, the Clifton Lady Cubs face three crucial games in their quest for a second straight trip to the playoffs to wrap up the regular season. Hosting the District 173A runner-up West last Friday, Clifton could not hang on to an early lead as the Lady Trojans capitalized on scoring opportunities to run away with a 7-1 victory as the Lady Cubs struck out 13 times.