By Kevin Lonnquist
NTX Varsity Sports Columnist
The 2026 high school softball season is winding to a close. There are only three playing dates remaining between Friday and next Friday, April 17.
Most of the playoff berths have been clinched. Some district champions have either claimed theirs outright or have a share of it. Then there are those desperate teams trying to stay in the race for that final playoff spot or fight for a chance to create a playoff play-in situation.
For the NTX Varsity Sports coverage area, this is the perfect opportunity to summarize where things stand with who is in the postseason and who needs to do what in order make the postseason. We’ll go in classification order.
Class 6A
Weatherford: The Lady Roos (13-12, 6-3 in 3-6A) have clinched a playoff spot. They will compete in the Division II bracket of the Region I playoffs. What’s left for them is to see if they summon a strong finish to perhaps claim the top Division II seed.
There is importance to this. The playoffs can sometimes be more about the matchups. Weatherford is one game behind Mansfield Legacy and Saginaw Boswell in the district standings.
The Lady Roos control their destiny. They still have games to play with Boswell and district leader Mansfield Lake Ridge.
Class 5A
District 5-5A: Featuring a 63-game district winning streak that dates to 2021, Aledo (19-9, 9-0 in 5-5A) struggled early in the season against an unforgiveable non-district schedule. However, the Lady Cats have found their groove.
This program has already clinched a share of the district championship and can win it outright on Friday with a victory at home against Saginaw. Aledo, which is moving up to Class 6A in 2026-27, has scored double figures in eight of its nine district ballgames. The Lady Cats will be the top Division I seed in the playoffs.
Granbury (9-20, 1-8 in 5-5A) will miss the postseason.
District 8-5A: Cleburne (12-18, 4-7) saved its season Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Mansfield Timberview. The Lady Jackets are in fifth place and now trail Timberview by one game for the district’s final playoff berth.
Cleburne’s last three games are favorable. It’s playing the bottom three teams in 8-5A in this order: Everman, Mansfield Summit and Arlington Seguin. Meanwhile Timberview also plays Summit and Seguin. However, it finishes with district leader Burleson Centennial.
There’s the possibility Cleburne and Timberview could finish in a tie for that last spot. Because these teams split their two district meetings, then there likely would be a playoff play-in game to determine who advances to the postseason.
District 15-5A: Corsicana (12-15-1, 4-7) is out of playoff contention.
Class 4A
District 6-4A: For Glen Rose (18-10-1, 5-2), it’s simple. Beat Mineral Wells at home on Friday, and the Lady Tigers clinch a playoff spot. Or they can win one of their final two games next week to secure it. The other way to clinch on Friday is if Glen Rose loses, Brownwood, which is three games behind Glen Rose, also loses. Then the Lady Tigers are in the playoffs.
For Mineral Wells (19-8, 3-4), the Lady Rams’ road is not as easy, but they control their destiny. If they win at Glen Rose Friday, it strengthens their position. Even if they don’t, it’s not a crippling outcome. Following Glen Rose, Mineral Wells plays at home on Tuesday against Stephenville. Those teams are tied for third. The finale on April 17 is at last-place Graham. Speaking of Graham, the Lady Blues (8-15, 1-6) are not out of the playoff race. But they would have to win their last three games to have a chance. That’s unlikely because Graham faces district leader Brock Friday.
District 7-4A: It’s unlikely neither of the three NTX Varsity Sports area teams, Springtown, Eagle Mountain and Decatur, will catch district leader Burkburnett for the district championship.
But Springtown (17-10, 7-2) and Eagle Mountain (18-10-1, 7-3) have clinched playoff spots. Decatur (10-7, 6-3) can join them on Friday and secure the district’s final postseason berth if the Lady Eagles beat Eagle Mountain at home. Even with a loss, Decatur could still qualify should fifth-place Castleberry fall to Springtown. The chances of the latter are very high.
Given all that, it’s a matter of playoff positioning for the divisions. Springtown and Decatur would be in Division I. They two meet again Tuesday in Springtown. That would go a long way toward determining the top seed. Burkburnett, which will be the top seed, and Eagle Mountain would be in Division II.
Bridgeport (2-20, 1-9) is going through a difficult season.
District 10-4A: Krum (15-8-2, 3-4) is currently holding the fourth playoff spot, one game ahead of fifth-place Aubrey. The Lady Bobcats picked up a big 15-12 victory over Aubrey on Tuesday to gain a split in the two district meetings. They are also one game behind the third seed in Frisco Panther Creek against whom they also split their district meetings.
However, Krum’s dilemma is that the next two games are against the district’s top two teams, Prosper Richland and Lake Dallas. Then it finishes with winless Carrollton Ranchview.
Yet Aubrey still has a meeting with Richland. There is the potential Krum and Aubrey winding up tied for the fourth playoff berth and having a playoff play-in game. There’s also the chance you could see something of a three-way tie between Krum, Aubrey and Panther Creek.
Indeed, there is much still to be resolved.
Class 3A
District 10-3A: Boyd (25-2, 9-0), which has already clinched a playoff berth, is marching toward wrapping up the district championship. The Lady Jackets can clinch a share on Friday with a win at Valley View. Take care of business there and then the opportunity to claim the outright district title arrives on Tuesday at home against Ponder.
Paradise (23-4-1, 7-2) has also clinched a playoff berth. But the Lady Panthers have a great matchup with Whitesboro at home on Friday. Whitesboro is tied for second with Paradise.
Boyd and Paradise meet in the district finale on Saturday, April 18 in Boyd.
District 15-3A: Malakoff (18-10, 7-3) has clinched a playoff spot. It’s also pretty much assigned the No. 3 playoff position in the district. It’s just a matter of how these last two games play out next week.
The Lady Tigers play a non-district game on Friday against Brook Hill out of Bullard. Then it’s on to Grand Saline at home on Tuesday and at Winona next Friday.
District 20-2A: For Mildred (15-9-2, 12-0), it all comes down to next week’s series against Frankston (25-4-1, 10-0) for the district championship. This collision course has been expected since these two teams have been blowing out the rest of the district.
It should be a great series. Tuesday is in Mildred. Friday at Frankston.
Mildred clinched its playoff spot two weeks ago and will play in the Division I bracket.
Notable: All Saints (9-9, 0-5 TAPPS 1-5A) is likely out of playoff contention…based on what we know at this time, the NTX Varsity Sportscoverage will have at least eight teams moving on to the state playoffs. That should expand into double figures by the end of next week.