By Tim Cassler
As April winds down, so does the UIL softball regular season—and the road to Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin is officially underway.
With the revamped playoff format in place, teams will soon split into divisions and begin their postseason journey.
In the San Antonio area, several programs look more than capable of making a serious push toward State in the coming weeks.
Leading the way are the O’Connor Panthers, who closed the regular season on a 12-game win streak and now carry a strong 19-2 record into the postseason. Right behind them in District 28-6A is Harlan (19-4), another dangerous squad capable of a deep playoff run.
In Class 5A, Smithson Valley has been dominant all year, going unbeaten in District 26-5A to post an impressive 18-1 mark. SA Veterans Memorial (18-3) also remains firmly in the mix after a strong regular season showing.
Out of Class 4A, Davenport (19-7-1) continues to build on its reputation as a regional powerhouse, while 6A contenders like East Central, Johnson, Taft, and Cibolo Steele have also put together solid campaigns.
With district titles now settled and playoff brackets on the horizon, San Antonio’s top teams are shifting their focus to the most important stretch of the spring—where history is decided.
...
*Parentheses indicates current district
*Last section indicates current overall record; district record
VYPE SAN ANTONIO SOFTBALL TOP-10 (Class 6A-4A)
1. O'Connor Panthers (28-6A) -- 19-2; 16-0 in District
2. Smithson Valley Rangers (26-5A) -- 18-1; 16-0
3. Harlan Hawks (28-6A) -- 19-4; 14-2
4. SA Veterans Memorial Patriots (26-5A) -- 18-3; 12-3
5. Davenport Wolves (26-4A) -- 19-7-1; 8-2
6. East Central Hornets (29-6A) -- 14-10; 8-4
7. New Braunfels Unicorns (26-5A) -- 20-7; 12-4
8. SA Johnson Jaguars (27-6A) -- 18-5; 13-1
9. Taft Raiders (28-6A) -- 17-7; 11-5
10. Cibolo Steele Knights (29-6A) --16-10; 9-3
Honorable Mentions: Clemens (29-6A), Brennan (28-6A), South San Antonio (28-5A), Seguin (27-5A), Medina Valley (30-6A), Southwest (28-5A)
Read More...Read Less
texas high school softballuil softballsan antonio texas high school sportssan antonio high school sportssan antonio high school softballsatxvype satxvype san antonio high school sportso'connor softballsmithson valley softballharlan softballsa veterans memorialsa veterans memorial softballsan antonio veterans memorial softballdavenport softballeast central softballnew braunfels softballsan antonio johnsonsan antonio johnson softballsa johnsonsa johnson softballtaft softballtaftcibolo steele softball
This past weekend, some of the top high school football talent in Texas gathered at Planet Ford Stadiumfor the annual Under Armour Next Camp, and one name stood out above the rest — Jonathan Hatton Jr.
The 2026 Cibolo Steele four-star running back and Texas A&M commit delivered an electric performance, showcasing his elite skillset in drills and during the one-on-one period. His dominant day earned him a coveted invite to the Under Armour All-American Game, a goal he’s been chasing for years.
“I mean, getting that game invite was everything,” Hatton said. “This is something I’ve been working hard for years to earn, and it just showed me the hard work paid off.”
Hatton committed to Texas A&M on March 22, becoming a massive addition to what is shaping up to be a Top 5 national recruiting class for the Aggies in 2026.
“Coach Troop and Coach Elko are great coaches, and they’re building something that’s going to be scary in the future,” Hatton said. “Why not A&M? I know they’re going to develop me on and off the field — that’s why I committed there.”
Now, the San Antonio native is focused on closing out his offseason strong and preparing for a final run with his Steele teammates.
“My biggest thing is just getting ready for A&M, staying healthy, and going out there with my guys one last time and trying to make it to State,” he said.
With his blend of talent, leadership, and vision for the future, Jonathan Hatton Jr. is a name you’ll be hearing a lot more of in the years to come — both in College Station and beyond.
Read More...Read Less
texas high school footballtxhsfbcibolo steelecibolo steele footballcibolo steele high schoolcibolo steele knightscibolo steele knights footballjonathan hatton jrsan antonio texas high school sportsusa recruitingusa texas recruitingusa texas houston recruitingtexas houston recruitinghouston recruitingtexas recruiting
THE TIER LIST: VYPE SATX Preseason Softball Rankings; Smithson Valley, Harlan lead the opening stages
23 Feb, 2025
As the weather begins to heat up, so too does the 2025 UIL softball season.
In the San Antonio area, several teams stand out as potential contenders to represent Region IV this spring.
Smithson Valley comes off a strong 2024 campaign, securing over 30 wins and advancing three rounds into the postseason. They’re poised to be a major force in the 5A classification.
Though Harlan was eliminated in Round 2 last year, they possess enough talent to make a deeper playoff run this season. However, they'll face stiff competition in District 29-6A, where Regional Finalist Brennan and Quarterfinalist O'Connor will be the biggest challengers to the Hawks.
Clemens, another team that quietly reached the fourth round in 2024, looks set to build on that success this spring.
Meanwhile, East Central, Cibolo Steele, and McCollum are also among the hopefuls to watch in 2025.
With the race to Red & Charline McCombs Field underway, here’s a closer look at San Antonio’s heavy-hitters heading into the new season.
...
*Parentheses indicates current district
*Last section indicates 2024 result
VYPE SAN ANTONIO SOFTBALL TOP-10 (Class 6A-4A)
1. Smithson Valley Rangers (26-5A) -- 31-9; 13-1 (Regional Quarterfinalists)
2. Harlan Hawks (29-6A) -- 23-8; 13-3 (Area Finalists)
3. Brennan Bears (29-6A) -- 31-8; 15-1 (Regional Finalists)
4. Clemens Buffaloes (27-6A) -- 29-10; 5-5 (Regional Semifinalists)
5. O'Connor Panthers (29-6A) -- 23-13; 9-7 (Regional Quarterfinalists)
6. East Central Hornets (27-6A) -- 26-8-1; 8-2 (Area Finalists)
7. Cibolo Steele Knights (27-6A) -- 13-15; 5-5 (Area Finalists)
8. SA McCollum Cowboys (28-5A) -- 19-9; 11-3 (Area Finalists)
9. SA Veterans Memorial Patriots (26-5A) -- 21-9; 10-4 (Bi-District Finalists)
10. New Braunfels Unicorns (26-5A) -- 21-9-1; 4-6 (6A*)
Honorable Mentions: Comal Canyon (27-6A), Holmes (29-6A), Taft (29-6A), South San Antonio (28-5A), Southwest (28-5A), SA Madison (28-6A), SA Johnson (28-6A)
Read More...Read Less
texas high school softballuil softballsan antonio texas high school sportssan antonio high school sportssan antonio high school softballsmithson valley softballharlanharlan softballbrennan softballclemensclemens softballo'connoro'connor softballeast centraleast central softballcibolo steelecibolo steele softballsan antonio mccollumsan antonio mccollum softballsan antonio veterans memorialsan antonio veterans memorial softballnew braunfelsnew braunfels softball
TRENDING
GAMES
Join the #VYPETEAM
Get up to date news from all over the country!
FROM THE WEB