Thanks to fortuitous planning by Comal school officials, Canyon and Smithson Valley graduations will not interfere with the district showdown in the state softball playoffs this weekend.

Canyon seniors walked the stage Wednesday while Smithson Valley graduates its 2023 class on Thursday, just ahead of the first regional final game at 7 p.m. Friday between the District 26-5A and Comal ISD rivals. 

Game 2 starts at 4 p.m. Saturday with a Game 3 (if necessary) taking place 30 minutes after Game 2. All games will be played at St. Mary’s University.

Canyon enters the playoffs with an undefeated record and a No. 2 ranking in Class 5A softball, according to the Texas High School Girls Coaches Association. Smithson Valley comes in at No. 5 behind Frisco Heritage (34-3-1) and Georgetown (37-4). Montgomery Lake Creek holds the No. 1 sport at 40-0.

The Cougars and Rangers know each other well after two district clashes that resulted  in a 7-0 loss for Smithson Valley on March 21 and a tighter 2-1 Canyon win on April 14.

Senior Haley Camona leads Cougar hurlers with 19 wins. She has pitched 117 innings with 29 runs and 227 strike outs. She also threw a no-hitter against the Rangers in that 7-0 win.

The Rangers come into the series with sophomores Arianna Capek and Madeline Haun handling pitching duties. Capek has a 9-4 record with 81 innings pitched, 24 runs and 16 strikeouts. Hahn (7-2) has 22 runs and 12 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched.

Haun also has hit more than her fair share of homers with eight sent over the fences. Freshman slugger Zoey Allison has five of her own followed by junior Ciara Gonzales with four and Angelo State commit Abby Brand with three.

Junior catcher  DeeDee Baldwin leads the Cougars with eight homeruns, and Carmona has chipped in five.