18 Deep East Texas Teams Have Made It To The State Softball Tourney

May 28th through May 30th, the UIL Texas Softball State Championships will be held on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Red & Charline McCombs Field. The playoff march to this destination is underway as teams throughout the state battle in the Area Round of the playoffs. Numerous Deep East Texas teams, ranging from Conference A to Conference 4A, are still in the hunt to make the state tournament.

READ MORE: Area Round Softball Schedule for Pineywoods Teams

What Does It Mean To Make The State Tournament?

The answer is not difficult, but recent changes have altered the feel of the state tournament. If you make the state semifinals, in other words, one of four teams remaining in the playoffs, your team is credited with making the State Tournament. That's because usually the semifinals and finals are played at the designated championship site.

Major Change To Softball Playoffs

However, the UIL recently decided to separate the top four teams from each district. The larger two schools play in the Division 1 playoff bracket, while the others play in the Division 2 playoff bracket. Each division will crown its own state champion at the end of the playoff run. Because of these added state championship games, the state semifinal games are now held at either neutral or home sites, just like the rest of the playoffs. Teams that make it to the semifinals are still identified as making it to the state tournament.

Most coaches, fans, and players I've talked to are not too keen on this recent change. I've seen the reaction of players walking onto the surface at McCombs Field, and it's a feeling they'll never forget. Labeling a team as a state tournament participant but not giving them that prestigious experience is a major drawback.

Anyway, I took that well into a different tangent. I just wanted to make clear that making the state tourney is defined as reaching the semifinals. With that in mind, which teams in Deep East Texas* have made at least one appearance in the state tournament? Which teams have been there the most? Which 5 teams from our area have brought home a state title?  Let's find out below.

* Deep East Texas = Angelina, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Sabine, San Augustine, southern Rusk, central and southern Cherokee, southern Anderson, Houston, Trinity, Polk, Tyler, northern Jasper, and northern Newton Counties.