The area’s two defending state champion high school softball teams will have divergent paths on the road back to Sulphur.

Hackberry, the two-time defending Class C champion, is the top seed in Class C, while Sam Houston, the reigning Class 5A champion, will enter the playoffs and the No. 19 seed. Pairings were released by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Thursday.

Hackberry was the lone area school to receive a top seed. Earning top five seeds were Grand Lake, third in Class B, DeRidder, fifth in 4A and Rosepine, fifth in 2A, also earned top five seeds.

Teams in Classes 5A-B have to win two games to advance to the state tournament. Class C teams need to win once.

Hackberry (18-4) beat fellow state tournament regular Starks for the District 4-C title.

“We’ve done pretty well. There have been some times we have had some downs, but that is to be expected,” said Hackberry head coach Angie Little.

Little said being defending champion and the top seed is not easy.

“It is always added pressure, everybody is ready to beat you,” she said.

“Rankings go out the window at the tournament. You have to play your A game every time. (The championship experience) helps because we have the same crew. They should be used to it and should not have the nerves.

“Our hitters are pretty good throughout the lineup. In district, we had six hitters at .500 or better and another at .429. Jolie (Trahan) is doing an excellent job pitching.”

Little said there are plenty of challengers for the crown.

“Calvin is the second seed and Starks is still pretty good,” she said. “You have to be ready to play them in the playoffs, and you can’t count Maurepas out.

“Two years ago we were ranked seventh and Starks was first and we won. I hope it is not the other way around this time.”

Sam Houston (16-9) will face a more difficult road than usual to the Fast Pitch 56 tournament. The Broncos, who won the Class 5A title last year and the 4A crown the year before that, received a boost with the return to the pitching circle of Baylee Corbello, who sports a 14-1 career playoff record.

Corbello, the reigning Miss Softball, was limited to hitting for most of the season due to injury.

Broncos head coach Beth Domingue said she doesn’t want her team to worry about the seeding or schedule.

“Baylee coming back has given the girls a more positive outlook,” she said. “I try not to think about (the seeding) at all. I hope the girls are not going in thinking of themselves as a No. 19 seed. To be the best, you have to beat the best at some point.”

The Broncos have won 10 consecutive games, getting quality nondistrict wins over Teurlings Catholic and Notre Dame. Corbello, an LSU signee, has pitched the Broncos to three straight championship games.

“She has started two games, pitched two complete games and appeared in a few others,” Domingue said. “She is doing fine and is confident up there.”

Bi-district Round Pairings

Class 5A

• No. 32 Dominican at No. 1 Hahnville
• No. 17 Byrd at No. 16 Destrehan
• No. 24 New Iberia at No. 9 Mount Carmel
• No. 25 Sulphur at No. 8 East Ascension, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday
• No. 28 St. Scholastica at No. 5 Fontainebleau
• No. 21 Haughton at No. 12 Northshore
• No. 20 John Ehret at No. 13 Pineville
• No. 29 Covington at No. 4 Live Oak
• No. 30 Chapelle at No. 3 West Monroe
• No. 19 Sam Houston at No. 14 Natchitoches Central, 5 p.m. Tuesday
• No. 22 H.L. Bourgeois at No. 11 Ouachita
• No. 27 Ponchatoula at No. Dutchtown
• No. 26 Comeaux at No. 7 Walker
• No. 23 Central-Baton Rouge at No. 10 Parkway
• No. 18 Airline at No. 15 Denham Springs
• No. 31 Lafayette at No. 2 St. Amant

Class 4A

• No. 32 Bolton at No. 1 Vandebilt Catholic
• No. 17 Assumption at No. 16 Morgan City
• No. 24 Tioga at No. 9 Lutcher
• No. 25 Beau Chene at No. 8 St. Thomas More
• No. 28 Franklinton at No. 5 DeRidder, 5 p.m. Monday
• No. 21 Ben Franklin at 12 Academy of Our Lady
• No. 20 Cecilia at No. 13 Cabrini
• No. 29 Pearl River at No. 4 Belle Chasse
• No. 30 Franklin Parish at No. 3 West Ouachita
• No. 19 Benton at No. 14 Bastrop
• No. 22 Northwood-Shr at No. 11 St. Louis, 5 p.m. Tuesday
• No. 27 Lakeshore at No. 6 Neville
• No. 26 St. Michael at No. 7 Teurlings Catholic
• No. 23 Ellender at 10 Ursuline Academy
• No. 18 Grant at No. 15 Plaquemine
• No. 31 Riverdale at No. 2 Alexandria

Class 3A

• No. 32 Avoyelles at No. 1 Brusly
• No. 17 South Beauregard at No. 16 Port Barre
• No. 24 Jewel Sumner at No. 9 Berwick
• No. 25 Livonia at No. 8 Crowley
• No. 28 Westlake at No. 5 Jena
• No. 21 Rayne at No. 12 North DeSoto
• No. 20 E.D. White at No. 13 Church Point
• No. 29 De La Salle at No. 4 North Vermilion
• No. 30 West Feliciana at 3 Kaplan
• No. 19 St. Mary’s Academy at No. 14 Loyola Prep
• No. 22 Vidalia at No. 11 Parkview Baptist
• No. 27 Erath at No. 6 Notre Dame
• No. 26 Farmerville at No. 7 St. Charles
• No. 23 Patterson at No. 10 Loranger
• No. 18 Caldwell Parish at No. 15 Albany
• No. 31 Rayville at No. 2 Buckeye

Class 2A

• No. 32 McGehee at No. 1 John Curtis
• No. 17 Mamou at No. 16 Thomas Jefferson
• No. 24 Winnfield at No. 9 Delcambre
• No. 25 Runnels at No. 8 Calvary Baptist
• No. 28 Lakeside at No. 5 Rosepine, 5 p.m. Tuesday
• No. 21 Sterlington at No. 12 Pine Prairie
• No. 20 Fisher at No. 13 Haynes Academy
• No. 29 Pickering at No. 4 North Webster, 6 p.m. Monday
• No. 30 Iota at No. 3 Evangel Christian
• No. 19 Northlake Christian at 14 Catholic-New Iberia
• No. 22 Many at No. 11 Pope John Paul
• No. 27 Welsh at No. 6 Menard
• No. 26 Vinton at No. 7 DeQuincy, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
• No. 23 Doyle at No. 10 Springfield
• No. 18 Kinder at No. 15 North Caddo, 5 p.m. Tuesday
• No. 31 East Beauregard at No. 2 Riverside Academy, 4 p.m. Monday

Class 1A

• No. 32 Northwood-Lena at No. 1 Cedar Creek
• No. 17 Houma Christian at No. 16 Westminster
• No. 24 Block at No. 9 Sacred Heart-Ville Platte
• No. 25 Christian Life at No. 8 St. John
• No. 28 Vermilion Catholic at No. 5 Archbishop Hannan
• No. 21 St. Mary at No. 12 Opelousas Catholic
• No. 20 St. Martin’s at No. 13 Ouachita Christian
• No. 29 St. Edmund at No. 4 Central Catholic
• No. 30 Country Day at No. 3 Catholic-Pointe Coupee
• No. 19 Ascension Christian at No. 14 South Cameron, 4 p.m. Monday
• No. 22 Oberlin at No. 11 Hanson Memorial
• No. 27 Logansport at No. 6 Oak Grove
• No. 26 Delhi Charter at No. 7 Ascension Catholic
• No. 23 Gueydan at No. 10 Merryville
• No. 18 False River at No. 15 Montgomery
• No. 31 LaSalle at No. 2 Mangham

Class B

• No. 32 Singer at No. 1 Florien, 5:30 p.m. Monday
• No. 17 Weston at No. 16 Castor
• No. 24 Simsboro at No. 9 Converse
• No. 25 Centerville at No. 8 Oak Hill
• No. 28 Summerfield at No. 5 Zwolle
• No. 21 Choudrant at No. 12 Negreet
• No. 20 Holden at No. 13 Glenmora
• No. 29 Dodson at No. 4 Grace Christian
• No. 30 Hornbeck at No. 3 Grand Lake
• No. 19 Simpson at No. 14 Pitkin
• No. 22 Avoyelles Public Charter at No. 11 Quitman
• No. 27 Lafayette Christian at No. 6 Monterey
• No. 26 Evans at No. 7 Fairview, 5 p.m. Monday
• No. 23 Bell City at No. 10 Anacoco
• No. 18 Downsville at No. 15 Forest
• No. 31 Doyline at No. 2 Stanley

Regional Round

Class C

• No. 16 Phoenix at No. 1 Hackberry
• No. 9 Elizabeth at No. 8 Maurepas
• No. 12 Reeves at No. 5 Northside Christian, 5 p.m. April 19
• No. 13 Ebarb at No. 4 St. Joseph’s, 5 p.m. Thursday
• No. 14 Claiborne Christian at No. 3 Georgetown
• No. 11 Harrisonburg at No. 6 Kilbourne
• No. 10 Plainview at No. 7 Starks, 5 p.m. April 19
• No. 15 Family Christian at No. 2 Calvin

(mgnonline.com)