5A DII State Champs: Lake Creek Lady Lions

AUSTIN — Championship programs find a way.

Montgomery Lake Creek proved that once again Friday night.

After falling behind by three runs in the opening inning, the Lady Lions battled back with timely hitting, clutch defense, and another gritty performance from senior ace Sara Wiggins to defeat White Settlement Brewer 6-5 and claim the UIL Class 5A Division II State Championship at Red & Charline McCombs Field. The victory secured Lake Creek’s second consecutive state title and the program’s third championship in four seasons after previous crowns in 2023 and 2025.

The championship was anything but easy.

Across the field stood a Brewer program making its first-ever trip to the UIL State Tournament. The Lady Bears arrived in Austin with momentum and immediately announced their presence.

Just four batters into the game, Brewer struck first.

After Ava Pena and Haylie Jimenez reached base, senior slugger Kamren Pride launched a three-run home run down the left-field line to give Brewer an early 3-0 advantage and silence the Lake Creek crowd.

For a brief moment, it appeared Brewer might be on its way to a storybook ending.

Lake Creek had other plans.

The Lady Lions answered in the bottom of the second inning. Gracee Brewer ripped an RBI triple to left-center field to score Laney Galloway before Miranda Orso lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

An inning later, Lake Creek seized control.

MVP Madalyn Davis sparked the rally, and after Abby Estay reached base, Sara Wiggins delivered the biggest hit of the night. The senior pitcher doubled into right-center field, driving home Davis and Estay to put the Lady Lions in front. Moments later, Braidee Gossett scored on a Laney Galloway groundout, extending the lead to 5-3.

The championship game had completely flipped.

Lake Creek added what proved to be a crucial insurance run in the fifth inning when Davis scored and Wiggins drove in another run on a fielder’s choice to push the lead to 6-3.

Brewer refused to go away.

The Lady Bears mounted a fifth-inning rally when a Lake Creek error allowed two runs to score, trimming the lead to 6-5 and putting pressure back on the defending champions.

But championship experience showed over the final two innings.

Wiggins settled down in the circle and retired Brewer without allowing another run. The senior worked all seven innings, scattering seven hits while allowing five runs, only three earned, to finish her season with a perfect 33-0 record.

While Wiggins delivered the key hit and earned the victory, it was senior centerfielder Madalyn Davis who was named the State Championship Game MVP. Davis finished 2-for-3, scored twice, and ignited multiple rallies from the leadoff spot. Her speed and consistency at the top of the lineup helped Lake Creek overcome the early deficit and ultimately secure another title.

Wiggins contributed three RBIs on a 2-for-3 night, while Gracee Brewer added an RBI triple and Laney Galloway drove in another run. Despite collecting only six hits, Lake Creek maximized its opportunities, advancing runners and converting key scoring chances throughout the game.

Brewer’s first state tournament appearance ended in heartbreak, but not before the Lady Bears showed why they belonged on the state’s biggest stage. Pena finished a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, while Pride’s first-inning three-run homer nearly carried Brewer to a championship. Cozy Tyson battled through six innings in the circle and kept the Lady Bears within striking distance all night.

For Lake Creek, the victory further cements one of the premier softball dynasties in Texas high school softball.

The Lady Lions captured a state title in 2023, repeated as champions in 2025, and now have secured back-to-back championships with their 2026 crown. In a classification loaded with elite programs, Lake Creek once again proved why it remains the standard.

Championship teams rarely follow a perfect script.

On Friday night, Lake Creek showed that even when adversity arrives early, champions know how to respond.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Brewer	3	0	0	0	2	0	0		5	7	0
Lake Creek	0	2	3	0	1	0	X		6	6	1

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Top Performers

Lake Creek
• Madalyn Davis (MVP): 2-for-3, 2 runs scored
• Sara Wiggins: 2-for-3, 3 RBI; 7 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 K (33-0)
• Gracee Brewer: 1-for-3, RBI triple
• Laney Galloway: RBI

Brewer
• Ava Pena: 4-for-4, 2 runs scored
• Kamren Pride: 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
• Haylie Jimenez: Double, run scored
• Cozy Tyson: 6 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER