SUNDOWN — Most times, the trip to Disney World is reserved for after a championship victory.
The Sundown softball team bucked that trend, but there’s still a chance to lift the ultimate trophy.
The Roughettes’ eight seniors returned from visiting the house of Mickey Mouse just in time for their state semifinal series last week. They may have bottled some magic along the way, too.
In a redemption arc fit for a Disney film, Sundown bounced back from a Game 1 loss to Muenster to take the series with consecutive wins Saturday.
One more victory would be the seniors’ happily ever after.
The Roughettes will go for their second-straight title when they face Shiner in a Class 2A Division II state championship rematch Thursday.
“I think all of the seniors were looking forward to our game,” first baseman Araceli Ibarra said. “It was fun at Disney, but we had softball in the back of our minds.”
Sundown seniors go from playoffs to Disney World
Ibarra and her classmates wasted no time transitioning from the playoffs to their school trip. The morning after blitzing Big Lake Reagan County 17-0 in the regional final, they were Florida-bound.
It’s an annual tradition for Sundown seniors, so coach Meagan Gonzales knew it was coming. Before last year, it had never conflicted with softball. The unprecedented 2025 run gave Gonzales a glimpse of what juggling the voyage and postseason looks like.
Still, this iteration may have been more nerve-wracking than last.
“I think it was almost harder in ways,” Gonzales said. “One, you have the pressure building up on every girl and on our program. You try to keep that at bay, but it’s still gonna kind of sneak through at times. It was almost like a pressure that we were supposed to (return to state). … I think this group really had to dig deep at times.”
The Roughettes departed May 15 and cut their vacation short to return for the semifinals. The players flew back to Dallas on May 20, got some shut eye and prepped for the next day’s series opener. The seniors had a brief workout at Weatherford High School then met the rest of the team in Abilene.
“It was very tiring, but seeing our teammates, it felt like we never left,” Ibarra said. “Seeing how excited they got to see us, seeing Coach G and Coach (Ron) Holson, it felt like we never left.”
Sundown comes back to beat Muenster in state semifinals
Gonzales didn’t make excuses for Sundown’s 6-5 loss to Muenster in Game 1. The matchup 24 hours after the seniors touched down in Texas snapped a 15-game winning streak.
The rare loss gave the coach an opportunity to refocus her group.
After graduation, that is.
The series sandwiched the Roughettes’ big night. The day after walking the stage, the team returned to Abilene Christian University facing elimination.
“We were sticking together as a team,” shortstop Emry Jourden said, “just fighting together and looking to play one more day.”
The results were consecutive victories of 12-7 and 6-1. Gonzales commended her team for navigating the potential distractions of the past couple weeks.
“Being in a small school, it’s crazy what these kids go through,” Gonzales said. “You have kids that have ran cross country, played basketball, have done powerlifting or UIL academics, one-act play, all of it. You get to May, and they could easily just be like, ‘Coach, I’m done.’
“To have a group that is still fighting, still playing for you and their community, it’s awesome.”
Sundown set for state championship rematch against Shiner
The hectic schedule comes to a close Thursday at McCombs Field in Austin. It’s the final chapter for the seniors who have played a pivotal role in raising the bar for Sundown softball.
“I’m gonna kind of be a little sad,” catcher Brynly Gregory said. “But these girls, I’m happy I got to grow up with them and play with them. I wouldn’t want it to be any other team. I’m glad I got to experience it with these girls.”
Before last season’s surprising run, the Roughettes had never advanced past the third round.
“I think our class really stepped it up for the softball program,” outfielder Cece Trinidad said, “and we really brought the softball program to life here in Sundown.”
The team gets another shot at Shiner, which led the 2025 title bout 3-1 through four innings. Sundown scored eight unanswered, including a four-run knockout blow in the seventh, to earn a 9-3 win.
Five members of Comanches’ championship lineup are back, including pitcher Lauren Springfield.
With so much of the leadup reminiscent of last year, the Roughettes hope this week ends in similar fashion.
“There’s something special about this group and how they stick together,” Gonzales said. “They never let moments get too big, and adversity, they fight through it together.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: How Sundown’s softball seniors fit Disney World into their run to state
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
