Wylie High recent graduate Ava Cook was recently named the Co-Offensive Player of the Year in District 9-6A. Photo by Elijah Kloepping / C&S Media
By David Wolman
Success in spring sports has been a common theme for the Wylie Pirates over the years.
It was business again as usual for the Pirates, who again qualified for the playoffs in both baseball and softball, while the Wylie track and field team had nine entries compete in the Region II-6A meet in Waco.
The Wylie News will highlight the accomplishments of each sport.
Baseball
After starting the season with a 2-7 record, Wylie proceeded to turn things around in a big way, especially during District 9-6A play, where the Pirates went 12-4 and eventually finished 20-15 overall for their second consecutive 20-win season and another playoff berth.
Wylie was particularly competitive against the top two teams in the district – Rowlett and Sachse – with the Pirates notching a thrilling 11-8 victory in eight innings over 9-6A champion Rowlett on March 27.
Once in the playoffs, Wylie gave a Rockwall Yellowjackets team that finished as a Class 6A Division I state semifinalist all that it could handle.
The Pirates took Game 1, 3-2, behind a stellar effort on the mound from alums Chase Martin and Wyatt Wynne. Martin struck out seven against just two hits and one unearned run in 5 2/3 sharp innings before handing the ball over to Wynne, who didn’t allow a hit in 1.1 innings to slam the door on Rockwall.
Incoming junior Aiden Beck put Wylie ahead for good with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth and a bases-loaded walk drawn by alum Preston Camp in the sixth gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead.
After struggling defensively n a 9-2 loss in Game 2, Wylie came back a much more determined in a winner-take-all Game 3.
The Pirates turned three double plays and received six strong innings from Beck. Wylie rallied to within 4-3 after a two-run single by Koji Paul in the fifth inning. However, he was the last Pirate to reach base and Wylie’s season ended with a 4-3 loss.
Incoming junior third baseman Noah Smith, who was tabbed the district’s Newcomer of the Year, collected four hits and scored three runs for Wylie during the three-game series versus Rockwall.
Softball
Wylie has been the gold standard for softball in District 9-6A in recent years, and that streak of success continued.
One year after finishing as the co-district champion, the Pirates had the title all to themselves in 2026.
District play started on a rough note for Wylie after losing 1-0 to Sachse, but the Pirates went on to win their final 15 district games, and they also avenged their previous loss to the Mustangs on March 28. Emma Cook hit a walk-off RBI single to cap off a three-run bottom of the seventh for Wylie in a 6-5 win.
Wylie (24-9-1) carried a 14-game winning streak into the playoffs.
However, the Pirates were unable to build on that momentum, as Wylie lost both games to Royse City in the bi-district round of the Class 6A Division I playoffs. The Lady Bulldogs won Game 1, 9-5, and Game 2, 11-5.
In Game 2, Wylie led 3-0. Ava Cook led off the game with a solo home run. Amira Forbit, who hit a home run in the first game, connected for an RBI single in the third inning and an error by Royse City gave the Pirates a three-run lead.
However, Wylie was unable to overcome an 11-run bottom of the third by Royse City, an inning that saw the Pirates commit three errors and give up two home runs to the Lady Bulldogs. Wylie didn’t go down without a fight. Cook and Gracie Gragert each hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, though a late Wylie comeback fell short.
Following the conclusion of the season, Cook was named the district’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year, incoming sophomore Avery Neville was tabbed the 9-6A Pitcher of the Year and Heather Damron won Coach of the Year.
Track and field
District champions were crowned and multiple school records were broken by the Pirates.
Alum Zachary Brumfield broke his own school record in the boys 800-meter run with a 1:53.47 at Dallas Jesuit and also helped Wylie to break the school record in the boys 4×800 at Rock Hill with a 7:58.74. The Lady Pirates’ 4×800 also broke their school record at Rock Hill and at least three times this year. Jaida Simpson, Ida Varghese, Taylor Williams and Madison Kemp broke the school record in the girls 4×200 with a 1:41.79 at the area meet in Royse City.
Wylie capped of the season by having nine entries compete in the Region II-6A meet in Waco: girls 4×200, Simi Shodunke in the triple jump, Brumfield in the boys 800, Brady Kemp in the boys 800 and 1,600, Cash Nweze in the boys’ high jump and with Bryce Ogola, Aiden Harlow and Camden Love in the boys’ 4×400, and Noah Smith in the boys’ pole vault.
Wylie crowned four district champions, all on the boys’ side.
Nweze won a jump-off for the 9-6A title in the high jump with a clearance of 6-2.
Kemp struck for gold in the 1,600 with a time of 4:22.35 and placed second in the 800 with a 2:00.76. Brumfield won the 800 with a time of 2:00.53. Aaron Lewis claimed gold in the 400 with a 48.98.
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