Comment: Mustangs, Pirates ready for postseason

For the first time in three years, their paths won’t cross in the district tournament.

Their fate won’t be determined by a rivalry championship game.

A single inning no longer will determine which archrival’s regional tournament run will continue and who will be left wondering what could have been.

For the first time since 2010, the Braden River and Lakewood Ranch High softball teams won’t be facing off for the district crown.

This season, both the Lady Pirates and the Lady Mustangs have faced a new set of challenges in their respective districts. And so far, the two East County squads have risen to challenge, as both teams captured the No. 1 seed in the district tournament, earning themselves first-round byes.

Braden River and Lakewood Ranch both opened the district tournament in the semifinals April 18, with the winner advancing to the district championship April 20 — a game the two teams have grown accustomed to playing in each of the past five seasons.

Although this time around, the Lady Pirates and Lady Mustangs are going in different directions. Sure, their goals are the same — to win a district championship and advanced to the state finals — but there’s no longer the additional pressure that comes with facing your biggest rival.

Instead, the two teams are focused merely on themselves and their respective districts.

And after earning the top seeds in their respective districts, Braden River and Lakewood Ranch, the Lady Pirates and Lady Mustangs are well on their way to making another elusive regional tournament run.

Two years ago, Lakewood, ranked ninth in Class 6A, advanced to the regional finals, while Braden River, ranked ninth in the all class poll, which includes Class 5A-8A, and fourth in Class 7A, landed in the state semifinals last season.

Now, the question on everyone’s mind is how far can these two teams go now that their rivals aren’t standing in their way?

Ultimately, time and a single swing of the bat will tell, but I have a feeling I’m going to be doing quite a bit of traveling over the next few weeks.