The eyes of Texas will be fixed on Dell Diamond in Round Rock this week as three Brazos Valley high school baseball teams — Burton, Iola and Franklin — converge for the state championship series. The games, scheduled across Thursday and Friday, will decide the Class 2A crowns and mark a rare convergence of local talent on the big stage.
Championship Dreams Take Shape
For Burton, the stakes are especially poignant. The Bears have not stood in the championship game since 1987, a 37‑year drought that now feels within reach. Coached by Matt Thaler, the team enters the final with just one loss in the postseason and a string of three one‑game playoff victories that have kept their hopes alive. Thaler says the squad simply enjoys the competition and does not burden themselves with pressure.
Iola, meanwhile, is writing its own first‑time story. The Bulldogs have never before reached the title game in Class 2A Division I, and their journey has been fueled by a culture of winning that Coach Eric Blenden has championed across all sports. Senior catcher Weston Roubion, who has been dreaming of this moment since his freshman year, describes the achievement as the culmination of relentless effort.
Franklin brings a different kind of momentum. The Cougars captured their first state championship in 2024 and are now back for a second title in three seasons. Senior Walker Anderson, who calls himself both blessed and hardworking, hopes to etch his name among the program’s legends with a repeat victory. Coach Matthew Anderson reflects on the sentimental weight of the occasion, noting how the team’s perseverance has paid off.
The schedule adds a dramatic rhythm to the weekend. Iola will open at 9 a.m. against New Home, followed by Burton at noon against the Ropes Eagles, and Franklin will close the day at 7 p.m. against Paradise. Each game promises a blend of tradition, ambition and the raw excitement of high school baseball at its finest.