SOFTBALL STATE SCORES CLICK HERE
Dallas-Fort Worth has become a staple for softball over the past two decades, but it took quite some time for the area to win on the biggest stage.
Softball was sanctioned by the UIL during the 1992-93 season and Pasadena Dobie won the only title that season. The next season, there were two champs. Two years after that, in 1996, there were four.
However, DFW didn’t have a state champ during the first five seasons (13 champions total were crowned). It wasn’t until 1998 when the Kirkpatrick sisters Amie and Dee Dee, and the Kennedale Wildcats won the Class 3A title 1-0 over West.
Richland won in 1999.
2000 was the first year to have multiple champs from DFW, Kennedale in Class 3A and Weatherford in Class 4A. Coppell and Sanger won in 2001.
Frisco won in 2002.
But 20 years ago during the 2003 season, DFW did something for the first time at the UIL state tournament. Not only did the area have two champs, but it was the first time DFW won the two largest classifications in the same year.
Keller (5A) and Crowley (4A) won their first titles and they did it behind two of the great pitchers the metroplex has seen all time. Plus both continue to have a huge role in DFW softball 20 years later. Keller defeated Bryan 6-1 in the 2003 Class 5A state final with then-senior pitcher Christina Gwyn. Crowley defeated Medina Valley 3-1 in the Class 4A state final with junior Meagan Denny.
Gwyn has been the head coach at Keller since the 2018 season. Under her watch, the Indians have district titles in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. The Indians went undefeated in district this season as well as 2019.
Keller has gone 155-46-2 in six seasons with Gwyn, including 35-11 this season. The Indians went 14-0 in district and reached the regional final for the 13th time in program history. Keller went to the regional final in 2018 during Gwyn’s first season with her alma mater. The Indians went to state in 2019.
Gwyn went on to play at Texas and BYU.
She is second in nearly every pitching category at Keller when the rubber was at 40 feet. She struck out 586 batters in just two seasons with the Indians.
Denny, now White, struck out eight against Medina Valley and had a no hitter going through six innings before a two out single in the seventh. She had 16 strikeouts the night before against Mesquite Poteet in the semis.
White won 30 games that season for the Eagles.
All these years later and White is still in the UIL state tournament records for the following season as a senior. Crowley went back to back in 2004. White is tied for most strikeouts in a single state tournament in 5A with 34. She had 18 in the semis against New Braunfels. That too was a 5A state tourney record until Whitney Canion from Aledo had 22 in 2008.
White had 16 in the 2004 final against Port Neches-Groves.
Both Gwyn and White were voted state champ MVPs in 2003.
White also won it in 2004. She would also play in college at Texas.
Nowadays White is an influencer, motivator and life coach for Major Media League and the CEO and founder of her own Powerline Pitching Instruction.
Even two decades later, Gwyn and White are having a major impact on the lives of young girls coming up in the softball world, and if you get the chance to talk to them, you’ll soon find out that they’re even two better humans.
Happy 20 year anniversary to Gwyn, White, Keller and Crowley!
