No. 2 Wall to Clash With No. 4 Boyd in State Semifinals

WALL, TX — The Wall Hawks are on the doorstep of playing for the state championship again, and a familiar team is blocking their path.

Boyd, which defeated Wall in the state final in 2023, will be the Hawks’ opponent this week in the Class 3A Division II state semifinals.

No. 2-ranked Wall (31-5) and No. 4 Boyd (33-5) will open their series at 3 p.m. Thursday at Abilene Christian University.

Game 2 will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.

Game 3, if necessary, will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Tarleton.

Wall is carrying a nine-game winning streak into this matchup after sweeping No. 10 Jacksboro last week 6-1 and 2-0, highlighted by Reid Ballard’s 11-strikeout performance in Game 2.

Wall has allowed only seven runs in seven playoff games.

Boyd has won eight in a row, capped by its sweep of New Diana last week. The Yellowjackets have allowed only five runs during this postseason.

Each of these programs has won a state title - Boyd in 2023 and Wall in 2019. Wall also played in the state final in 2017, losing to Central Heights, and in 2023 when it lost 6-4 to Boyd.

Wall returns numerous starters from its ‘23 team that are now upperclassmen, including seniors Caleb Braden and Gunnar Dillard, and juniors Hagyn Barbee and Kellan Oliver.

The winner of this series will meet either Thrall or Orange Grove, each of which is unranked.