The 2010 high school softball season is well underway and once again, the Tomball High School Lady Cougars are poised to make a run at the state title.

With yet another deep and talented roster, head coach Benita Dunlavy has already told her team that the goal this year is a trip to the state tournament. Those would seemingly be high expectations, but considering the Lady Cougars have made two state tournament appearances since 2004 and numerous close calls, it’s not unrealistic to think Tomball will be in the thick of things come May.

Dunlavy is not the only one with high expectations for this year’s Lady Cougar team. Tomball was ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll of Houston area softball teams by the Houston Chronicle, behind only Pearland.

Two Lady Cougars, senior pitcher Shelby Lancaster and junior outfielder Michelle Quinn, were named to the first team All Greater Houston Team.

Through eight games in 2010, it’s so far, so good for Tomball, with one notable bump in the road. At 7-1 at press time last week, the Lady Cougars have run through tournaments at Bryan-College Station and Fort Bent Baptist largely unscathed.

But a Feb. 18 match up against 4A Magnolia West proved to be a shocker when the Lady Mustangs upset Tomball, 8-5 for the Lady Cougars’ only loss so far this season.

Now as the calendar turns to March, the season is starting to toughen for Tomball. District play kicks off March 1 when the Lady Cougars host Klein and beginning March 4, Tomball will once again take part in the Missouri City Tournament, which has proven year in and year out to feature some of the best teams the Houston area has to offer.

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