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After Forney beat Mesquite Poteet in Saturday's deciding game of their best-of-3 series, the players ran on to the field and started a celebration worthy of a state title.

Yes, the players really wanted that win.

"But I think the parents probably wanted it more," Forney coach James Boxley said.

It's partly because Forney, which advanced to the Class 3A state tournament five times from 1999 to 2004, hasn't had the same success in 4A. It made the 4A regional quarterfinal in '05 but didn't make the playoffs the last two years.

Another reason the players – and parents – were thrilled: the opponent. Poteet is only 12 miles from the Forney campus, and a rivalry has developed since the perennial 3A power stepped up to the class of the perennial 4A power. And the last two years, Poteet has rubbed Forney into the dirt.

Last season, Poteet won three games by a combined score of 27-5 on its way to a state runner-up finish. In district play this season, Poteet won by scores of 14-1 and 4-0.

"But it's a whole new ballgame in the playoffs," said Tyler Jones, who scored the winning run in Forney's 5-4 victory in Game 3 of the Region II quarterfinal.

Or whole new ballgames, which was key against Poteet. A one-game playoff would've forced Forney (25-14) to beat ace Teddy Nowell, whom it hadn't beaten in two years. But a three-game series allowed Forney to counter Nowell, who won Game 2, with its pair of top pitchers, Taylor Thompson and Vance Woodruff.

Thompson and Woodruff each pitched a complete game in the series. Their stamina and durability will be key again in the best-of-3 regional semifinal against Waco Midway (27-6), which starts Thursday.

Midway might have more talent, but Forney has proved its resiliency. In all three playoff series, Forney has won a Game 3 to advance. And against Poteet, it trailed, 4-0, after three innings in the deciding game.

Before the fourth inning, Boxley had what he called a "short but aggressive" talk with his players. They were playing too tight, he told them. Playing not to lose instead of to win.

Forney responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to claw back into the game. About an hour later, the players were soaking up the moment of beating their nemesis and soaking Boxley with a cooler of water.

A pretty grand celebration for the third weekend of the playoffs. But the players know it's time to look ahead, not back.

"We can celebrate, but we've got to stay on track," said senior infielder Matt McEuen. "We can't end it here. We've got to keep playing."

Forney hasn't won a state baseball title, but it made five 3A state tournament appearances in a six-year span: