When Alvin won the Class 5A state championship last season, it became the first UIL softball team to win a state title after being the No. 4 seed from its district.

MIKE STONE / Special to DMN

Renee Bresson scores on a passed ball during Plano East's series-clinching win over Marcus.

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Plano East has a chance to be No. 2.

Plano East, the fourth seed from District 8-5A, advanced to the state tournament by beating District 6-5A co-champion Flower Mound Marcus in the 5A Region I final. Plano East (23-15-1) will play Spring Branch Smithson Valley (28-5) in a 5A state semifinal at 8 p.m. Friday at the University of Texas' McCombs Field in Austin.

"Our district is a tough district," Plano East coach Karen Kalhoefer said. "Every one of the teams in our district helped prepare us for the playoffs.

"Coming out as the fourth seed, my kids didn't even think about where we placed in district. I put it in their heads that anything can happen. They did a great job of not getting caught up in that and stayed grounded."

The UIL first allowed fourth-place softball teams in the playoffs in 5A in 2007 (this is the first year in 4A). Now, Plano East gets to play a Smithson Valley team that is ranked No. 30 nationally by ESPN RISE.

Mesquite Poteet (35-9-1) will play New Braunfels Canyon (36-3), the state's top-ranked 4A team, in a state semifinal at 2 p.m. Friday. Poteet, the District 15-4A runner-up, beat 15-4A champion Forney in the 4A Region II final. Azle (27-13-2) will meet Angleton (31-8-1) in the other 4A semifinal at 11:30 a.m. Friday.

District 9-3A champion Celina (36-5) will face Longview Spring Hill (29-8) in a 3A semifinal at 8:30 a.m. Friday. Celina is the only one of the four 3A semifinalists that was the top seed from its district.