A year ago, the Rangers were eliminated in the bi-district round after dropping a best-of-three matchup with Austin High.

This time, Koehl wants the Rangers to remember how disappointing it was to have an early exit.

The Rangers opened the series with Bowie on Wednesday. Game 2 is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday in New Braunfels. If the series goes to a third game, the teams return to New Braunfels at noon Saturday.

Like the rest of the playoff teams in Texas, Smithson Valley was away from competition for two weeks after the University Interscholastic League placed a hold on all games because of the swine flu outbreak.

The Rangers , who finished second to Reagan in District 26-5A, returned to action this past Friday and outslugged Roosevelt for an 8-7 league win. The following day, Smithson Valley (20-9) took a 10-2 thumping from Pflugerville Hendrickson in a warmup game.

The Rangers weren't at their best in either game. But Koehl still believes it was a good opportunity to get back into the swing of things.

Things were really swinging against Roosevelt as the Rangers came up with . Justin Beck became Smithson Valley's single season leader in home runs (12) and RBIs (50). Brad Nasis drove in three runs and slapped two doubles to increase his total to a single season record 17.

"We did some good things Friday night," Koehl said. "We hit the ball well. We picked off two runners and made some unbelievable plays in the outfield. We struggled some with our pitching, but we were able to hold off Roosevelt. We didn't play very well against Hendrickson. We made some errors, but Hendrickson is a good team. It was good for us to see good competition."

In softball, Smithson Valley fought its way to a 1-0 bi-district win over Austin High.

The District 26-5A champion plays Judson at 7 p.m. Thursday at Northeast but could never get a solid advantage on Austin.

Cassie Tysarczyk provided the Rangers their only run when she opened the fourth with a single, reached second on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a fielding error. She also helped Smithson Valley escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh with a catch in left.

Pitcher Bailey Watts allowed two hits and struck out seven batters.

The Region IV Track Meet is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Alamo Heights and Smithson Valley will have several athletes trying to earn berths to the Class 5A state meet in June.

Smithson Valley has pole vaulters Logan Cunningham and Landon Ferguson going to regionals, along with 110-meter hurdler Zach Craig in the individual events.

The Rangers are also looking for big results from its 1,600-meter relay of Taylor Cowart, Craig, Roger Crosby and Marty Lewis, who finished second to Roosevelt at the 26-5A Meet with a time of 3:22.62.

In the girls' competition, Shelby Polasek is headed to regionals after winning the 1,600-meter run and Raelle Childers is going in the 100- meter hurdles.

Smithson Valley is also represented in the field events with Jessica Cunningham earning a trip in pole vault and Leigh Laralde entered in the long jump.