Best run in Texas baseball history? Loaded Grapevine eyes historic three-peat
Championship three-peats are an almost mythical accomplishment for any UIL Texas high school baseball team.
The only program in any classification to do it was Brenham from 1986 to 1988 in Class 4A, according to UIL archives.
But after 37 years, that record is in danger of being matched.
Following back-to-back championships in Class 5A, the Grapevine Mustangs are ranked No. 5 in the nation by Sports Illustrated. In the past two seasons they are 76-8 and have outscored opponents by 446 runs. That, and consistent late game heroics that have become known as “Mustang Magic,” have cemented Grapevine as a Dallas-Fort Worth powerhouse.
The ‘Stangs have a long way to go in the young 2026 season, but with a stacked roster that includes two of the best players in the country, they will be a favorite to repeat.
Senior outfielder Zack Goldstein said he is still trying to process winning two titles, but he’d love to add a third in his last season wearing Grapevine red.
“It would be special,” Goldstein said. “Winning two in a row is already a little crazy. And to win three, it would be amazing. Pretty historic.”
Now, the work begins, with Texas baseball history hanging in the balance. Grapevine head coach Jimmy Webster said, “Bring the pressure on.”
“We embrace [the pressure],” Webster said.
“It sure does beat going to the park and playing a game with 12 people in the stands, and there’s no bearing on who wins and who loses. I would much rather have pressure.”
Luke Esquivel aims to build on electric debut
In 2025, freshman phenom Luke Esquivel was named the Star-Telegram Player of the Year.
The stats were absurd for the LSU pledge. He hit .434 with 56 hits, 38 runs, 31 RBIs, 16 doubles and 25 walks.
As a left-handed pitcher, he posted an 11-1 record with a save and a 1.40 ERA over 86 1/3 innings, allowing just 48 hits and 23 walks while striking out 122.
As Texas’ top 2028 prospect and arguably the best in the country, he carried an impressive reputation and lived up to it.
How does he improve on the performance?
“I’ll take a repeat of that,” Webster said. “But he has already improved with some leadership skills and with his physicality. He is a much better hitter right now than he was last year.”
Esquivel said his goals this year are to have fun, work on leadership and, ultimately, win another state title.
“It would mean everything, especially to do it with the teammates I have,” Esquivel said. “These guys are great. A championship would mean the world to me.”
With abilities far beyond his age, Esquivel followed in Bryce Harper’s footsteps, reclassifying to the class of 2027 to accelerate his path to college baseball or the MLB draft.
And Esquivel’s not the only player on Grapevine’s roster with limitless potential.
A talented transfer to watch
Senior Jorvorskie Lane Jr., a transfer from Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt and the son of legendary Texas A&M fullback Jorvorskie Lane, is joining the fray. MLB.com lists him as the No. 48 prospect in the upcoming MLB draft. He is the No. 20 prep prospect nationwide.
“Jorvorskie is a special type of player,” Esquivel said. “He is one of a kind. He can do everything that you ask him to do. And he is also a great person off the field. That’s my best friend.”
Many of the elite high school baseball players in Tarrant County already know each other, whether it’s from youth baseball or travel ball.
“[Grapevine] has a lot of guys that I knew previously,” Lane said. “I’ve known these guys for a little bit. So, we have jelled together really well. … And that level of competition is nothing new to us.”
Lane, who helped Wyatt break a 52-year playoff drought, has commanded respect with versatility, elite speed, and all-around offensive greatness. He hit .588 during his sophomore year.
“Jorvorskie is loaded with athleticism,” Webster said. He’s got a brilliant baseball mind. You don’t really have to tell him things more than once, and he gets it done. He’s got the potential of the baseball world at his fingertips.”
Lane, an Arkansas pledge, has experience all throughout the diamond, but will play outfield for Grapevine. He said he has been focused on improving his mentality and is committed to doing whatever it takes to help the Mustangs win.
“Whether that’s stealing bases or hitting singles,” Lane said. “Getting on base and doing something for the next guy behind me. And doing what I need to do off the field.”
Webster said Lane and Luke Esquivel are similar in a way, given that they play the game with such ease. It almost comes naturally to them, which is common among the greats.
“They almost look bored or lazy, and I know they’re not,” Webster said. “I’m just saying everything is so fluid for them. And it’s just so easy to do things. There are times when I see Jorvorskie run the bases, and I want to say, ‘Run!’
“But then I look at the stopwatch and say, ‘Oh my gosh. He is flying.’ But it just looks easy.”
Lane and Esquivel playing together brings a lot of attention. Whether it’s scouts in the stands or the communication demands, it adds another layer to Webster’s job.
He’s been through it before with Dasan Hill, a member of the 2024 championship squad who was selected as the 69th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins.
“I’m glad I’ve been through it before because it adds stuff,” Webster said. “And I know that sounds terrible — I’m not complaining. There is a lot of communication that goes with it. But we’re blessed. We’re blessed to have them.”
And for Esquivel and Lane, they can rely on each other because of their shared experience. They both face lofty expectations and find common ground in their elite talents and similar approaches to the game.
“I see it in the way he works,” Lane said of Esquivel’s dedication. “Day in and day out. And he is a really great kid. A really great guy to talk to. You can talk to him about anything on or off the field.”
Maintaining a championship culture
If you ask Webster what builds a championship culture, he’ll point to veteran, player-led leadership. With a couple of players with two championship runs under their belts, the Mustangs are definitely not short on that.
And those leaders carrying the high standards become crucial. The younger guys, who may make excuses or shy away when a coach challenges them, will respect what players like Goldstein or senior catcher Gianni Corral have to say.
“If [veterans] say something to somebody, that’s coming from the heart,” Webster said. “They say, ‘I need you. For us all to get to where we want to go. I need you to do better.’”
Webster said commanding player respect is a right that veterans have earned.
“I don’t want to be the kid on the team that Gianni [Corral] raises his voice to, because that kid’s so invested, and [Grapevine baseball] means so much to him,” Webster said. “I’m the head coach, and I don’t want to let Gianni [Corral] down. He’s earned that right.”
Another factor driving success is competition within the program. According to Webster, there is constantly a talented JV starter waiting for an opportunity — and that competition is healthy and puts the team first.
Staying focused amid pressure
With so many expectations and talk of the three-peat, how does Grapevine focus on the task at hand? According to Webster, the Mustangs don’t have much time for big-picture thinking.
The day-by-day grind of the season is here, and through reps and stacking wins, the Mustangs hope to earn their way to Round Rock for the state championship game once again. Despite the whirlwind of success, attention and a target on their backs, the Mustangs’ process stays the same, Webster said.
“It’s earned. It doesn’t just happen,” Webster said. “You don’t just wake up and mesh together. You don’t just wake up, and you’re lucky or fortunate.”
Webster said the big question for any player, regardless of role, is, “What can I do to be a productive part of this team?”
“For some guys, it might be, ‘I need to get on base to start the seventh inning,’” Webster said. “And for some guys, it might be, ‘I need to be a good teammate because I’m not getting enough playing time. But I love the brothers that I’m with out here, and I’m not going to bring anybody down, so I’m going to do my role the best I can.’”
Coaches with the utmost experience
Although Webster pointed toward player leadership driving the program forward, the players gave that credit right back to Webster and his coaching staff.
Webster, with a 600-career-win milestone looming, has been in baseball for over 36 years and has multiple national coach of the year honors under his belt.
“[The championship culture] starts with the coaches,” Corral said. “I think coach Webster has done a really good job keeping us in check.”
Corral added that Webster emphasized that the Mustangs are here to win and that the pressure has been earned. Even with the intensity, Corral said the coaching staff keeps things fun, too.
“I think our coaches are really great at just allowing us to be ourselves,” Luke Esquivel said.
The finality of high school sports
Webster said, in playoff time, coaches are always focused on “the next thing.” There is little time to appreciate where you’re at in the whirlwind of the season.
After the year ends, there is little carryover, lots of roster turnover, and no guarantee that success will be repeated. The process repeats itself.
“And by the time you’re done with [playoffs], you’re already to camp, and you’re turning in gear, and kids are going off to play summer league,” Webster said. “You never really meet again, and it’s really kind of sad that [the dynamic] changes like that when you’re done.
“And then you’ll see [players] again a couple times, and you’ll always hug them, and there will always be a love and a brotherhood. But as soon as you meet on the concourse of Round Rock, it’s different, and then when we come back, you have a new group and a new style and a new way you’ve got to try to figure out to win.”
Several key players graduated, but new faces like Vinny Slapa step into new roles. It’s the wheel that keeps on turning.
“Somebody else steps up,” Webster said. “That’s the expectation.”
Every now and then, Webster will get a text from a former player and is reminded of the legacy they created together. That’s where the continuity from the back-to-back titles comes back.
But in general, the current players have to carve their own legacy — and that’s what they plan to do.
A potential playoff run “is definitely something to look forward to in the future,” Lane said.
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 4:45 AM.
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