05/01/2026
This year’s D1 semifinals feature an all Texas matchup and an all North Carolina matchup.
DFW Storm vs. Houston Falcons
The Storm are back in D1 and chasing their first championship ever. Their best D1 finish is third place (2022&2023). To get here, the Storm went undefeated in pool play, beat crosstown rival THESA Riders 9-4 in the Q game, and outlasted the Nashville Knights 4-3 in a tight quarterfinal battle.
The Falcons are perennial D1 contenders, and defending four-peat champions, joining the Atlanta Barons as the only other team in HWSA history to win four in a row. The Falcons are seeking their fifth straight championship, which would be the first 5-peat in tournament history. The Falcons path to the semifinals included notable wins over the Mansfield Knights in pool play (4-2) and a big comeback in their Q game against the West Houston Thunder, which was capped off by a dramatic walk off inside-the-park home run.
Charlotte Stampede vs. Raleigh Warriors
This all North Carolina matchup features two teams with plenty of D1 bracket experience, but no championships - yet.
Raleigh holds the record for most 2nd place finishes with five, including back to back heartbreak losses to the defending champion Falcons over the last two years. They’re undefeated so far, outscoring opponents 38-9 in their first four games.
The Charlotte stampede are also familiar with both high-level competition and heartbreak at the HWSA. They are a consistent force in division one, and their best finish of all time was runner-up in 2019, where they had a heartbreaking loss to the Dallas Angels on a game ending double play. To get to the semifinals, they needed a dramatic comeback and walk off win against the Tulsa Jaguars.
This semifinal field is deep with four teams that are no strangers to competing at the highest level here at HWSA. We’ve got a modern day dynasty with three other teams that are all hungry for their first taste of the Hendricks Cup.
Who will prevail?