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NINTH ANNUAL TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD IN AUSTIN WITH RECORD 58 TEAMS
June 1, 2016
AUSTIN – For the first time in its nine year reign, the Texas State Championships was held in the Lone Star State’s capital at Bob Havins Fields, Krieg Softball Complex and Southeast Metro Park. A record 58 teams competed, with the 65 and older divisions playing June 22-24, and the 50-60 age groups playing June 25-26.
The 65 Gold division played a combined round-robin before splitting off into the three-team 65 Major and two-team 65 AAA divisions, San Antonio Silver Streaks earned the top seed in the major bracket after going 2-0 in seeding play. The team continued its flawless play defeating No. 3 seed Scrap Iron/Phiten, who traveled all the way from Colorado, twice in bracket play, including 26-10 in the championship game.
Texas Legends 65 swept San Antonio Kings in a best two-out-of-three game series in the AAA division, winning 20-15 and 20-4 in the championship game.
The four-team 65 AA division saw the Dallas Spurs 65 post a perfect week, going 3-0 in seeding play to earn the No. 1 seed and 3-0 in bracket play to take home the championship. The Spurs defeated No. 2 seed Texas Rattlers, 27-17, in the final.
Another four-team division, the 70 Gold division, featured an exciting “if” game, as Texas Legends 70 defeated San Antonio Legends, 18-14, after falling 22-10 in the championship game.
After losing to Texas Legends, 21-20, in their first game, San Antonio Legends won three straight games, including the win in the championship game to post their eventual runner-up finish.
The 70/75 Gold division featured another four-team division, as Texas Classics posted a perfect week, going 3-0 in seeding play and another 3-0 mark in bracket play to win the division. Texas Classics defeated Texas Greyhounds, 22-11, in the championship.
The 50/55 Platinum division featured an epic performance by Mixed Breed in the 50 Major division, as the team played all five games in the three-team bracket on Sunday. Mixed Breed defeated Texas Bulls 50’s, 22-14, in their first game, before falling to Texas Mavericks, 18-14, to fall into the elimination side of the bracket. Mixed Breed bounced back with another win over the Bulls, 30-23, in an elimination game to earn a rematch against the Mavericks. Needing to defeat the Mavericks twice to win the championship, Mixed Breed did just that, edging out a 19-18 victory in the championship game and another one-run thriller in the “if” game, 13-12.
San Antonio Softball 55 (Major Plus) swept Hendricks Sports Management (60 Major Plus) in a best two-out-of-three game series, 26-19 and 27-12.
The largest division of the tournament, the 13-team 50 AAA division, featured an “if” game, as No. 6 seed Escobar Body Shop came back to defeat No.9 seed Tex Vets, 15-8, in the championship game and 13-12 in the “if”. After going 0-2 in seeding play, Tex Vets made an impressive run early on in bracket play, winning four straight games, including a victory over top seed Texas Elite, before losing back-to-back games to Escobar Body Shop. After winning their first three games, including a win over No. 2 seed Alumni, Escobar Body Shop fell to Tex Vets, 19-4, to drop down into the elimination side of the bracket. Escobar Body Shop bounced back with another win over Alumni, in the third place game, to get back into the championship picture and eventually avenge their earlier loss to Tex Vets.
The 50/55 Silver division consisted of nine teams, with six in the 55 AAA division and three in the 50 AA division.
No. 2 seed Mayhem (OK) ran through the 55 AAA division, going 2-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 21-14 victory over No. 1 seed Crossfire in the championship game. OG Outlaws (NM) finished third in the division.
Manifest 50’s took the 50 AA division, defeating Romo’s Old School 50 and Fifty GZ twice, including 12-3 in the championship game.
The 60 Platinum division saw top seed Gonzalez Insulation take home the 60 Major championship, going 3-0 in bracket play, defeating Randy Smith Dudley (LA), Houston Fire and Drillers 60, 24-16, in the championship game. After dropping their first game in the bracket to Houston Fire, Drillers won back-to-back games in the elimination side of the bracket en route to their runner-up finish.
The 60 Silver division was split off into the six-team 60 AAA division and a two-team 60 AA division.
After going 0-2 in seeding play, No. 4 seed Team Texas SA bounced back with a 4-0 performance in bracket play to win the 60 AAA division. Team Texas SA defeated Austin Wizards, top seed Electrifiers, San Antonio 60’s and finally Texas Thunder, 23-16, in the championship game. Texas Thunder had an impressive run of their own, winning four straight games in the elimination side the bracket to reach the championship game. The division also featured the Scrap Iron Legends out of Colorado.
In a best two-out-of-three game series to determine the winner in the 60 AA division, Dallas Spurs 60 swept Texoma MB Flying, 21-9 and 18-7.
Congratulations to all of the division winners who have secured their spot in the 2017 Tournament of Champions.