Fifth Annual Rocky Mountain Championships Sets Record with 60 Teams

Aug. 1, 2017

Aurora Sports Park Welcomes SSUSA for the 2017 Rocky Mountain Championships

Aurora, CO – Sixty teams entered the 2017 Rocky Mountain Championships seeking a championship and berth to the Original Tournament of Champions (TOC) held in Polk County, FL in February. Aurora Sports Park hosted the games August 25-27.

Starting with the Men’s 50 Major division, WC Thunder (IL) swept Arizona Old School by scores of 22-10 and 19-18, respectively, to win the best two-out-of-three game series.

No. 2 seed Elite/Scrap Iron (CO) defended their home turf, recording a perfect weekend, going 2-0 in seeding play, before posting a 4-0 mark in bracket play, including a thrilling 14-13 win over No. 5 seed ManCave/WorkSteps (TX) in the championship game of the 11-team Men’s 50 AAA division. ManCave/WorkSteps won three straight games in the elimination side of the bracket to reach the championship game. Grayed & Confused (UT), who began bracket play as the No. 9 seed, finished in third place.

DLB (IN) won the three-team Men’s 55 Major Plus division with a 21-5 victory over The Core (NV) in the championship game. The win completed a perfect weekend for DLB, as the team posted a 6-0 record overall. Traveling nearly 1,700 miles, all the way from Maryland, High Street Bucs finished in third place.

Player from High Street Bucs swings for the fences against The Core

In the Men’s 55 Major division, Scrap Iron/Rocky Mountain Thunder (CO) came back to defeat WC Thunder 55 (IL), 20-18 and 15-6, in games two and three, respectively, after dropping game one, 17-16, in a best two-out-of-three game series.

The eight-team Men’s 50/55 Silver division saw Nebraska Silver Bullets come back to defeat Never Say Never/Big Al’s Trucking (UT), 16-12, in the “if” game, after falling in the championship game, 15-12. Playing all five games on championship Sunday, Never Say Never/Big Al’s Trucking won four straight games before running out of gas and falling in the “if” game. KC Renegades 55’s (MO) finished in third place.

Colorado Home Fitness looks to get the force out against Unpredictable in the Men's 50/55 Silver Division

Pope Transport (WI) took the four-team Men’s 60 Major division, defeating Mulcahy of Minnesota/Ancell, 21-12, in the championship game. Arizona Old School finished in third place.

Scrap Iron 60 Rockies (CO), the last seed in the seven-team Men’s 60 AAA division, bounced back from their 0-2 showing in seed play, rattling off four straight wins in bracket play, including a 15-12 victory over Mountain Men 60 (UT) in the championship game. Top seed Electrifiers (TX) finished in third place.

Dallas Spurs 60 (TX) came out of the elimination side of the bracket in the four-team Men’s 60 AA division, double-dipping Texas Legends 60’s, 17-9 and 9-8, in the championship and “if” game, respectively. Classics (UT) finished in third place.

Player from Dallas Spurs fields a hot shot

Timberworks/Adidas (CA) racked up yet another championship, taking the Men’s 65 Major Plus division with a sweep of Minnesota Masters/Ancell by scores of 23-1 and 24-10, in a best two-out-of-three game series. For Timberworks/Adidas, this marks their seventh championship of the season, having previously won the Winter World, Spring World, LVSSA/SSUSA Southwest, Rock ‘N Reno Challenge Cup, SSUSA/CAN-Sirs Northern California State, and Western National Championships.

Top Gun 65 Mavericks (CA) won the three-team Men’s 65/70 Platinum division, defeating Minnesota Prize 70’s, 24-11, in the championship game. Scrap Iron 5280 (CO) finished in third place.

The five-team Men’s 65 AAA division saw the last seed, Minnesota Masters 65’s, make a Cinderella run through the bracket, going 4-0, including a 14-13 win over top seed Ryan’s Way (NV) in the championship game. After losing their first game in the bracket against Minnesota Masters, Ryan’s Way win three games in the elimination bracket to reach the championship game. Texas Rattlers finished in third place.

Minnesota Masters looks to start the 1-6-3 double play

Dallas Spurs 65 (TX) swept R & D Leverage (MO) in a best two-out-of-three game series, by scores of 16-12 and 21-6, respectively, to win the Men’s 65 AA division.

In the four-team Men’s 70 Gold division, Scrap Iron/3n2 (CO) edged out Tri-State Diamondbacks (NM), 19-18, in the championship game. The win gave Scrap Iron/3n2 the TOC bid for the 70 Major division. Scrap Iron 70 Red (CO) finished in third place and received a TOC bid as the highest finishing 70 AAA division, following their 13-9 win over Midwest Express 70’s (IA).

Player on Scrap Iron/3n2 rounds third looking to score

In the three-team Men’s 75 Gold division, Scrap Iron Beams (CO) earned a TOC bid for the 75 Major division, while New Concepts I (NM) earned the 75 AAA bid to the TOC. Scrap Iron Beams defeated New Concepts I, 17-7, in the championship game.

Scrap Iron Beams throws the runner out at first