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El Paso Hosts Texas State Championships for Second Straight Year
April 1, 2018
EL PASO, Tex. – The 11th annual Texas State Championships, sponsored by Miken/Worth and the El Paso Sports Commission, was held here in the Sun City for the second year in a row in early April at the El Paso County Sports Complex.
Beginning with the three-team Men’s 65/70 Division, El Paso Nine-Elevens defended their home turf, posting a perfect record, going 2-0 in seeding play to secure the top seed, before going 2-0 in bracket play, including a 32-26 win over New Mexico Boomers 65’s in the championship game. Dallas Spurs 65 (TX) finished in third place.
Another hometown team won the six-team Men’s 60 AAA Division, as El Paso Old School 60, the No. 5 seed in the bracket, rattled off four-straight wins, including a 28-11 win over Dallas Spurs 60 in the championship game. The Dallas Spurs won three straight elimination games en route to their runner-up finish. Electrifiers (TX) finished in third place.
Playing in a best two-out-of-three game series to determine the Men’s 60 AA Division champion, Austin Wizards swept Texas Legends 60’s by scores of 15-11 and 21-11, respectively.
A third local team took home a title, as the five-team Men’s 55/60 Gold Division saw top seed El Paso Old School 55 avenge their 27-26 loss in the championship game against Gonzalez Insulation (TX), with a 16-13 win in the “if” game. Animo (TX) finished in third place.
The largest division of the tournament, the eight-team Men’s 50 AAA Division, saw top seed ManCave/WorkSteps (TX), win three straight elimination games, including back-to-back wins over No. 2 seed El Paso Spurs in the championship (19-10) and “if” game (15-14). In the “if” game, trailing 14-10 heading into the bottom of the sixth, ManCave/WorkSteps scored five runs to go ahead 15-14, the eventual final score.
In a match-up of previously unbeaten teams, El Paso Spurs defeated ManCave/WorkSteps earlier in the bracket, 23-18, to advance to the championship game. Team Trucha (TX) finished in third place, after going 0-2 in seeding play, as well as 0-2 to begin bracket play, before winning three straight games en route to their third-place finish.
The best two-out-of-three game series for the Men’s 55 Major Division went all three games, as RG Outlaws (NM) outlasted Oldies But Goodies 55 (AZ) with a 10-8 win in the third and final game. RG Outlaws edged out a 25-24 win in the opening game, while Oldies But Goodies bounced back with a 16-11 win in game two, to force the rubber match.
Concluding the tournament was the three-team Men’s 40 Masters Major Division, as top seed EPT 40’s, another El Paso team, completed a perfect weekend, going 2-0 in seeding and 2-0 in bracket play, including a 25-11 win in the championship game over Sudden Impact (NM). Astros 40’s (TX) finished in third place.
CLICK HERE to view game-by-game scores
