254 Teams Flock to Sin City for Southwest Championships

April 1, 2021

LAS VEGAS – Following the statewide lockdown in Nevada due to the COVID-19 pandemic which forced the cancellation of the 2020 Southwest Championships, senior softball teams came out in full force for the 2021 Southwest Championships in April, setting a record with 254 teams.

The 2021 edition of the Southwest Champs eclipsed the previous tournament record of 230 teams in 2018.

The tournament began with the Men’s 65 – 85 age divisions, playing April 13 – 15.

Starting off with the three-team Men’s 65 Major Plus Division, top seed Texas Crush Sixty Fives won a nail-biter in the championship game, squeaking out a 27-26 victory over MN Masters/Ancell.

Top Gun Elite (CA) finished in third place.

In the 12-team Men’s 65 Major Division, top seed Arizona Scorpions posted a perfect week, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 4-0 in bracket play, including a 22-18 win over Nor Cal Reds in the championship game.

The loss in the championship game ended an incredible run by Nor Cal Reds.

Entering bracket play as the No. 7 seed and dropping its opening game against No. 10 seed D & K (CA), 24-9; Nor Cal Reds rattled off a remarkable six straight one-run wins in the elimination side of the bracket, en route to their runner-up finish.

D & K finished in third place, while Arizona Old School rounded out the top four finishers.

In the 14-team Men’s 65 AAA Division, Bucky’s Casino (AZ) also completed an undefeated week, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 4-0 in bracket play, including a thrilling 14-13 win over No. 1 seed Peak Softball/Scrap Iron (CO) in the championship game.

Peak Softball/Scrap Iron won three straight elimination games to reach the championship game.

Weakened Warriors (CA) finished in third place, while Scrap Iron/M-I Sports (CO) finished fourth.

In the four-team Men’s 65 AA Division, The Family (NV) cruised through the division, going 3-0 in seeding play, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 15-0 shutout win over Lights Out (CA) in the championship game.

Los Vatos Viejos II (AZ) finished in third place.

In the Men’s 70 Major Plus Division, Timberworks/Suncoast (CA) swept Animals (CA) in a best of three game series, by scores of 29-14 and 20-4, respectively.

In the six-team Men’s 70 Major Division, Arizona Ancient completed a flawless week, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 23-11 win over R&R (CA) in the championship game.

R&R bounced back from an 0-2 showing in seeding play, as well as an 0-2 start in bracket play, to win three straight games en route to their eventual runner-up finish.

Top seed Oregon Crabs finished in third place.

In the 16-team Men’s 70 AAA Division, D&K Softball (CA) also went undefeated, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 5-0 in bracket play, including a 17-9 win over SoCal Gusto in the championship game.

After going 0-2 in seeding, and dropping their opening bracket game against St. George Gold (UT) 20-19, SoCal Gusto ran the gauntlet through the elimination side of the bracket with seven straight wins, en route to their runner-up finish.

Valley Fog (CA) finished in third place, while Scrap Iron/Rocky Mountain Patriots (UT) finished in fourth place.

St. George Gold and Git-R-Done (CA) rounded out the top six teams to advance to the final day of play on Thursday.

In the four-team Men’s 70 AA Division, Las Vegas Desert Heat (NV) avenged their 20-16 loss in the championship game against Franklin Loan Center (CA) with a 22-12 win in the “if” game.

Top seed Top Gun Olde Dawgs (CA) finished in third place.

In the Men’s 75 Major Plus Division, OMEN (CA) swept Sidewinders (AZ) in a best of three game series, by scores of 18-16 and 17-13.

The Men’s 75 Major Division also featured a best of three series, which went the distance.

In the series, Tharaldson’s (NV) took the opening game, 14-13; while Tri-State Diamondbacks (NM) evened the series with an 18-3 victory in game two.

In the rubber-match, Tharaldson’s took the final game with another one-run thriller, 15-14.

The eight-team Men’s 75 AAA Division featured a four-game round robin to seed a modified single elimination bracket.

Scrap Iron Legends (CO) and Git-R-Done (CA) entered bracket play as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, with identical 4-0 records.

Scrap Iron Legends won its first two bracket games to punch their ticket to the championship game, while Huberd Shoe Grease (AZ) won their first two bracket games to earn their place in the championship game.

Huberd Shoe Grease made it three straight wins with a 23-17 victory in the championship games, forcing the “if” game, handing Scrap Iron Legends their first loss of the tournament.

In the winner-take-all final, Scrap Iron Legends took home the championship via its 31-18 win.

Vegas Strong (NV) and Git-R-Done tied for third place.

In the four-team Men’s 80 Platinum Division, Sidewinders (AZ) (Major) and Top Gun Gold (CA) (Major Plus) finished as co-champions.

Sidewinders won their first two bracket games to reach the championship game, while Top Gun Gold won back-to-back elimination games to earn their spot in the championship game.

There was no championship game played by mutual agreement.

Scrap Iron Grey Berets Base Force (CO) finished in third place.

In the six-team Men’s 80/85 AAA Division, teams played a full five-game round robin with best record determining the champion.

With a perfect 5-0 record, Top Gun Blue Angels 85 (CA) took the top spot.

Scorpions 80 (AZ) finished second with a 4-1 record, while Arizona Outlaws 80 rounded out the top three teams with a 3-2 mark.

Git-R-Done Silver 80 (CA), Magic Stuff 80 (UT), and Top Gun Diamond 80 (CA) all registered a 1-4 record.

The tournament continued with the Women’s Divisions and Men’s 40s – 60s Divisions taking the field on April 16.

Beginning with the eight-team Women’s 40 Major Division, HTS-Here To Smash (CA) double-dipped Hafta Play (CA), by scores of 14-13 and 22-13, respectively, in the championship and “if” game.

Hafta Play defeated HTS, 14-13, earlier in the bracket, to advance to the championship game.

Fun Bunch (CA) finished in third place, while Broken Dollz (CA) rounded out the top four teams, after winning three straight elimination games.

In the 19-team Women’s 40 Silver Division, TST (CA) completed an undefeated weekend, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 5-0 in bracket play, including a 19-9 win over Unfinished Business (AZ) in the championship game.

Vintage Vegas (NV) won four straight games in the elimination side of the bracket en route to their third place finish.

Top seed Chicked Out (NV) finished fourth place, while Notoriously We Gucci (CA) and SOA (Signs of Aging) (AZ) tied for fifth place.

Freak Show (NV) and CCS Fireballerz (CA) were among the eight teams to advance to Championship Sunday.

The Women’s 50 Major Division featured a best of three game series that went the distance.

Old School (CA) struck first with a 9-5 win over Stix With Impact (CA) in game one; while Stix With Impact evened the series with a convincing 22-5 win in the second game.

The rubber match saw Stix With Impact complete the comeback with a 12-5 win.

Stix With Impact - Women's 50 Major Champions

In the three-team Women’s 50 AAA Division, top seed LOL-Legit Ol’ Ladies (CA) went 2-0 in the bracket, including a 24-10 win over Takin’ Chances (CA) in the championship game.

Women's 50 AAA Championship Game

On Fire/Afora Insurance (CA) finished in third place.

In the six-team Men’s 40 Major Plus Division, LCP/DTA (CA) went undefeated for the weekend, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 35-22 victory over Proton (AZ) in the championship game.

Proton ran through the elimination side of the bracket with four straight wins en route to their runner-up finish.

Top seed GTS (ID) finished in third place.

In the 19-team Men’s 40 Major Division, Evan Williams/CWI (CA) polished off a perfect weekend, going 2-0 in seeding and 5-0 in bracket play, including a 40-28 win over Worksteer/Zarr Realty (NV) in the championship game.

Worksteer/Zarr dropped a nail-biter in their opening bracket game against Avalon Meat Candy (NV), 27-26; before regrouping with six straight wins in the elimination side of the bracket to reach the championship game. The run of six straight wins included three one-run victories.

Cheap Suits/Republic Realty/Express Athletics (CA) finished in third place, while Sudden Impact NM rounded out the top four finishers.

Avalon Meat Candy and Boomtown (NV) tied for fifth, while Pony Tail Express (CA) and BARTACT/Chaos (CA) tied for seventh.

The winner in the six-team Men’s 40 AAA Division came down to the “if” game.

The final two teams came down to the top two seeds, as top seed 40 Cal Assault defeated 805 Prime Time (CA) in the championship game, 23-19; forcing the decisive final.

In the winner-take-all meeting, 805 Prime Time avoided the dreaded double-dip with a 28-13 victory.

Underdawgz (AZ) finished in third place after winning three straight elimination games.

In the five-team Men’s 50 Major Plus Division, J.K. Inc./GTL (CA) went unbeaten, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 25-6 win over Fattboyz/Prestige/Elite (CA) in the championship game.

Fattboyz/Prestige/Elite bounced back from an 0-2 showing in seeding play with a 3-2 record in bracket play.

Stadium (CA) finished in third place.

In the 10-team Men’s 50 Major Division, Elevated (UT) went 4-0 in bracket play, including a thriller in the championship game, edging out a 21-20 win over Scrap Iron Tenacity (CO).

Scrap Iron Tenacity won three straight elimination games to escape out of the elimination side of the bracket, en route to their runner-up finish.

Team Krank (AZ) finished in third place.

Top seed Scrap Iron/Elite (CO) rounded out the top four finishers.

In the 14-team Men’s 50 AAA Division, Top Gun Diamonds (CA) ended the tournament unscathed, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 4-0 in bracket play, including a thriller in the championship game, outlasting SoCal Swarm, 25-24.

After going 0-2 in seeding play, and 0-2 to start off bracket play, Team SMS (NV) rebounded with four straight wins to finish in third place.

Lokahi AZ rounded out the top four finishers.

In the four-team Men’s 55 Major Plus Division, top seed Crush (CA) was upset in its opening bracket game, 37-26, against Speedwerx (MN).

Facing elimination the rest of the way, Crush rebounded with four straight wins. The run was capped off by a double-dip of Speedwerx, avenging their earlier loss, with wins in the championship game (25-20) and “if” game (27-8).

Scrap Iron/Rocky Mountain Thunder (CO) finished in third place.

In the 13-team Men’s 55 Major Division, top seed WPI/Jayco (ID) ran the table, going 2-0 in seeding play, and 4-0 in bracket play, including a 22-18 win over Michael’s Automotive Group (WA).

805’s PE Class (CA) finished in third place, while Hawaii Five-O rounded out the top four finishers.

So Cal 55 and Unforgotten Warriors (AZ) each won three straight elimination games to advance to the last day of play, tying for fifth.

In the 19-team Men’s 50/55 Silver Division, Freak Show 55 (NV) went 2-0 in seeding play, and continued their strong performance in bracket play, going 5-0, including a 21-4 win over SMASH 55 (CA), in the championship game.

SMASH regrouped from its 0-2 showing in seeding play, to post a 5-2 record in the bracket en route to their runner-up finish.

KSS-Taco Bell 55 (AZ) won four straight elimination games to eventually finish in third place.

Team Panthers 50 (UT) finished in fourth place.

Desperados NMU 55 (CA) and KC Vintage 55 (MO) tied for fifth place; while Enforcers 55 (CA) and Weekend Warriors 55 (CA) also advanced to Sunday, tying for seventh place.

In the four-team Men’s 60 Major Plus Division, Legacy Sports USA (AZ) avenged its 27-10 loss in the championship game against Nor Cal Sixties, to edge out a 34-33 thriller in the “if” game.

Nor Cal Sixties won three straight elimination games en route to their eventual runner-up finish.

Top seed LPC/Dudley (CA) finished in third place, followed by Texas Crush Sixties.

In the 15-team Men’s 60 Major Division, Scrap Iron/Rocky Mountain Thunder (CO) took the top spot, finishing off a perfect weekend with a 5-0 record in bracket play. The team also went 2-0 in seeding play, one of six teams to enter bracket play with an undefeated record.

Vandals (CA) was the runner-up, after winning three straight games to escape from the elimination side of the bracket.

Tri-State Kings (WA) finished third, while Clean Planet (MI) rounded out the top four finishers, following their valiant run through the elimination side of the bracket, which included four straight wins.

Scrap Iron Heavy Metal (CO) and California Energy tied for fifth place.

In the 17-team Men’s 60 AAA Division, Hitmen/Arizona, coming out of the No. 10 seed, ran the table in the bracket, going 5-0, including a 24-17 win over top seed New Beginnings Softball (CA) in the championship game.

Men's 60 AAA Championship Game

SportStan/Islanders (HI) finished in third place, followed by Desperados (NM).

Sin City Raiders (NV) and Wongs (CA) tied for fifth place.

The seven-team Men’s 55/60 AA Division came down to the winner-take-all “if” game.

Coming out of the elimination side of the bracket, So-Cal Titans 60 downed Boys of Summerlin 60 (NV), 20-17, to force the “if” game.

However, in the end, Boys of Summerlin would defend their home turf, taking the final game, 22-11.

Action from the Men's 55/60 AA Division

Scrap Iron Rockies 60 (CO) finished in third place, followed by So Cal Riptide 60.