2022 Top Gun - Bullhead City - Winter Classic Wraps Up

Feb. 1, 2022

Bullhead City, AZ - The 2022 Top Gun's Bullhead City Winter Classic Qualifier wrapped up last month with 64 teams competing January 18th to the 23th. 

All divisions battled for the top spots at Bullhead City Rotary Park, overlooking the Colorado River with neighboring Nevada on the other side.

Playing on January 18 - 20, the divisions included Men's 65+, Men's 70+, Men's 80+, and Men's 85+ teams. On January 21 - 23, the Men's 50+, Men's 55+, and Men's 60+ teams competed.

Starting off with the Men's 65+ Platinum Division, with 4 teams participating, Top Gun Elite (CA), (photo below), ultimately came out on top winning the division overall with a 7-0 victory over the Samurai 65's (CA).

The Samurai 65's (CA) started strong with two consecutive wins, including defeating Top Gun Elite (CA) in their first match up together, but Samurai 65's (CA) narrowly lost their their second match up, 20-21, and lost the championship game 0-7 against Top Gun again.

The Sidewinders 65's (AZ) came in 3rd, losing their initial game to Top Gun Elite (CA) as well as coming second to Top Gun in the elimination bracket in a close game, 22-24.

In the Men's 65+ Silver Division, with 11 teams competing, the 65+ AAA Championship was taken by Git-R-Done 65 (CA), with an impressive 5 game winning streak from start to finish at game 16.

The Weakend Warriors (CA) came in second, winning their first two games including defeating seed #1, Sin City Mob (NV), but narrowly lost to Git-R-Done (CA) in their thrid game. Defeating Peak/Scrap Iron (CO) in elimination, the Warriors made Git-R-Done again in the championship, where the Warriors lost 31-44.

In third place was Peak/Scrap Iron (CO), spending most of their time in the elimination bracket, they had two straight wins before losing to the Weakend Warriors (CA) in the game leading up to the final game.

For Men's 65+ AA Division, consisting of only two teams, the Majestic (CA) came out on top, winning the two consecutive games against Los Vatos Viejos 65 II (AZ).

In Men's 70/75+ Gold Division, with 11 teams in total, combined with 3 teams competed in the Men's 70+ Major Division. R&R 70's (CA), #1 seed, (photo right), had a wild ride to become the champions, winning their first game against Over The Edge (CA), lost their second one against OTE (CA) by only one point, then won the 3rd and final game 15 - 8. OTE (CA) came second with an initial win aginst the Sidewinders 70's (CA), followed by one win and two loses to R&R 70's (CA). The Sidewinders 70's (CA) had rough luck, losing their first game by one point then their second and last elimination game against OTE (CA).

For Men's 75+ Major Division, also with 3 teams, SoCal Gusto (CA) ran the tables as #1 seed, winning both their first games, winning the championship. Both the Sidewinders 75+ (AZ) and Tharaldson's (NV) had one loss and one win, with Tharaldson's (NV) being eliminated first by the Sidewinders 75's (AZ).

In the Men's 70+ AAA Division, with 5 teams, the SoCal Warriors 70's (CA), #1 seed, narrowly defeated the Home Plate Legends (NV) then won their other two games, taking first place.

In second place was the Home Plate Legends, winning two elimination games after losing to the SoCal Warriors 70's (CA), only to play them again in the final game, losing 18- 22. Cut Loose 70's (CA) came in third with an initial win, but lost to SoCal Warriors in their second game only too lose their first elimination game against the Home Plate Legends.

Sidewinders/Rattlers (AZ) and Las Vegas Desert Heat (NV) came in 4th and 5th, respectively. 

Moving on to Men's 70/75/80+ Gold Division with 7 teams, AL's Sports Shop (CA), #4 seed, won the championship with 4 consecutive wins, including defeating #1 seed, Vegas Strong (NV).

Top Gun Olde Dawgs (CA) had an interesting path into second place, losing their first game to AL's Sports Shop but winning their next two elimination games, only to meet AL's Sports Shop again in the final game and losing 5 - 20.  For 3rd place, Mustangs (CA) won their first two game, then had two loses, narrowly losing an elimination game to Top Gun Olde Dawgs, 5 - 6, before the final game.

For the Men's 75/80/85+ Gold Division with 4 teams, its champion had a bizarre path. Triple Play 75 (CA) won their first game 19 - 0, lost their second by one point, won their first elimination by one point, won the second by 3 points, then won the championship against Top Gun Blue Angels 85 (CA), 20 - 9. What a wild ride.

Top Gun Blue Angels 85 (CA) came in second place, initially winning 18 - 17 to Triple Play 75, but lost the next game against them 21 - 24, and again lost the championsip against Triple Play, 9 - 20. Git-R-Done Silver (CA) and Balance of Nature 80's (UT) placed 3rd and 4th respectively.

In the Men's 50+ Gold Division, with 5 teams, the #1 seed Top Gun Diamonds (CA), (photo right), won three games in a row for the championship, winning their first two games by only one run and winning the championship 20 - 11. For second place, Damage NV lost to Top Gun Diamonds 20 - 21, but won their following elimination game leading them to the championship game against Top Gun Diamonds again, losing 11 - 20.   

Pro Vision/Cafe Elite (WA) took 3rd place overall, with an initial loss, then two wins in the elimination bracket, ultimately losing to Damage NV 6 - 19.

For Men's 55/60+ Gold Division, with 10 teams, #1 seed Top Gun Phantoms (CA), (photo below), won 3 games in a row and won the championship by forefit. Second place went to Peak/Scrap Iron 60's (CO); they won two games before losing 8 - 24 to Phantoms, then won their elimination game before forefitting to the Phantoms.

Third place went to the Weakend Warriors 55 (CA), who lost their first game but won 4 consecutive elimination games before losing to Peak/Scrap Iron 60's (CO).

In Men's 55+ Major Division, with 4 teams, SoCal 55 (CA) placed first, winning three games in a row scoring 30+ runs in all three! PX 40/40 (NV) placed second, with an initial loss 33 - 34 to SoCal 55, but won the following elimination game, leading them to the championship against SoCal 55, losing 21 - 31.

For thrrd place, NW/Oregon Elite (CA) lost their first game, but won their first elimination game 27 - 12 against Fosil Fuel 55 (CA) before losing to PX 40/40 (NV) 31 - 34.

Last but not least, Men's 60+ Silver Division, had 8 teams overall, with five 60+ AAA teams and three 60+ AA teams. 60+ AAA started with a forfeit win then 3 striaght wins for the Sin City Gamblers (NV) took first place winning the championship 21 - 18 against the Desperados (NM). 

Second place went to #2 seed, Desperados which spent most of their time in the elimination bracket, losing their first game, then winning 3 elimination games by only 1 or 2 runs each before losing a close championship game. Baker Boyz (CA), #1 seed, placed thrid, winning their first game but losing their last two.

In the 60+ AA, with 3 teams, So-Cal Titans 60's (CA) won three straight games to take first place, winning the championship by only one run. Second place was #1 seed, Arizona Blaze 60, which lost its first game by a run, won its elimination game by a run, then lost the championship by a run, 20 - 21.

Rolling Thunder (NM) took third which lost its initial game and narrowly losing its elimination game to Arizona Blaze 60, 24 - 25.

Top Gun Recognizes Bullhead City Parks & Rec For Hosting

Top Gun recognizes the hard work, cooperation and accommodations the Bullhead City Parks and Recreation Department provides in supporting the Top Gun tournaments held there. Joel Hawk and Jerry Smith presented Dave Heath and the Recreation Department a token of sincere appreciation. You are very professional, responsive and hard workers.
L-R: Jerry Smith, Orville (OJ) Williams, Dave Heath, Joel Hawk