Flawless Weekend Categorizes the 2024 Nor-Cal Championships

June 1, 2024

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

     Fantastic weather and a glitch-free tournament highlighted the three-day 2024 Northern California State Championships that concluded June 9 in the Sacramento area.

     The Men’s 40+ Masters division accounted for a third of the 39 teams that entered the event, with games split between the Sacramento Softball Complex and Foskett Regional Park in Lincoln.

     “We had a great weekend in Lincoln at Foskett,” said Stephanie Hopkins, one of the tournament directors. "It was probably the smoothest tournament I ever had as a director.”

     One of the best games involved two Men’s 40+ Major teams fighting to stay alive in the elimination bracket of a 13-team division. The game featured California teams – ninth-seeded G2G and fifth-seeded Best/Prestige Pool – that both had gone 1-1 in pool play. After a very long extra-inning game, Prestige triumphed 43-42.

     Overall, Hopkins praised the field prep crews, the umpires and the talented teams that participated.

     “The level of competition was top-notch,” she said. “It was fun to watch.”

     All teams hailed from California except one, Last Call of Nevada. Overall, 10 teams earned berths to the 2025 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida.

Results:

     Women’s 40+ Masters Gold: Second-seeded Still Grubbing capped a 5-0 tournament by defeating top-seeded Eat It OG Babes 14-13 in the title game. Both teams earned TOC berths, with Still Grubbing qualifying as the Major champion and Eat It OG Babes as the AAA champion. Fourth-seeded Poly Chics finished third in the five-team division.

     Men’s 40+ Masters Major: Eighth-seeded The Ravine (photo below) lost its first pool game by one run then never lost again. It defeated fourth-seeded The Glass Guru/Alta Cal 24-15 in the title game. Second-seeded TABU finished third in the 13-team bracket, the tournament’s largest.

     Men’s 50+ Major: Top-seeded Gold Nation Hustle (photo below) capped a 5-0 tournament with a 15-13 title game victory over second-seeded C.B.C. in the three-team division. Incredible Pets/Epic Sports finished third.

     Men’s 50+ AAA: Third-seeded Nor-Cal Hitmen lost the first title game 23-19 but won the second 14-9 over second-seeded West Coast 50s. Top-seeded Smokem finished third in the three-team division. (Nor-Cal Hitmen and West Coast 50s photo below).

     Men’s 60+ Major: Top-seeded BTI capped a 6-0 tournament with a 16-7 championship victory over second-seeded Tradition Softball. SMASH finished third in the three-team bracket.

     Men’s 60+ AAA: Second-seeded North Valley Seniors defeated top-seeded RMC Norcal Sixties 25-18 for the title and an overall 5-1 record. Third-seeded 1^st Draft finished third in the four-team division.

     Men’s 70+ Gold: Second-seeded Pacific Storm (photo below) went 5-1 overall, including a 17-14 title game victory over third-seeded Last Call 70 of Nevada. The top-seeded Sacramento Islanders finished third in the four-team division.

     Men’s 75/80+ Gold: Second-seeded Omen earned the 80+ Major Plus TOC berth and overall division title by defeating the 75+ AAA TOC berth winners Please Don’t Bug Me 25-19 in the bracket finals. The top-seeded Sacramento Buds finished third in the four-team division.