Staff Work to Save Games from Rain at the 2025 Northern Champs-Steve Simmons Memorial

June 1, 2025

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

Teams from five states captured crowns at SSUSA’s 2025 Northern Championships/Steve Simmons Memorial tournament held June 6-8 at the six-field Sand Creek Athletic Complex in suburban Minneapolis.

Minnesota and Wisconsin teams led the way by nabbing four titles apiece. Two Iowa teams and one team apiece from Nebraska and Missouri also won their divisions.

“Thanks to all the teams that participated,” Tournament Director Mike Hula said. “We had many very competitive games with the smallest of margins for winners…. Congratulations to all teams.”

Rain washed out nearly 30 games, which caused many schedule changes. Some three-team divisions used a round-robin bracket format to determine a winner. Others finished bracket play under a single-elimination format.

Overall, 12 of the 41 participating teams took home first-place awards and berths to the 2026 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida. Only winners get invited to the TOC.

Results:

Men's 50+ Major: Defending champion and second-seeded Ductech/Stagecoach of Minnesota (photo below) won again, this time by going 2-0 in a bracket round-robin format after rain altered the original schedule. Ductech finished 4-0 overall, including 24-12 and 25-4 bracket wins. Chi-Town Ballers of Illinois placed second for the second year in a row. Elite Reality/KR Signs of Minnesota took third in the three-team division.

Men's 50+ AAA: Also following a round-robin bracket format, the top-seeded Iowa Demons captured first by defeating the other two bracket teams 15-12 and 27-19. Defending champion MN 50 Core placed second. Heroes 50s of Nebraska took third.

Men's 50/55+ Silver: The AA team Heroes NE 50s (photo below) defeated the other two bracket teams 18-16 and 17-4 to claim the title. Oshkosh Ambassadors 55 of Wisconsin took second. Gray Ghost of Illinois finished third.

Men's 55/60+ Platinum: The 60+ Major Plus team Minnesota Merchants, which went 4-0, earned the four-team division title.  Escape Fire/Ancell of Minnesota took second. Priority Construction Services/Lumberjacks 55s of Minnesota finished third.

Men's 60+ AAA: Fifth-seeded Isle Edge Trucking 60s of Wisconsin (photo below) won all three of its bracket games, including a 25-15 winner’s final over defending champion and sixth-seeded Paape Legends of Minnesota. That gave Isle Edge the title while Paape took second in the seven-team division. Minnesota Thunder finished third by winning the final elimination bracket game16-15 over the top-seeded Lumberjack Red of Minnesota.

Men's 60/65+ Platinum: Playing a round robin in bracket play, the Iowa Demons defeated its opponents 21-19 and 23-17 to win the championship. The defending champion MN Merchants took second in the three-team division. Pope Transport 60s of Wisconsin finished third.

Men's 65+ AAA: In one of the few divisions to finish a double-elimination bracket, the top-seeded Minnesota Road Warriors (photo below) edged the third-seeded Playmakers of Wisconsin 11-10 for the title of the three-team division. The Silver Lumberjacks of Minnesota took third.

Men's 70+ Platinum: The third-seeded KC Kids 70s of Missouri (photo below) defeated Doctors Care MD of Wisconsin 36-25 for the title. Defending champion Minnesota River Bats took third in the three-team division.

Men's 70/75+ Gold: The top-seeded Blizzard, a 70+ AAA team from Minnesota (photo below), defeated 75+ Major and second-seeded Team Minnesota 20-11 to claim the title. The Minnesota Masters 75s finished third in the three-team division.

Men's 70/75+ Silver: Unbeaten in five games, the AAA team Handeland Flooring 75s of Wisconsin cut down the third-seeded MN Lumberjack 75s 26-10 in the championship game. The Chicago Strikers of Illinois took third in the three-team division.

Men's 75+ AA: The top-seeded Oshkosh Ambassadors 75 of Wisconsin defeated the Badger Classics of Wisconsin 15-6 for the title. Second-seeded and defending champion MN Lumberjacks 75s finished third in the three-team bracket.

Men's 80/85+ AAA: The top-seeded 80+ AAA team Dunns/Studz of Wisconsin (photo below) defeated the third-seeded Minnesota Mavericks 85s 15-7 to claim the three-team bracket. The MN Lumberjacks 80s finished third.