Having received a positive RPI “bump” when Pine River Valley neighbor Ignacio notched two nonleague wins Tuesday over 3A/2A Intermountain Leaguers Centauri, IML runner-up Bayfield will enter the postseason relieved to be playing somewhat closer to home.
Even if the designated site’s still pretty distant.
The Colorado High School Activities Association revealed its Class 3A State Tournament bracket on Wednesday, with the Wolverines receiving the No. 11 seed in the opening round of 32. Denied by IML champion Alamosa the chance to host one of the tournament’s eight four-team regionals, BHS will travel to Hotchkiss for Region VI action Saturday, and first clash with Lafayette-based Peak to Peak at 12:30 p.m.
Seeded 22nd, the Metro League-representing Peak to Peak Pumas will arrive having won three of their past four and standing 13-10 overall. Bayfield completed regular-season play standing 6-2 in the IML, with both losses against Alamosa, and 16-6 overall.
Seeded sixth, event-hosting North Fork (18-5 overall), the renamed Hotchkiss-Paonia collective, ended up pacing the Western Slope League with a 12-2 record, and will begin the day against No. 27 Strasburg (8-15, 4-12 Patriot) at 10 a.m.
The two surviving squads will clash later in the afternoon. Should the local Miners and Bayfield meet, the Wolverines could be considered the favorite. BHS defeated North Fork 8-1 this spring thanks largely to a seven-run seventh inning supporting junior Caden Wood’s five-strikeout, complete-game effort on the mound.
Alamosa (12-7, 6-2 IML) was awarded the No. 8 seed and will host Region II. The Mean Moose will welcome No. 25 La Junta (Tri-Peaks League; 10-13 overall), Denver-based No. 9 Colorado Academy (Metro; 16-6) and Craig-based No. 24 Moffat County (Western Slope; 11-10) to the San Luis Valley.
Also postseason-bound from the Intermountain, Montezuma-Cortez received the No. 23 seed and will journey all the way east to Lamar for Region VII play. After seventh-seeded LHS (14-9 overall) battles No. 26 Fort Collins Liberty Common (8-14) at 11 a.m., the Panthers (11-10, 3-5 IML) will face 10-seed Manitou Springs (16-6-1).
