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By John Cackowski
State Director


Looking back into the 3A season there have been three power houses: Eaton, Holy Family, and Faith Christian. All three made it to the Final 8 and the question is can one of the the 5 other teams (Alamosa, University, Kent Denver, Lamar, Florence) knock off the big three.  Games are being played starting this Friday at Niwot and Butch Butler Field. Following this weekend's play, only four teams will remain and move onto the semifinals on May 23rd. The championship game will be played at 12:30 p.m. May 24 at either Niwot or Butch Butler field. 


A lot of these teams have history making it into the state championship game since 1989.  

- Kent Denver has been to 2 winning 1 beating Eaton in 1995. 

- University has been to 2 and winning 2 beating Denver Christian in 1992, and beating Kent Denver in 1997

- Faith Christian has been to 2 winning 2 beating Erie in in 2007 and Holy Family in 2011

- Holy Family has been to 4 in the last 5 years beating Eaton both times in 2010 and 2013. 

- A lot of people probably don't remember the great run Lamar had in the late 80's through mid 90's. From 1989 to 1994 they won 5 state championships in 4A beating La Junta, Denver Christian, La Junta again, Sterling, then Windsor. Then at the 3A level they made it to the final game in 1998, 1999, and in 2008 beating Eaton in 1999. 

- Eaton has been a great story which should receive more national recognition. They have been to the 3A state championship 20 times in the last 24 years. They won in 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2012. 

5 teams are hot coming into the state tournament. Eaton has won 20 games in a row, Lamar has won 6 in a row, Kent Denver has won 10 in a row after starting the season 5 and 6, and the hottest team coming in could be Alamosa winning 13 games in a row after starting the season 0-4. 

The sleeper team in the bracket is Florence. They come in beating a good Sterling team last Saturday, and they two have won 4 games in a row. 

Below is the bracket for the 3A State Tournament. 

Butch Butler Field 5/16

G1

1

Eaton

10:00am

8

Alamosa

 

G2

4

Lamar

12:30pm

5

University

Niwot Field 5/16

G3

3

Faith Christian

10:00am

6

Kent Denver

 

G4

2

Holy Family

12:30pm

7

Florence