Class 3A Baseball League Breakdown
Colorado 7 League
The Colorado 7 league is a mix of 3A and 4A team. The automatic spots for the Colorado 7 league are decided by either winning outright or finishing second in league. Currently the Colorado 7 league play is complete with Fort Morgan winning the league title. They are playing a league tournament starting tomorrow. It’s a round robin tournament with the top 4 teams all qualifying. Fort Morgan, Fort Lupton, Weld Central, and Conifer all qualify for the League Tournament. Fort Morgan is the favorite to win the tournament with Fort Lupton and Weld Central fighting for second place and the automatic berth. The RPI numbers for the Colorado 7 3A teams are:
#20 Weld Central, #21 Fort Lupton, #56 Englewood
The Colorado 7 league will get at least 1 automatic berth unless Conifer upsets both Fort Lupton and Weld Central. Without the automatic berth Weld Central and Fort Lupton look to be in decent shape unless they are both upset by Conifer.
Frontier League
All the rest of the 3A league have a pretty simple way of getting into the Regional Tournament. If you finish 1st or 2nd in your league you automatically qualify for the regional tournament. The rest of the field is selected via RPI. The Frontier League has been shaken up following an upset win by Bennett over The Academy. 4 teams are still fighting for the Top 2 spots. Bennett is now 7-1 in league and finish league play against Clear Creek and Jefferson. Jefferson will prove difficult for Bennett, but Bennett is in the driver seat if they win their final two league games. They have both head to head wins over The Academy and DSST-Stapleton. Bennett will be your league champion if they win their final two games. The Academy was in control and a win over Bennett would have nearly locked up a league title. Instead they are now fighting to hold on to a Top 2 spots and sit 6-1 in league. The Academy must play Middle Park (5-2) and DSST-Stapleton (6-1) to close league out and both games are critical if The Academy hopes to hold onto a top spot. The Academy can still win league if they win out and hope Bennett gets upset. DSST-Stapleton is sitting in the tie for second as well. DSST-Stapleton has 4 league games remaining. DSST-Stapleton big game will come against The Academy on 5/7 and that will be for a shot at second in league and an outside shot at first place. DSST-Stapleton wins league if Bennett loses and they win their final 3 league games. Middle Park is sitting in 4th place but do own the tie breaker over Bennett. Middle Park has 3 league games remaining and they would need a ton to go their way to sneak into second. RPI numbers for the Frontier League are:
#15 The Academy, #25 Bennett, #28 DSST-Stapleton, #30 Middle Park, #39 Platte Canyon, #44 Jefferson, #49 Sheridan,
All leagues get two automatic berths but currently 4 teams are in the Top 32. The Academy is probably the only teams that is a near lock of getting into Regionals. Bennett, DSST-Stapleton, and Middle Park are all on the bubble and must take care of their own business. Platte Canyon has an outside shot at making a run, but they are .035 behind #32 and would need a ton to go their way. Jefferson and Sheridan have been eliminated from making it to Regionals.
Intermountain League
The Intermountain League is all but wrapped up. Alamosa is your league champion and Bayfield is your #2 teams and have the automatic berth. All teams still have a few games remaining and now teams are trying to improve their RPI for Regionals. RPI numbers for the Intermountain are:
#7 Alamosa, #13 Pagosa Springs, #26 Bayfield, #27 Centauri, #43 Monte Vista, and #48 Montezuma-Cortez
With the Automatic berth going to Alamosa and Bayfield that leaves the rest of the league to get in via RPI. Pagosa Springs is sitting #13 and are a solid lock for Regionals barring a collapse against Dolores. Bayfield would be on the bubble but have the automatic berth but will try to improve their RPI in their final few games. Centauri is the other team in the top 32 in the intermountain league. Centauri is on the bubble at #27. Centauri has two games remaining and a sweep should be enough to lock a spot into the playoffs. If Centauri gets sweep then they would be in trouble. Centauri at the minimum needs to split their final games against Montezuma-Cortez. Centauri is .035 ahead of the #32 team a which is a decent amount but getting swept this weekend could spell doom. Monte Vista and Montezuma-Cortez are eliminated from making it to Regionals.
Metro League
The Metro league has been an interesting league to watch so far, this year with teams beating each other up. No undefeated teams remain in league and things are very much in the air. Faith Christian is 9-1 in league but do not have the head to head over Colorado Academy who is in second. Faith Christian wins league by beating Lutheran and Machebeuf. If Faith Christian loses any of their remaining league games, then they would finish second if Colorado Academy wins out. Colorado Academy still has two tough league games remaining against Peak to Peak (8-3) and Machebeuf. Colorado Academy can easily fall out of second place with a lose to Peak to Peak. Colorado Academy has to win both league games to finish second. Colorado Academy does not have the head to head over Lutheran and a lose to Peak to Peak does not give them the head to head over them. Peak to Peak is 8-3 in league and has 1 league game remaining. Peak to Peak cannot win league but can still finish second place. Peak to Peak would need a win over Colorado Academy and need Lutheran to lose one of their 3 remaining league games. Lutheran is in 4th and could still win league. Lutheran would need to win their 3 remaining games and would then need help to jump up. Lutheran is still hoping for a second place finish and an automatic berth. RPI numbers for the Metro league are:
#4 Faith Christian, #6 Peak to Peak, #8 Colorado Academy, #14 Jefferson Academy, #19 Kent Denver, #23 Machebeuf, #29 Lutheran,
With Both automatic berths still up for grabs nothing is guaranteed yet in the metro league. Currently 7 of the 9 teams in the metro league are in the Top 32. Faith Christian, Peak to Peak, and Colorado Academy are lock for Regionals. Jefferson Academy and Kent Denver are both nearly locks as well. Machebeuf and Lutheran are still on the bubble but can still help themselves into securing their spot.
Patriot League
The Patriot League has been a battle so far and with around 2 league games remaining stuff is starting to solidify. Currently 3 teams have 1 league lose, 1 team has 2 league losses, and 2 teams have 3 league losses. University, Resurrection Christian, and Eaton all have 1 lose in league. University has the head to head over Eaton but not the head to head over Resurrection Christian. University has 2 league games remaining against Valley and Brush. If University beats Valley they can eliminate Valley from the running for a league title but not second place. University with 1 win can help eliminated any 3 lose teams as well. Eaton still has 3 league games remaining. Eaton plays Liberty Common, Resurrection Christian, and Estes Park. Eaton does not have the head to head over University but can at least lock up second place by winning their 3 remaining games. Eaton can still get the league title if University is upset by any of their 2 remaining games. Resurrection Christian has 2 league games remaining against Brush and Eaton. If Resurrection Christian wins out they win league. Resurrection Christian can fall out of the Top 2 if they lose to Eaton. Valley has 3 league games remaining. Valley would need to upset University today to have a shot at the top 2. Valley would then need some help due to not having head to heads over the 3 teams ahead of them. RPI numbers for the Patriot league are:
#2 University, #3 Eaton, #5 Sterling, #11 Resurrection Christian, #16 Valley, #24 Platte Valley, #33 Brush, #40 Strasburg, #45 Liberty Common
The Patriot league could be closer to deciding your automatic berth following tonight games. Currently University, Eaton, Sterling, Resurrection Christian, and Valley are all locks for regionals. Platte Valley is still on the bubble at #24 but winning key games should help secure their spot. Brush is currently on the outside looking in but are very much in the hunt for a top 32 spots. Strasburg is on the edge of elimination and Liberty Common is eliminated from Regionals.
Tri-Peaks League
The Tri-Peaks league is set up at the West and the East. In the East League Lamar finished first and in the west Buena Vista finished first. The Tri-Peaks championship will be decided by those two teams and both teams are automatically into the Regionals. RPI numbers for the Tri-Peaks league are:
#1 Lamar, #9 La Junta, #10 Buena Vista, #18 Rye, #31 Salida, #32 St. Mary’s, #35 Florence
Lamar and Buena Vista have locked up the two automatic berths. The rest of the Tri-Peaks gets into Regionals by RPI now. La Junta and Rye are solid locks for Regionals. Salida and St. Mary’s are in the Top 32 but are on the bubble. I think both teams will play each other in the crossover game but I am not sure. Both teams will also be fighting for their playoff lives every game they play. Florence is at #35 and still in the hunt. They play La Junta in the crossover games on May 5th and that is a big game win or lose. If Florence can pull the upset they will more than likely get into Regionals.
Western Slope League
The Western Slope league has your league champion in Delta who is 8-0 in league. Second place is still up for grabs and will decided tonight. Cedaredge travels to Aspen and both teams have 1 lose in league. The winner finishes second place in league and snags the automatic berth. RPI numbers for the Western Slope League are:
#12 Delta, #17 Cedaredge, #22 Aspen, #34 Roaring Fork, #36 Basalt, #38 Coal Ridge, #37 Moffat County
1 automatic berth is given away but the other is still up for grabs. Delta is into regional and will host as well. Cedaredge and Aspen are both fighting for the other automatic berth but barring a collapse in their final 4 games should both get into Regionals. 4 other Western Slope teams are on the outside looking in. Roaring Fork is #34, Basalt is #36, Coal Ridge is #38, and Moffat County is #37. These four teams will have to take care of business to try and move into the top 32.
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