FIELDER’S CHOICES: Raising my GPA with playoff picks
My parents weren’t too thrilled with my last report card.
I did get graded well on my league picks for baseball and softball, though. I picked 11 of 15 league champions correctly, but I guess that’s only a “C” average. Hey, it’s passing.
Big ups to Legacy baseball and softball, Durango softball and Tonopah baseball for blasting holes in my predictions.
Now is the really fun time of the year: playoffs.
Let me know what you think of this humble forecast, but try to keep the comments clean and positive for a change.
BASEBALL
Sunrise Region
Champion: Green Valley
Runner-up: Rancho
I know, you’re thinking I took the easy way out.
Champion: Green Valley
Runner-up: Rancho
I know, you’re thinking I took the easy way out.
OK. That’s exactly what I did.
Rancho has a good shot to win it. The Rams have pitching, but if a slugfest breaks out, Green Valley has the edge.
But how good a story would it be to see Rancho make it to state?
Don’t write off Las Vegas or Foothill, either.
Sunset Region
Champion: Bishop Gorman
Runner-up: Sierra Vista
I hate to sound like an echo picking the Gaels over and over, but my average has already slumped enough.
Runner-up: Sierra Vista
I hate to sound like an echo picking the Gaels over and over, but my average has already slumped enough.
The two regular-season meetings between these teams being decided by a single run tells you how close it is. When in doubt, go with Gorman.
Class 3A Southern League
Champion: Virgin Valley
Runner-up: Whoever wins the other game
You know how I love my small-school teams, but I don’t see the point of picking a runner-up of a three-team league. But the Bulldogs are a legitimate team: they went 8-0 in league play by a combined score of 91-12.
Runner-up: Whoever wins the other game
You know how I love my small-school teams, but I don’t see the point of picking a runner-up of a three-team league. But the Bulldogs are a legitimate team: they went 8-0 in league play by a combined score of 91-12.
Class 2A Southern League
Champion: Needles
Runner-up: The Meadows
It’s an all-Mustangs final. Could The Meadows pull a repeat of last year’s upset? Maybe, but Needles is a complete team. Needles should complete a three-peat of state titles.
Runner-up: The Meadows
It’s an all-Mustangs final. Could The Meadows pull a repeat of last year’s upset? Maybe, but Needles is a complete team. Needles should complete a three-peat of state titles.
Class 1A Southern Region
Champion: Pahranagat Valley
Runner-up: Tonopah
The Panthers haven’t lost since March 13, and it’s hard to see the streak ending here.
Runner-up: Tonopah
The Panthers haven’t lost since March 13, and it’s hard to see the streak ending here.
SOFTBALL
Sunrise Region
Champion: Green Valley
Runner-up: Basic
I sense the Gators could run away with this, but I swung and missed on a couple of my earlier Class 4A softball picks.
Runner-up: Basic
I sense the Gators could run away with this, but I swung and missed on a couple of my earlier Class 4A softball picks.
One thing I can confidently say is that the Southeast rocks.
Green Valley’s Alicia Firelein and Basic’s Lacey Romo should keep their teams in it.
Sunset Region
Champion: Legacy
Runner-up: Palo Verde
I picked against the Longhorns once — I’m not making that mistake again.
Runner-up: Palo Verde
I picked against the Longhorns once — I’m not making that mistake again.
Legacy has gone from 5-9 in the Northwest last year to 14-2 this season, and I think the storybook season continues.
Palo Verde is dangerous, though.
Class 3A Southern League
Champion: Boulder City
Runner-up: Won’t matter
The Eagles swept their league games by a combined score of 96-12, and it could’ve been worse.
Runner-up: Won’t matter
The Eagles swept their league games by a combined score of 96-12, and it could’ve been worse.
They’ll keep rolling until the state tournament.
Class 2A Southern League
Champion: Needles
Runner-up: Lincoln County
Either team could win the tournament, but when both clinch trips to state, it might not matter at the end of the season.
Runner-up: Lincoln County
Either team could win the tournament, but when both clinch trips to state, it might not matter at the end of the season.
Class 1A Southern League
Champion: Henderson International
Runner-up: Lake Mead
There is no doubt the Wolverines will win the title, but there is plenty of suspense as to who gets the other bid for state.
Runner-up: Lake Mead
There is no doubt the Wolverines will win the title, but there is plenty of suspense as to who gets the other bid for state.
It could be any one of the other three teams.
