Last week, the Class 1A baseball state champion was crowned when Flatirons Academy won a slugfest against defending state champ Akron 14-11 on May 14 at Lakewood’s Blue Sky All-Star Park.

This was the first boys state title in school history for Flatirons Academy.

Now, the rest of the Classifications – 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A – will spend the next two weekends determining state champions.

The regional winners have been decided and now in 2A and 3A the remaining eight teams will battle for state supremacy in their double-elimination tournaments.

In 2A, there are plenty of familiar faces in the field, including top-seeded Forge Christian (23-2); No. 2 seed Monte Vista (23-0); and perennial powerhouse Limon (15-8), the No. 6 seed.

A year ago, Forge Christian was dominant in the eight-team tourney, culminating with the Fury blanking Denver Christian 11-0 to win the state title.

The Fury will begin defense of its crown with a match-up with Front Range Christian (13-10) at 9:30 a.m., Friday at the Runyon Sports Complex in Pueblo.

The rest of the bracket has No. 4 Denver Christian (17-8) taking on No. 5 Dayspring Christian Academy (16-5) at noon. In the other game at noon, No. 3 Yuma (21-4) battles Limon (15-8) and the 9:30 a.m. game has Monte Vista clashing with No. 7 Peyton (18-5).

In 3A, Coal Ridge, the 2025 state champ, isn’t back to defend its crown. University, which lost to Coal Ridge 3-2 in last year’s final game, is the top seed in this year’s eight team field.

University (23-2) meets No. 8 Wellington (15-10) at 9:30 a.m., Friday at Butch Butler Field in Greeley. No. 4 The Classical Academy (18-6) takes on No. 5 Delta (17-8) at noon Friday.

At Butch Butler Field in Greeley, the bracket on Friday is as follows: No. 3 Montezuma-Cortez (20-5) vs. D’Evelyn (18-7), noon; Eaton (21-3) vs. Elizabeth (18-7), 9:30 a.m.

All these first-round games in 2A and 3A offer plenty of intrigue. The thing to consider is that in a double-elimination tournament like these championships are decided in the first round.

Nonetheless, here are two games to take a closer look at when things get underway on Friday.

Class 2A

No. 4 Denver Christian (17-8) vs. Dayspring Christian Academy (16-5), noon, Friday, Pueblo’s Runyon Field Sports Complex

Denver Christian, after getting swept in a pair of games by Colorado Academy on May 7 and May 8, bounced back last weekend to capture victories over Dolores (5-1) and Fowler (10-3).

DC has had plenty of good fortune at Runyon Field, winning state in 2023 and 2024 at the facility. All total, Denver Christian has four state crowns with the other two coming in 1996 and 2013.

The Thunder are paced offensively by Cuatro Wilkins. The junior has a team-best .410 batting average. Tanner McCoy (.397) and Trey Speir (.362) also provide some pop.

Dayspring Christian will counter with Owen Steward (.464), Gavin Bohl (.406) and Etjan Martinez (.403).

The Eagles, who have won three games in a row, have four boys state titles in school history, but none in baseball.

Class 3A

No. 3 Montezuma-Cortez (20-5) vs. No. 6 D’Evelyn (18-6), noon, Friday, University.

Montezuma-Cortez enters the state tourney on a 13-game winning streak. The Panthers last defeat was 10-8 to Durango on April 7.

The Panthers are trying to make history by claiming the school’s first baseball state championship.

Montezuma-Cortez only has two state crowns in school history and those came in boys basketball in 1962 and 2002.

The Panthers are paced by Cory Carver (.578); Jaris McDonald (.465) and Parker Conrad (.464).

D’Evelyn is in the midst of a six-game winning streak. The Jaguars have an offense fueled by Knox Balcer (.500); Jack Meiser (.444) and Leo Vigil (.432).