The Montezuma-Cortez baseball program has thrived in recent years, making several postseason appearances. Last season, the team came just one win shy of reaching the Class 3A/2A championship, and the 2025 Panthers carried on that tradition with another remarkable season.
They secured important wins over 3A Intermountain League rival Bayfield, co-champions of the 2023 regional title, to claim this year's league championship and triumphed at the Aztec Invitational. Their strong season has earned them the honor of hosting the 3A Region 7 tournament at McAndrew’s Field on Saturday, marking the second time in three years the Panthers have had that privilege.
Ranked No. 7, Montezuma-Cortez will open the tournament against No. 26 Jefferson Academy at 10 a.m.
Juniors Cory Carver and Darren Daves will be instrumental in M-CHS’ postseason run. Carver, a reliable leader since his freshman year, leads the team with a .536 batting average and has racked up an impressive 44 runs and 45 hits, along with a career-high 37 RBIs, cementing his role as one of the Panthers’ most impactful hitters. Daves also made notable appearances in the stat books since his first year. He helps lead this season with 31 runs, 26 hits, a career-high 26 RBIs, and seven doubles.
On defense, junior Parker Conrad has maintained a perfect fielding percentage throughout the season, while classmate Jaris McDonald closely follows with a .991 fielding percentage. McDonald has been solid on the mound, pitching 24.2 innings with a 2.25 ERA, 24 strikeouts, and four wins. Senior Seth Oakes contributed as well, logging 31.1 innings, recording 38 strikeouts, and securing five wins.
Jefferson Academy finished the regular season with a 12-12 overall record and went 6-8 in the 3A Metro League. Last year, the Jaguars entered the 3A Region 1 tournament as the No. 16 seed but were narrowly defeated by No. 17 Timnath in a 7-6 heartbreaker.
Seniors Austin Bauer, Riley Prevost, and Zane Riley lead the squad this season. Bauer leads with a .403 batting average and 25 hits. Prevost contributed with 19 hits, 17 runs, and eight doubles. Riley pulled in 15 RBIs while having a .952 fielding percentage.
Following the Game 1 matchup, No. 10 Elizabeth and No. 23 Liberty Common will take the field at 12:30 p.m. for Game 2.
Elizabeth enters the postseason with momentum, finishing the regular season with an impressive 18-5 overall record and 6-4 in the 4A/3A Colorado Springs Metro North League, a significant jump from last year’s 10-13 mark, when they went 5-5 in league play and missed the regional cut.
This season, the team is supported by a core of upperclassmen, with seniors Joey Dome and Cade Taylor emerging as key leaders. Dome has racked up 35 hits and 30 RBIs with .500 batting average, while Taylor leads the team with 30 runs scored and 10 doubles.
Liberty Common finished 8-14 overall and 2-8 in the 3A Patriot League, an improvement from last year’s 5-17, 2-11 record and looks to break their streak of missing the postseason.
Junior Bryson Weibler is a force on nearly all fronts, having the highest batting average of .468, 26 runs, 29 hits, 16 stolen bases, and four triples. Freshman Raphael McDonald has garnered 20 RBIs and eight doubles in his debut season. Senior Owen Hood is tied in second place for 16 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
The winners of Games 1 and 2 will advance to the regional championship round, where they will face off at 3 p.m. for a spot in the 8-team double-elimination 3A state tournament, held in Greeley at Butch Butler Field and University High School.
