The two-game aggregate margin of victory at last weekend's 2A-Region III Tournament, 128 to 69, pretty well sums up Ignacio's readiness to compete at this weekend's State Championships in Pueblo.

Both victories came at the expense of two of the Western Slope League's best teams; the Bobcats began with a 74-40 hammering of Hotchkiss and followed up the next afternoon pounding Paonia 54-29.

Neither contest was close as IHS improved to 21-2 with CSU-Pueblo's Massari Arena within sight.

Junior point guard Wyatt Hayes, possibly the best gunner in the state, knocked down four three-pointers for 12 of his team-high 27 points against HHS (he also booked eight steals and six assists), and he then posted 15 points (with 11 rebounds, nine thefts and seven helpers) against Paonia.

Senior forward Adison Jones totaled 25 points in the victories, and junior guard Anthony Manzanares was right behind with 24, having also put 15 on Paonia.

Awarded the #3 seed in the classification's 'Great Eight,' Ignacio was first to face 6-seed, Santa Fe League champions Rye (21-3) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday night inside CSU-Pueblo's Massari Arena. Results were unavailable before the Times went to print.

The winner advances to play in the 'Final Four' tonight at 5:30 p.m. against either defending state champions Sanford (24-0 going in) or #7 Holyoke (16-8), while Thursday's loser will play this afternoon at 1:15 p.m.

Also in this year's penultimate bracket are 1-seed Loveland Resurrection Christian (24-0), #4 Simla (22-2), #5 Meeker (22-1), and 8-seed Burlington (18-5).