The Montezuma-Cortez High School softball team is en route to Aurora for its state 3A championship. The team left at 9 a.m. Thursday for the eight-hour drive.
The team, seeded No. 15 in the 3A tournament, will play its first game against No. 2 Eaton High School at 12:15 p.m. Friday.
The team received gift bags prepared by parents containing a customized water bottle, cupcake and other items.
First-year coach Brittney Whiteman led the team to a 13-9 record and the team’s first appearance in the tournament since 2010. Before then, M-CHS had appeared in the 2003 tournament, when Whiteman was a player on the team.
The softball team was escorted down Main Street by two police cars as it left town, joined by a stream of drivers honking their car horns. Before the players left, parents celebrated the team’s achievements with photos, words of advice and a surprise silly string attack.
