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Tourney time
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Photo courtesy of Painted Barn Media Kingston Judkins and the Eastside Bulldogs enter the District 2 boys tournament this week undefeated. The D2 tourney will be played at Centertown.

Elementary champions will be crowned this week as the 4-6 grade leagues enter postseason play. Brackets in both District 1 and District 2 feature unbeaten top seeds as favorites, but all it takes is one good night as both leagues will play single-elimination tournaments for the championship.

In District 1, Hickory Creek is the unofficial host in more ways than one. The school is over the proceedings this week, although all games will be played at Bobby Ray. The Hawks and Lady Hawks will also be the home teams throughout the tourney by virtue of being the top seeds.

Both Hickory Creek teams completed perfect regular season Friday night, though there was some drama for the Hawks. It went right down to the wire at Irving College, but a clutch late 3-pointer by Aiden van Vuuren and ice in the veins of Case Simpson and Austin Breedlove at the free-throw line pushed the Hawks to a 35-34 victory.

The Tigers, 5-3 this season, now enter the tourney as a dangerous No. 2 seed that can rely on dynamic guard Eastlan Green (16 points Friday) and the emerging Mikey Fults (13 points against the Hawks).

For the Lady Hawks, Kinsley Simpson's 20-point night against Irving College Friday powered Hickory Creek to a 28-16 victory and unblemished regular season. Hickory Creek won all its games this year by double figures and will be looking to keep rolling this Tuesday when it starts tourney play.

Over in District 2, the Eastside Bulldogs and Centertown Lady Warriors are the teams to beat. 

The Bulldogs have a deep and talented roster that went 6-0 this season, including last Tuesday's 31-11 smashing of Morrison. Eastside can run the table if it wins back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday at Centertown.

The Lady Warriors also relied on a true team effort to go 5-0 this year (their final regular season game won't be played until after the tourney is over). The Centertown girls will get the added benefit of being at home throughout the District 2 tourney as well.

The full tourney bracket for both districts can be found below and box scores from last week's games are on 2B.

Winners of this week's district tournaments are set to meet in the County Championship Friday, Nov. 18. Follow the Standard this week for the latest coverage of the elementary tourneys.