Hungry to improve upon the lessons learned eagerly last spring, the ‘Cats are slated to welcome Class 3A squads Buena Vista (10-10 in ’15) and Salida (11-8), as well as 2A’s Hotchkiss, Cedaredge (9-11) and 2A/1A San Juan Basin League nemesis Dolores (8-9, 5-4 SJBL), with pool-play action to begin at 11 a.m. at SunUte Field and the revamped IHS Field.

Ignacio (6-13, 3-6 SJBL in ’15) will open Pool A at IHS Field against SHS, with the Spartans then facing Hotchkiss about 1 p.m. before the ‘Cats and Bulldogs square off around 3 p.m.. Ranked No. 3 in the preseason CHSAANow.com poll on March 7, Hotchkiss went 21-3 last year, advancing all the way to the Class 2A state tournament’s “Final Four” before losing by a run to eventual state champions Rye in Pueblo.

The ‘Dogs ended IHS’ season with a 14-0 win at the District 2 Tournament in Delta.

Pool B at SunUte will start with DHS battling BVHS, followed by CHS-BVHS and Dolores-Cedaredge.

The Day 2 itinerary will begin with the third-place teams in each pool going head-to-head at 11 a.m., followed by the second-placers’ engagement at 1 p.m. and the first-placers’ clash for the title at 3.