Ninety readers participated in this year’s Newton Daily News Bracket Challenge, hosted by the newsroom staff. And, after the completion of the second and third rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, 88 of them are still mathematically in the hunt for one of the three cash prizes.
Going into this week’s Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games, which begin Thursday, this is the current leaderboard.
1. 51 pts. — Doug Bronner
2. 50 pts. — Dave Zellinger
3. 49 pts. — Sailor Blu Bronner, Steve Holwerda
5. 48 pts. — Dave DeBruyn
6. 47 pts. — Norman Dille, Dale Raridon
8. 46 pts. — Carrie Baird, Isaac Bebout, Michael Bradley, Rick Raridon, James Spencer, Craig Weston, Bob Vander Veer
15. 45 pts. — nine others
24. 44 pts. — nine others
33. 43 pts. — 14 others
47. 42 pts. — 10 others
57. 41 pts. — 11 others
68. 40 pts. — eight others
76. 39 pts. — two others
78. 38 pts. — six others
84. 37 pts. — two others
86. 35 pts. — one other
87. 34 pts. — two others
89. 31 pts. — one other (mathematically eliminated)
90. 12 pts. — one other (mathematically eliminated)