As the county's basketball and wrestling teams spent the past week trying to stay alive in the postseason, the Keys' baseball teams each got their preseasons underway.

On the hardwood, the Marathon boys finished the week as the only remaining basketball team still competing for a state championship. The Dolphins successfully defended their home court to capture the District 16-2A championship Saturday night with a 58-51 win over Westwood Christian. Marathon will open the state playoffs Thursday night at home with a regional quarterfinal against Dade Christian, which incidentally is the same opponent and the same site of the Dolphins' last state playoff game four seasons ago.

"We knew going into the season that it was probably going to come down to us and Westwood," said Marathon coach Kevin Freeman, who is preparing for his second playoff appearance in his seven seasons at the helm. "Our first goal was to win the No. 1 seed for districts, which we did, and I told them after the game that our second goal is now over. It's do or die now. I think they're happy, but they're not satisfied."

After Saturday's win, the Dolphins doused their coach with the ice cooler.

"I wasn't expecting it, but it felt good," Freeman said. "At least until I stepped outside later."

If the Dolphins needed any reason not to overlook Dade Christian, they can go back to that game four years ago. The Crusaders, runners-up in District 15, knocked Marathon out of the playoffs in the first round that season.

The Key West and Coral Shores basketball teams saw their seasons come to a close in their district tournaments.

The Conchs got out of the first round for the first time in five seasons, but ran into top-seed Miami Norland in the semifinals, and the Vikings made it a perfect 3-for-3 against Key West this season with a 67-43 win. The loss ended the Conchs' season at 11-11.

Much like in Norland's previous two wins over the Conchs, which were by an average of 25.5 points, the Vikings kept feeding the ball down low to 6-foot-7, 195-pound senior power forward Marvin Baynham.

"He took care of business," Conchs coach Paul Davis said of Baynham. "They were just bigger, stronger and too powerful to overcome."

Keith Valdez led Key West with 16 points. Clive Georges scored eight, Nick Scammacca added seven, and Irekaz Womack finished with four.

The loss ended the Key West careers of seniors Scammacca, Womack, Peralt Annulysse, Robert Hughey and Justin Reyes.

Davis said he will look to get the team on a regular training program during the offseason to come back bigger and stronger next winter.

"These young guys know what they need to do now to play on this level," the coach said.

Coral Shores' season ended Tuesday in the first round of the District 16-3A with a 74-47 loss to St. Brendan. The Hurricanes finished their 2009-10 campaign 2-13.

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The Key West High wrestling team continued to excel during the postseason, as the Conchs placed eight matsmen into the 1A State Championships and returned home as the Region 4-1A runner-ups.

Despite not having any individual wrestlers claim a Regional championship, the Conchs were able to have three members earn the runner-up title in their respective weight class.

Max Llama (119 pounds), Ryu Wada (135) and Paul Leatherwood (215) all finish the meet in second overall, and according to coach Chaz Jimenez, the trio was close to claiming their Regional Championships.

"All three of those kids were close to getting it done," said Jimenez. "Max just got caught in a move, but there's no doubt he is the better wrestler. He'll beat that kid nine times out of ten, he just went for a move and got rolled up, but that's what happens sometimes when you go for a move.

"Paul had a really tough match. It really was a heartbreaker. He was up against the No. 1 kid in the state, again, who he had lost to by a point earlier this year. This time, Paul was up by a point in the third period and was taken down with about ten seconds left, so he ended up losing by one point, once again. But now, Paul, Max and Ryu should be set up good at States.

"Randy (McPhee) also wrestled really well, as did Fyrland (Sanon). Fyrland had to make his way through the wrestle back side of the bracket and he was able to still make it in."

Now the wrestlers that qualified will travel to the Lakeland Center to compete on Friday and Saturday in the 1A State meet. Jimenez said there will be a good chance for a few of his matsmen to place in meet.

"Fyrland, Randy, and of course Max, Paul and Ryu all have a shot," said Jimenez. "All the kids that made it in have a shot, but it really comes down to how the brackets play out. On Monday, we will get our first look at the seeding and we'll see what they can do in the tournament. I just think the boys will be confident going into the meet."

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While the winter sports were wrapping up, the county's baseball teams took to the field for their preseason openers.

Key West and Coral Shores opened the preseason in the four team Key West Classic.

The Conchs, who finished the two-day event 1-1, bounced back from a Saturday afternoon 3-1 loss to Atlantic to take a 5-2 win over Southridge in the finale. Senior Nolan Thomas took a no-hitter into the seventh to highlight the win over the Spartans.

Conchs coach Miguel Menendez said he wasn't surprised by Thomas' performance on the mound.

"I knew he had that type of potential," the coach said. "He's capable of being a quality, dominant high school pitcher. I know when he throws strikes he's going to do a good job, and he did a great job (Saturday night)."

The Conchs got some bad news before Saturday's rain-delayed opener when shortstop Michael Abreu suffered an ankle injury during pregame warmups. Abreu, who played just one inning over the weekend, could miss up to six weeks.

Third baseman Johnny Monsalvatge had a strong varsity debut for Key West, reaching base in five of his six plate appearances over the weekend. He hit three singles, reached on an error and was hit by a pitch.

In Saturday's opener against Atlantic, despite the loss, the Conchs got some encouraging signs from their young pitching staff. J.P. Malott started and went four innings, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts. He was relieved by Colby Saunders, who went three innings and allowed no earned runs on three hits with one strikeout.

Coral Shores finished the Classic 0-2 with losses to Southridge and Atlantic.

Key West and Coral Shores will each be back at Rex Weech Field on Thursday for the start of the six-team Bash on the Beach regular season opening tournament.

The Hurricanes will open Thursday at 1 p.m. against Braddock, while the Conchs will host Gulliver at 8 p.m. Also competing in the three-day tournament, which will have a home run derby Friday night, are Chaminade-Madonna and Sagemont.

Marathon opened the preseason at home with a 12-2 home win over Woodhaven.

Jake Sjursen highlighted the win by going 4-for-4 at the plate with three home runs and a double for 8 RBI. Shortstop Tyler Roussin also had a hot bat, going 2-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBI.

On the mound for the Dolphins, Matt McKeon tossed five innings, allowing five hits with eight strikeouts. Luis Gonzalez closed out the game by retiring three of the four batters he saw in the sixth inning.

"They exceeded my expectations," Marathon coach Luis Leal said about his team, which had 16 hits in the win. "Woodhaven wasn't that bad, I just haven't seen us play this well in a long time."

Marathon will host Ransom Everglades on Tuesday at 8 p.m. to open the regular season.