Vote now for best high school mascot in America, Elite 8: Rocky Ford Meloneers vs. Tillamook Cheesemakers

Rocky Ford (Colorado) is the 2 seed and Tillamook (Oregon) is the 9 seed in the South region

The Elite Eight is upon us in SBLive Sports' NCAA Tournament-style contest to determine the best high school mascot in America.

Vote below for the No. 2-seeded Rocky Ford Meloneers (Colorado) or the No. 9-seeded Tillamook Cheesemakers (Oregon) to advance to the Final Four. The Meloneers beat the Clayton Valley Charter Ugly Eagles (California) and the Cheesemakers topped the Punxsutawney Chucks (Pennsylvania) in the Sweet 16.

The Meloneers earned a 2 seed by piling up 16,441 votes in our fall contests, while the Cheesemakers earned a 9 seed with 63 votes.

Follow along: National Mascot Tournament 2023 Bracket

Voting for this matchup will conclude Wednesday, May 31, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

Editor's note: In the event of a tie, the team with the better seed will prevail based on the results of our fall mascot contest.

2. Rocky Ford Meloneers (Colorado)

From the city’s website: “From the start, melons were the staple of Rocky Ford. Today, Rocky Ford cantaloupes and watermelons have fans worldwide, thanks to the Arkansas Valley’s dramatic temperature swings from day to night (the greatest disparity in the country) that encourage the melons to sweeten. Lucille Ball was reportedly such a fan she had Rocky Ford melons delivered to her dressing room.” 

9. Tillamook Cheesemakers (Oregon)

Located just off the coast in the Pacific Northwest, Tillamook High School paid homage to the famous cheese company based out of the city.