After scoring a three-peat in the inaugural years of the Hopelink Can Madness competitive food drive, Hancock’s Bakery of Redmond has struggled to make it back to the top spot. But this year – the seventh of the tournament – they’re back in full force; advancing to the finale and gunning for their fourth overall championship.

Meanwhile, a first-year team from the City of Redmond is hoping to knock off their cross-town rival and become the first rookie competitor to win it all in their first year since Hancock’s claimed the title in 2010.

During the fourth week of the competition, Hancock’s Bakery defeated Bellevue’s WG Cells, while the City of Redmond knocked off defending champion Xtreme Consulting Group, Inc. from Kirkland to advance to the final.

Last week, the four finalists brought in more than 15,000 pounds of food and nearly $4,000 – bringing the tournament total so far to 41,066 pounds of food and $16,160.

The winner will be announced following the final weigh-in on April 1.

The annual drive to stock Hopelink food banks is patterned after the national spring college basketball tournament, matching businesses in weekly competitions to see which can bring in the most food. Teams are bracketed together in pairs and one winner from each two-member bracket advances to the following week.