Don Ketchum
Former Staff Writer, AZPreps365.com

Spring sports tournaments already in full bloom

February 19, 2012 by Don Ketchum, AZPreps365


While the state basketball tournaments continue this week and wrap up on Feb. 25 (Saturday), spring sports “preseason’’ tournaments are on the schedule, primarily baseball and softball in Phoenix, the northwest, northeast and southwest Valley.

Schools in the northern part of the state should start appearing on the schedule once the weather improves and the ground thaws out.

Here is a quick look at this week’s spring slate . . .

Baseball

*Paradise Valley Preseason at Phoenix Paradise Valley and Phoenix Cortez. Feb. 22-27. Teams: Phoenix Cortez, Phoenix Paradise Valley, Tempe, Phoenix Washington.

*Falcon Invitational at Fountain Hills Middle School. Feb. 22-25. Teams: Phoenix Bourgade Catholic, Camp Verde, Fountain Hills, Holbrook, Phoenix Northwest Christian, Payson, Queen Creek San Tan Foothills, Winslow.

*Adam Donnenfield Tournament at Phoenix Brophy Prep and Chandler Basha. Feb. 22-25. Teams: Chandler Basha, Phoenix Brophy Prep, Chandler, Tempe Corona del Sol, Yuma Gila Ridge, Yuma Kofa, Phoenix North Canyon, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor, Chandler Seton Catholic, Tucson.

*Scottsdale Invitational at Scottsdale Chaparral and Scottsdale Desert Mountain. Feb. 22-March 3. Teams: Scottsdale Chaparral, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Mesa Desert Ridge, Gilbert, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, Scottsdale Saguaro.

Flagstaff Coconino, Glendale Copper Canyon, Goodyear Desert Edge, Mesa Dobson, Glendale Ironwood, Kingman, Avondale La Joya, Glendale Raymond S. Kellis, Phoenix Sierra Linda, Tolleson, Buckeye Verrado, Avondale Westview, Surprise Willow Canyon.

*Universal Athletic Supply Tournament at Glendale Apollo and Goodyear Desert Edge. Feb. 22-26. Teams: Avondale Agua Fria, Glendale Apollo, Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain.

*Big League Dugout Preseason Tournament at Phoenix Horizon and Anthem Boulder Creek. Feb. 22-March 3. Teams: Anthem Boulder Creek, Phoenix Horizon, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, Phoenix Pinnacle, Phoenix Shadow Mountain.

*101 Classic at Glendale Deer Valley and Peoria Liberty. Feb. 22-March 3. Teams: Peoria Centennial, Glendale Deer Valley, Peoria Liberty, Tempe Marcos de Niza, Goodyear Millennium, Glendale Mountain Ridge.

*Laveen Baseball Classic at Laveen Betty H. Fairfax and Phoenix Alhambra. Feb. 22-25. Teams: Phoenix Alhambra, Tucson Amphitheater, Laveen Betty H. Fairfax, Buckeye, Sierra Vista Buena, Phoenix Camelback, Gilbert Campo Verde, Phoenix Carl Hayden, Laveen Cesar Chavez, Scottsdale Coronado, Douglas, Phoenix Maryvale, Phoenix North, Queen Creek, Phoenix St. Mary’s, San Luis, Phoenix South Mountain, Phoenix Trevor Browne, Mesa Westwood, Buckeye Youngker.

Softball

*Independence Invitational at Glendale Independence. Feb. 22-25. Teams: Avondale Agua Fria, Glendale Apollo, Phoenix Arcadia, Phoenix Barry Goldwater, Glendale Independence, Phoenix Maryvale, Phoenix Trevor Browne, Phoenix Washington.

*Peoria/Universal Athletic Tournament at Glendale Cactus and Peoria Centennial. Feb. 22-25. Teams: Glendale Cactus, Gilbert Campo Verde, Casa Grande, Peoria Centennial, Glendale Ironwood, Peoria Liberty, Goodyear Millennium, Cottonwood Mingus, Phoenix Moon Valley, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, Peoria, Glendale Raymond S. Kellis, Tucson Sabino, Phoenix St. Mary’s, Surprise Shadow Ridge, Peoria Sunrise Mountain, Phoenix Thunderbird, Buckeye Verrado, Yuma.

Tennis

Kiwanis Tournament at Paseo Racquet Center, Glendale. Feb. 24-25. Teams: Phoenix Barry Goldwater, Anthem Boulder Creek, Phoenix Brophy Prep, Phoenix Camelback, Peoria Centennial, Goodyear Desert Edge, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Phoenix Desert Vista, Chandler Hamilton, Phoenix Horizon, Glendale Ironwood, Kingman, Lake Havasu, Tempe Marcos de Niza, Gilbert Mesquite, Cottonwood Mingus, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, Glendale Mountain Ridge, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, Mesa Red Mountain, Scottsdale Saguaro, Phoenix Trevor Browne.