Rancho Solano Prep advanced to its fifth state championship game in the last seven year after defeating Arizona Lutheran Academy 54-47 Friday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

“It was gritty,” Rancho Solano coach Aaron Trigg said. “It was tough. We knew we had to compete to be the tougher team, and that’s not easy against Arizona Lutheran.”

Rancho Solano led for most of the game and never trailed in the second half, but ALA was never too far behind.

ALA came close to taking the lead in the fourth period thanks to Luis Guerrero. A layup by the senior point guard, followed by an and-1 attempt as he was falling down with 2:09 remaining, left his team trailing 48-45. Guerrero missed the free throw on the and-1 but followed his miss and then wisely threw the ball off a Rancho Solano player.

On the ensuing inbound’s play, Guerrero’s hustle was rewarded with an assist to his team’s post threat Noah Draper.

The score was 48-47 with 1:51 remaining at that point, but that’s as close as ALA (27-4) would get. ALA defeated Rancho Solano in last year's 2A state tournament.

Guerrero and Draper each had 16 points for ALA. Aidan Mushsahwar (10 points), Jake Miller (11 points) and Sagith Vargas (17 points) each scored in double figures for Rancho Solano (24-5).

“They are hungry,” said Trigg about his team. “This group in the locker room hasn’t won a title yet.”

San Tan Charter advances to first title game

Phoenix Christian gave the San Tan Charter Roadrunners their first close battle since late December, but the Roadrunners still prevailed, 55-39, Friday to advance to their first title game.

“They (Phoenix Christian) took our shooter (freshman leading scorer Peyton Lubash) out of the game,” San Tan Charter coach said Kyli Crooms said. “But the other boys were able to step up for us, especially Zaire Richardson. He stepped in and hit a bunch of big shots and took over the game.”

Richardson scored a game high 17 points and set the tone in the second half.

The junior scored five of his team’s first seven points in the third quarter, including a three-point play to put his team up 23-14. On their next possession, the Roadrunners’ Kylen Bonner hit a three to give his team a 12 point lead.

“I just had to remind my teammates to keep their heads up, keep going and we are all family,” Richardson said. “We all picked each other up, and we just continued to have a great game, kept shooting, played defense, and stayed strong.”

Jace Hagen and Bryce Anderson scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, for 24-4 Phoenix Christian. 

San Tan Charter (28-3) will play Rancho Solano Prep in Saturday’s 2A final for the first time this season.

"This is what we've been working for since last year, being the No. 1 seed and getting knocked out in the Elite 8," Crooms said. "Now we get a chance to redeem ourselves."

San Tan Charter is returning to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday to see if it can win its final game of the year. (Jose Garcia photo/azpreps365)

Miami keeps impressing

The Miami Vandals’ comeback story continues.

On Friday, the program advanced to its first state title game since 1987 after defeating 2A power Pima 56-30 at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.

“This means a lot,” Miami coach Crystal Pietila said. “These girls just work hard every single day, they put trust in each other and in the coaching process. To have everyone all in and to do these things is amazing.”

What makes it even more special for Pietila is that two of her daughters, Tamia and Savannah, are on her 24-5 squad this season.

Tamia tallied 21 points, and one of the other team’s MVPs, Demetria Dosela, scored 11 of her 22 points Friday in the first quarter, when Miami opened with a 20-5 lead.

Since taking over three seasons ago, Pietila and her staff are 64-9. Miami finished 1-12 during the pandemic in 2021.

Pietila, who has won more than 300 games, used to coach at San Carlos, her alma mater. San Carlos reached this season’s 2A state semifinals.

Pietila is scheduled to be interviewed Saturday at 9:30 during the azpreps365 Morning Show on 1580 AM The Fanatic.

On Friday, Miami advanced to final for the first time in a long time. (Jose Garcia photo/azpreps365)

Phoenix Country Day to defend title

Phoenix Country Day will defend its 2A title Saturday after defeating San Carlos 63-38 Friday in their 2A semifinal game.

“Before the game (semifinal), we were just excited and nervous,” PCD's Aila Kaibara said. “But right now we are ready for it (final). I feel we displayed our talent. Last year we had more of a veteran team, with three seniors who started. But everyone is stepping up this year. So we are all excited and ready to go.”

San Carlos (26-4) trailed 28-15 at halftime, but a basket in the paint by Kylee Juan cut PCD’s lead to 10 (31-21) early in the third.

Kaibara and PCD’s other leader, the versatile Olivia Owens, however, made sure it remained a double digit lead. A Kaibara three, Owens steal and Kaibara assist to Madison Gordon on an inbounds play handed PCD a 36-21 advantage with 3:40 remaining in the third.

Gordon then followed with another PCD three. Kaibara capped the quarter with a three-point opportunity with .4 left, giving her 25-3 squad a 19 point lead.

Page is making return appearance to the finals

Celeste Claw won a state title at Page as a player in 2012.

On Saturday, she’ll get her first chance to experience a title victory as Page’s coach after her Sand Devils defeated Chinle 47-37 Friday in the semifinals.

“I’m excited for the girls,” Claw said. “Honestly, it’s all about them doing the work. For them to be able to learn throughout the year and to feel the pressure of this environment, it’s exciting. I am more excited for them then I am for myself.”

Part of that environment includes a big and loud crowd.

It was something Page was familiar with in the postseason but not so the last two years during second round playoff exits. The Sand Devils returned to a final for the first time since 2021, when the program capped a six-year title appearance run in seven years.

Leikara Yazzie’s low post presence was a big factor in Friday’s victory. So to was the play of Alyssa Harris (11 points) and LeLaura Yazzie (3 threes in the fourth quarter).