We can learn a lot from Amphitheater's Marie Nzeyimana
Tucson Catalina Foothills wrapped up another perfect regular season Thursday night with a 7-1 win at rival Division II power Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge. At 14-0 overall and 8-0 in Section V, the Falcons have only given up 10 points all year but only three since March 9.
Based only on games that matter, Tucson Salpointe is the top-ranked D-II team with an 11-1 record in power-rankings games and a 7-0 record in Section VI battles. The Lancers can clinch a section title if the beat Tucson Catalina Foothills (3-8, 2-2) next Monday or if Ironwood Ridge (11-3, 4-2) and Canyon del Oro (9-3, 5-2) both lose before that.
The state playoffs for individual and doubles are scheduled to start next Friday, Apr. 24 while the team portion is set for the following Wednesday, Apr. 29.
16 teams will qualify from each of the three divisions with the top two teams from each section earning an automatic berth.
Baseball: Spotlight on Division II section races
Boys Volleyball: Ironwood Ridge defeats Canyon del Oro to remain undefeated with the grandfather of boy;s volleyball in the stands.
Cole Kowalski arrived on the Tucson Catalina campus one year after the Trojans won their second straight Division II boy's volleyball state championship. It was the spring of 2012 and the freshman setter and found himself on a team without all-state players Ryan Graham, Josh DeYoung, Lorenzo Gonzales, Ethan Mangosing and his brother Cooper Kowalski.
Here is the list of athletes from Arizona who have a time that qualifies for a top-three spot nationally.
Baseball: Amphitheater's Devon Pilgrim leads off the spring signing period
Oro Valley Pusch Ridge defeated St. David 19-4 Wednesday night in a five-inning game featuring two Southern Arizona Division IV powers. As the score might indicate, most of the runs were unearned.
Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge baseball coach Dennis Toia earned his 100th career victory Monday night with a 9-2 win over Tucson Pueblo at home.
Softball: Ironwood Ridge gets past Red Mountain 10-0, rankings coming soon
Bishop Gorman defeated Tucson 5-1.
Chris Moon was the consensus 2007 Southern Arizona baseball player of the year. The Tucson High pitcher/outfielder got the attention of the Atlanta Braves and was drafted in the 35th round.
Moon chose to play for the University of Arizona instead and signed up with Andy Lopez that fall. It was that class of commitments that eventually won the NCAA championship for the Wildcats in 2012 but Moon would not be one of them.
The Rangers visited Section III favorite Tucson (4-1, 0-1) on Tuesday night in an important divisional match with early ranking implications with Tucson coming out on top 3-1 ( 19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-20).
Legendary St. David coach Jim Crawford passes away at the age of 85
Session two of the Willie Williams Track & Field Classic is in the books and 13 high school events were decided along with the prelims of several running and relay events. A few college events were also decided at the University of Arizona Drachman Stadium because the meet is composed of both high school and collegiate competition.
The 8th Annual Salpointe Lancer Baseball Classic is taking place this week at the Reid Park Complex in midtown Tucson. Besides teams from all over Arizona, squads from Oklahoma, Texas and California are also taking part.
Sand volleyball: Chaparral over Salpointe in first-ever meeting
Gilbert Perry defeated Gilbert at the Chandler Wolf Howl Tourney a week ago and Gilbert returned the favor Saturday to win the championship of the Tucson Catalina Foothills Invite.
After a generation of frustration, it appears the Nogales softball program is on the verge of breaking through. The Apaches recorded 20 wins in 2013 and finished with 25 last year after making it to the second round of the Division III state playoffs for the first time in school history.
Four teams from last year's state quarterfinals of the Division I boy's volleyball playoffs are playing in the Catalina Foothills Invitational this weekend and state runner-up Mesa is one of them. Chandler Hamilton, Gilbert Perry and Gilbert are the other three
The Tucson Lady Badgers are hosting the last softball invitational of the season comprised of "big schools" from Southern Arizona and it looks like the top teams will not be decided until pool play is over
SOFTBALL: Three Arizona standouts named to MaxPreps Preseason All-American Team
Tucson Salpointe defeated Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge 7-2 Monday to remain undefeated in one of the most difficult early-season schedules in boy's tennis.
1881 articles by Andy Morales