Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Quinton Wiltbank backhands a return against Thatcher on April 8. The Morenci sophomore, as well as three other teammates, seek an initial singles win. The No. 2-ranked Eagles left Morenci with their fifth 9-0 win of the season. Morenci is at Safford on Tuesday, April 13, hosts Benson on Thursday, April 15, and Miami on Monday, April 19, and is at Duncan on April 20. Thatcher hosts Duncan on April 13 and visits Gilbert North American Leadership on Thursday, April 15, Gilbert Classical on April 19, and Safford on April 20.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Wildcats tennis boys fell by identical 0-9 scores to both Saint David (April 5) and Thatcher (April 8), along with 3-6 to Miami (April 6).
This week, Morenci is at Safford on Tuesday, April 13 and welcomes Benson on Thursday, April 15.
The other section member pairings are Duncan at Thatcher and Benson at Willcox on Tuesday; Miami at Safford on Wednesday, April 14; Thatcher at Gilbert North American Leadership and Willcox at Pima on Thursday; and Duncan at Willcox and Miami at Pima on Friday, April 16.
The remaining pairings are Miami at Morenci on April 19; Morenci at Duncan, Pima at Benson, Thatcher at Safford on April 20; and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic at Benson on April 21.
After four weeks of competition or April 10, Division III – Section I member standings are Thatcher first (4-0 section, 7-1 overall), Willcox second (4-1, 7-1), Pima third (3-3, 5-4), Safford third (3-1, 4-4), Benson fifth (1-2, 2-5), Morenci sixth (0-3, 0-6), and Duncan seventh (0-5, 0-6).
The end of week rankings for seven of the 49 Division III teams were Thatcher No. 2 (11.6678), Willcox No. 5 (9.1727 rating), Pima No. 20 (1.0053), Safford No. 27 (minus 1.5667), Benson No. 29 (minus 3.2454), Morenci No. 42 (minus 9.8562), and Duncan No. 44 (minus 10.6255).
No. 2 Thatcher Eagles
The Eagles are 42-6 in singles and 19-5 in doubles. Individually, senior Michael Greer is 8-0, senior Carson Turley 6-2, junior Carson Beals 6-2, sophomore Austin Haynie 7-1, senior Timmy Rubalcava 7-1, sophomore Hunter Sellers 3-0, and junior Derek Bierman 4-1.
In doubles, the Greer – Beals duo is 2-0, Greer – Turley 2-0, Turley – Beals 2-1, Greer – Bierman 4-0, Turley – Bierman 2-1, Beals – Bierman 0-1, Rubalcava – Haynie 7-1, and Beals – Sellers 1-0.
Thatcher’s wins are 9-0 over Safford (March 26), Pima (March 30), Miami (March 31), Benson (April 1), and Morenci (April 8); 8-1 over Chandler Prep (April 7); and 6-3 over Willcox (April 6). The loss was 2-7 to Gilbert-North American Leadership (March 29).
No. 5 Willcox Cowboys
The Cowboys are 40-8 in singles and 22-2 in doubles. Individually, senior Luke Kauffman is 5-2, freshman Jacob Kauffman 8-0, junior Hunter Childers 7-0, senior Marcus Barba 7-1, junior Ryan McClaine 7-1, senior Carson Shannon 5-3, and senior Conrad Jasso 1-1.
In doubles, the Kauffman – Kauffman duo is 7-0, Childers – Barba 6-1, Shannon – McClain 6-1, Jacob Kauffman – Jasso 1-0, Barba – Shannon 1-0, and McClain – Jasso 1-0.
Willcox has 9-0 wins over Benson (March 16), Morenci (March 30), Duncan (April 8), and Safford (April 9); 8-1 wins over Safford (March 25) and Pima (March 26); and a 7-2 win over Saint David (March 23). The loss was 3-6 to Thatcher (April 6).
No. 20 Pima Roughriders
The Roughriders are 30-24 in singles and 14-13 in doubles. Individually, senior Keanu Hansen is 2-7, sophomore Leland Thompson 5-4, junior Owen Lunt 6-3, junior Calin Paull 5-4, senior Dallin Preston 3-2, sophomore Carter Bryce 5-4, sophomore Dillon McCray 1-1, and sophomore Tucker Wilkerson 3-0.
In doubles, the Hansen – Thompson duo is 4-4, Lunt – Preston 3-1, Paull – Bryce 3-1, Lunt – Paull 1-1, Bryce – McCray 1-1, Hansen – Paull 0-1, Thompson – Lunt 0-1, and Bryce – Wilkerson 1-2.
Wins for Pima have been 9-0 over Morenci (April 1); 8-1 over Tombstone (March 25), Duncan (April 6), and Miami (April 9); and 7-2 over Duncan (April 2). The losses are 3-6 to Safford (April 8); 1-8 to Saint David (March 22) and Willcox (March 26); and 0-9 to Thatcher (March 30).
No. 27 Safford Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are 22-26 in singles and 10-14 in doubles. Individually, senior Grant Smith is 3-5, senior Emanuel Torres 4-4, senior Jacob Curtis 1-3, sophomore Doyle Cluff 4-4, senior Joseph Pace 2-5, freshman Kody Guylas 5-3, and freshman Thomas Biggs 3-2.
In doubles, the Smith – Torres duo is 2-3, Cluff – Pace 2-3, Curtis – Cluff 1-2, Pace – Guylas 2-1, and Guylas – Biggs 2-3.
Safford has wins of 9-0 over Morenci (March 23), 8-1 over Duncan (April 1), 6-3 over Pima (April 8), and 5-4 over Benson (April 6). The losses are 3-6 to Benson (March 29); 1-8 to Willcox (March 25); and 0-9 to Thatcher (March 26) and Willcox (April 9).
No. 29 Benson Bobcats
Bobcats are 13-25 in singles and 7-12 in doubles. Individually, senior Liam Galloway-Sprietsma is 2-4, senior Camden Waite 3-4, sophomore Scott Lutz 3-4, sophomore Conner Curtis 2-4, freshman Aubry Harris 2-4, and senior Adam McBride 2-4.
In doubles, Sprietsma – Waite is 2-3, Lutz – Curtis 3-2, Harris – McBride 2-3, Waite – Lutz 0-1, Harris – Sprietsma 0-2, and McBride – Curtis 0-1.
Benson has wins of 9-0 over Duncan (March 30) and 6-3 over Safford (March 29). The losses are 4-5 to Safford (April 7); 1-8 to Saint David (April 8); 0-3 to Tucson Desert Christian (March 18); and 0-9 to Willcox (March 16) and Thatcher (April 1).
No. 42 Morenci Wildcats
The Wildcats are 2-34 in singles and 1-17 in doubles. Individually, sophomore Jarel Diaz is 1-5, sophomore Quinton Wiltbank 0-6, senior Jayden Yazzie 0-6, sophomore Joshua Biggs 0-6, senior Alfredo Vigil 1-5, and freshman Ryan Biggs 0-6.
In doubles, the Diaz – Wiltbank duo is 0-6, Yazzie – Josh Biggs 0-6, and Ryan Biggs – Vigil 1-5.
Morenci has lost 3-6 to Miami (April 6); and 0-9 to Safford (March 23), Willcox (March 30), Pima (April 1), Saint David (April 5), and Thatcher (April 8).
No. 44 Duncan Wildkats
The Wildkats are 3-33 in singles and 1-17 in doubles, including forfeits in 12 singles and six doubles. Senior Nathan Kempton is 3-3, sophomore Logan Basteen 0-6, sophomore Bryant Rapier 0-6, and freshman Cutter Scarsella 0-6.
In doubles, the Kempton – Basteen duo is 1-5 and Rapier – Scarsella 0-6.
Duncan has losses of 2-7 to Pima (April 2); 1-8 to Safford (April 1) and Pima (April 6); and 0-9 to Saint David (March 26), Benson (March 30), and Willcox (April 8).
Thatcher – 9, Morenci – 0
The first five singles players each notched 8-0 wins over the Wildcats, No. 1 Greer, No. 2 Turley, No. 3 Beals, No. 4 Haynie, and No. 5 Rubalcava over Diaz, Wiltbank, Yazzie, Josh Biggs, and Vigil, respectively. Sellers defeated Ryan Biggs in the No. 6 slot.
The No. 1 Greer – Turley duo defeated Diaz – Wiltbank 8-1, the No. 2 Beals – Sellers duo defeated Yazzie – Josh Biggs 8-2, and the No. 3 Rubalcava – Haynie duo defeated Vigil – Ryan Biggs 8-3.
Miami – 6, Morenci – 3
Three Wildcats recorded the teams’ initial two singles and doubles wins of the season, and of their personal careers.
Diaz posted a 10-7 third set win to take the pairing 2-1, having won the second set 6-2. Miami junior Joseph Dominguez won the first set 7-5. Vigil topped Miami sophomore Corey Harrison in two sets (6-1, 6-0).
The Vigil – Ryan Biggs duo prevailed 8-3 over Harrison – sophomore Jaykob Armenta.
Miami No. 2 sophomore Eric Troglia, No. 3 sophomore Dylan Mancha, No. 4 sophomore Robert Day, and No. 6 Armenta defeated Wiltbank (6-0, 6-2), Yazzie (6-1, 6-0), Josh Biggs (6-2, 7-6), and Ryan Biggs (6-1, 6-0), respectively.
The Dominguez – Troglia and Mancha – Day duos downed Diaz – Wiltbank and Yazzie – Josh Biggs 8-3 and 8-6, respectively.
Saint David – 9, Morenci – 0
The No. 1 through No. 5 singles players each notched 8-0 wins over the Wildcats, No. 1 senior Jordan Merrill, No. 2 junior Kaden Watts, No. 3 sophomore Merek Haynie, No. 4 sophomore Brayden Trejo, and No. 5 sophomore Kydin Richardson over Diaz, Wiltbank, Yazzie, Josh Biggs, and Vigil, respectively. Sophomore Regan Young defeated Ryan Biggs 8-2 at No. 6.
In doubles, Merrill – Watts, Haynie – Trejo, and Richardson – Young downed Diaz – Wiltbank (8-0), Yazzie – Josh Biggs (8-2), and Vigil – Ryan Biggs (8-1), respectively.
