Morenci lands eight softball All-Region honors
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI—In third place in the South Region, Morenci listed eight players on the 2025 softball honor teams, including the region’s defensive player-of-the-year.
Region champion Tombstone landed eight players, five first team and three second team; runner-up Willcox 10, five first team, four second team, and one honorable mention; fourth place Benson nine, four first team, three second team, and two honorable mention; fifth place Bisbee 11, three first and second team, and five honorable mention; sixth place Tucson Desert Christian six, two each on first team, second team and honorable mention; seventh place Tucson saint Augustine Catholic two honorable mention; and Tucson Santa Rita two honorable mention.
The Joseph Garcia-coached 2A South Region Wildcats (17-12 overall, 11-7 seeding, 5-3 region for third of nine) averaged an 11-7 (320-196) score per game or a 4-run margin through 29 games.
Senior pitcher Cameryn Woodall (3), junior infielder Jaliyah Hernandez (14), and sophomore infielder Tiara Jones (15) were selected to the 22-member 2A South Region First Team; junior pitcher Shaylee Wichman (13), sophomore catcher Kieralyn Madrigal (6), and sophomore outfielder Mayeli Salazar (5) to the 18-member Second Team. Both sophomore Malina Martinez (7/4) and freshman Ava Basteen (1) were on the 16-member Honorable Mention list.
In the circle, Woodall notched a 2.76 earned run average, yielded 41 earned runs of 82 scored, allowed a .209 (87-416) batting average, struck out 159, walked 39, and grazed six while facing 466 batters during 104 innings requiring 1,622 pitches.
Woodall batted .457 (42-92) with 39 RBIs, 15 doubles, three triples, and five home runs, struck out 14 times, walked 14 times, and was grazed seven times; Hernandez batted .583 (49-84) with 53 RBIs, 21 doubles, and three home runs, struck out eight times, walked 21 times, and was grazed four times; and Jones batted .443 (43-97) with 50 RBIs, nine doubles, a triple, and 15 home runs, struck out 24 times, walked 10 times, and was grazed thrice.
Wichman batted .405 (34-84) with 19 RBIs, 16 doubles, and a triple, struck out 17 times, walked 17 times, and was grazed once; Madrigal batted .561 (55-98) with 33 RBIs, 15 doubles, two triples, and a home run, struck out five times, and walked six times; and Salazar batted .333 (25-75) with 18 RBIs, nine doubles, a triple, and a home run, struck out 11 times, walked 22 times, and was grazed five times.
Martinez batted .362 (29-80) with 33 RBIs, five doubles, two home runs, struck out 17 times, walked 12 times, and was grazed twice; and Basteen batted .356 (21-59) with 19 RBIs, a double, struck out 25 times, walked eight times, and was grazed once.
Woodall and Willcox senior Alyssa Gonzalez were named Region Co-Defensive Player-of-the-Year, Desert Christian junior Alexa Yarger Region Offensive POY, Tombstone senior Brianna True Region POY, and Tombstone head coach Jim True Region Coach-of-the-Year.
2A South Region 1st Team
Other first team selectees included Tombstone senior pitcher Kyla Gross (44), sophomore pitcher Bria Gross (14), senior catcher Brianna True (77), sophomore infielder Hayden Dobbins (4), sophomore outfielder Bella Lopez (10); Willcox senior catcher Abi Tingle (7), senior infielder Alyssa Gonzalez (11), junior Nataly Thompson (6), senior Madison Bennet (3), and senior Layla Donahue (4); Benson sophomore catcher Sierra Olson (18), senior outfielder Sadie Webb (2), senior outfielder Kaylei Taylor (23), and freshman infielder Karris Taylor (13); Bisbee senior pitcher Jordan Holly (19), senior infielder Maria Lopez (13), junior infielder Alyssa Lopez (10); Tucson Desert Christian junior infielder Alexa Yarger (10) and senior infielder Lilly Crawford (22).
2A South Region 2nd Team
The rest of the second team had Tombstone freshman Arabella Alvarez (32), sophomore infielder McKenzy Nicoll (16), and junior infielder Liliana Garcia (27); Willcox students Janelle Vandermeulen (1), Karlie Saint Clair (5), senior Emma McWilliams (10), and senior Gabby Galaz (12); Benson senior pitcher Claire Parker (6), senior infielder Mandy Watson (12), sophomore infielder Millie Kellogg (14); Bisbee senior catcher Destiny Rodriguez (4), freshman outfielder Xenia Ballesteros (12), senior outfielder Isabella Solis (11); and Desert Christian freshman pitcher Mikayla Hodges (9) and senior infielder Aimee Lloyd (5).
2A South Region Honorable Mention
Also listed as honorable mention were Willcox senior Morgan Allred (9); Benson senior Akota Abbott (16) and sophomore Natalia Guzman (20); Bisbee sophomore infielder Adele Blume (2), junior outfielder Jordyn Borquez (8), senior infielder Yaslin Hernandez (1), senior infielder Mia Lopez (14), and sophomore outfielder Abigail Mecklenburg (15); Desert Christian Abby Littleton, junior outfielder Emmy Welch (2) and freshman outfielder Reece Welch (4); Saint Augustine Catholic senior infielder Lourdes Gamez and freshman infielder Monique Rocha (1); Santa Rita senior infielder Naima Gomez (4) and sophomore infielder Alena Padilla (15).
2A South Region Final Standings
The final South Region standings were Tombstone (14-13 overall, 13-5 seeding, 7-1 region) first, Willcox (18-11, 13-5, 7-1) second, Morenci (15-11, 11-7, 5-3) third, Benson (12-14, 9-9, 5-3) fourth, Bisbee (16-10, 11-5, 5-3) fifth, Tucson Desert Christian (6-16, 6-10, 4-4) sixth, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (8-11, 7-10, 2-6) seventh, Tucson Santa Rita (2-11, 2-11, 1-7) eighth, and Tucson San Miguel Catholic (0-15, 0-15, 0-8) ninth.
2A State Tourney
Top ranked Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (17-1 seeding, 21.4016 rating) shut out No. 5 Eagar Round Valley (13-4, 12.0002) while No. 3 Heritage (13-3, 17.4520) upset No. 2 Phoenix Horizon Honors (14-1, 21.0560) 11-3 during the semifinals. Mohave Accelerated ( overall) shut out Heritage (24-4) 6-0 for the title.
The quarterfinals had No. 1 Mohave Accelerated blank No. 8 Tombstone (12-5, 9.1333) 5-0, No. 5 Round Valley upset No. 4 Kingman Academy (13-2, 13.7263) 7-1, No. 3 Heritage edged No. 11 Morenci (10-7, 6.1125) 5-4, and No. 2 Horizon Honors Mercy Ruled No. 7 Willcox (14-3, 9.9958) 12-2 in five innings.
The upper bracket first-round pairings had top seed Mohave Accelerated 16-0 (5 inn) over No. 16 Wickenburg (8-10, minus 4.1528), No. 8 Tombstone 9-6 over No. 9 Eloy Santa Cruz (10-6, 9.0745), No. 5 Round Valley 13-5 over No. 12 Bisbee (10-5, 5.2473), and No. 4 Kingman Academy 11-5 over No. 13 Benson (9-9, 2.1179).
The lower bracket contests included a lone upset, Morenci over Saint Johns. It was No. 3 Heritage (13-3, 17.4520) 21-1 (5 inn) over No. 14 Miami (10-6, minus 0.1253), Morenci 9-7 (8 inn) over Saint Johns (13-4, 10.9303), No. 7 Willcox 5-4 over No. 10 Camp Verde (14-4, 6.4519), and No. 2 Horizon Honors 11-0 over No. 15 Glendale Prep (10-8, Minus 3.5162).
