Duncan hosts Fort Thomas on Tuesday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAFFORD – The Elia Manjarre-coached Palo Verde Magnet Titans enter Norma Bellamy Gymnasium on Monday, Sept. 15. The pairing is for 3A South Region play, with the first serve being 5 p.m. The Bulldogs have five 3-set region wins over the Titans during the previous four seasons (2021-24), with two of them being in Safford.
The Kassi Mortensen-coached Duncan Wildkats host the Fort Thomas Apaches on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The first serve is 5 p.m. Duncan and Fort Thomas both have 3-2 seeding records, and both have non-region wins over San Manuel and Valley Lutheran.
PALO VERDE MAGNET Titans
Palo Verde Magnet (3-7 overall, 3-2 seeding, 0-0 region) has played five seeding matches to date, defeating Tucson Santa Rita 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-13) Tucson Cholla 3-2 on Sept. 3, and Tucson San Miguel Catholic 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-12) on Sept. 8 along with 4-set losses twice, to Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (25-19, 12-25, 21-25, 14-25) on Aug.27 and Coolidge (23-25, 19-25, 25-16, 17-25) on Sept. 11.
The Elia Manjarre-coached Titans have a 14-member roster of nine seniors and five juniors. The seniors are Carla Black (17), Aereyawna Bullis (4),Kandi Day (6), Kaylee Dona (1), Drianna Dosela (14), Trinity Elgo (3), Danijah Goode (16), Pearl Janis (21), and Kylee Juan (20); and juniors Malia Antonio (11), Jessica Brown (5), Enila Dosela (15), Alyssa Phillips (8), and Antonette Phillips (13).
Palo Verde Magnet is competing in the 9-member 3A South Region with the Safford Bulldogs, the Thatcher Eagles along with Tucson schools, the Empire Ravens, the Andrada Polytechnic Mavericks, Catalina Trojans, the Pusch Ridge Christian Lions, the Sabino Sabercats, the Tanque Verde Hawks,.
SAFFORD Bulldogs
Safford (4-5 overall, 2-2 seeding, 0-0 region) has played four seeding matches to date with 3-1 wins twice, over Rio Rico (17-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-10) on Sept. 2 and over Sahuarita (30-28, 25-14, 17-25, 25-14) on Sept. 3 along with losses of 0-3 (11-25, 18-25, 21-25) to Lakeside Blue Ridge on Sept. 4 and 2-3 (25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 21-25, 12-15) to Tucson Canyon del Oro on Sept. 8.
The Makenna Farr-coached Bulldogs have a 13-member roster of eight seniors, three juniors, and two sophomores. The seniors are Marina Balistreri (11), Kai-Lee Cordova (5), Alana Foxworth (6), Jerzi Hawkins (8), Rhylie Klajda (4), Mia Peru (12), Bianca Quintero (7), and Alexis Rope (10); juniors Mackenna Macario (9), Jazzlyn Mortensen (3), and Lanae Shurtz (13); and sophomores Kassidy Anderson (2) and Jatdyn Coy (1).
Safford is competing in the 9-member 3A South Region with the Thatcher Eagles along with Tucson schools, the Empire Ravens, the Andrada Polytechnic Mavericks, Catalina Trojans, the Palo Verde Magnet Titans, the Pusch Ridge Christian Lions, the Sabino Sabercats, and the Tanque Verde Hawks,
Farr is in her initial season as the head coach, following 4-year (2021-24) Robert Abalos (103-52-1 overall, 49-19 seeding, 27-9 region, 23-13 at home, 1-4 state playoffs, 2-0 play-in round).
Fort Thomas Apaches
Fort Thomas (3-2 seeding, 0-1 region) has played five seeding matches to date, with three 3-set wins, over Valley Lutheran (25-18, 25-17, 25-18) on Aug. 27, over Superior on Sept. 9, and over San Manuel (25-12, 25-10, 25-16) on Sept. 11 along with losses of 0-3 to Pima on Aug. 28 and 1-3 to San Carlos (15-25, 15-25, 25-20, 21-25) on Sept. 3.
The Darcy Barney-coached Apaches are competing in the 8-member 1A East Region with the Duncan Wildkats, the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the Phoenix Valley Lutheran Flames, the San Manuel Miners, the Scottsdale Cicero Prep Centurions, the Superior Panthers, and the Winkelman Hayden Lobos.
DUNCAN Wildkats
Duncan (3-8 overall, 3-2 seeding, 1-0 region) has seeding wins of 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-19) over San Manuel (Sept. 4), 3-1 over Valley Union (Sept. 11), and 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-8, 25-22) over Valley Lutheran (Sept. 13) along with losses of 0-3 (17-25, 23-25, 19-25) to Pima (Aug. 27) and 2-3 (17-25, 25-20, 17- 25, 25-11, 14-16) to San Simon (Sept. 2).
The Kassi Mortensen-coached Wildkats have a 14-member roster with seven seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, and two freshman. The seniors include Karleigh Capel (10), Sierra Chamberlin (15), MadisonChatman (13), Lara Elmer (3), Emily Evans (9), Allyssa Garcia (12), and Brendy Paz (2); juniors Lily Ford (11), Sophia Harris (4), and McKenzie Jones (8); sophomores Haley Bigler (5) and Taylor Workman (14); and freshmen Emma Harris (7) and Josie Wright (6).
Duncan is competing in the 8-members 1A East Region with the Fort Thomas Apaches, the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the Phoenix Valley Lutheran Flames, the San Manuel Miners, the Scottsdale Cicero Prep Centurions, the Superior Panthers, and the Winkelman Hayden Lobos.
3A South Region
Region member standings as of Sept. 13 were Thatcher (3-1 seeding, 0-0 region), Tucson Empire (5-0, 0-0), Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (1-3, 0-0), Tucson Andrada Polytechnic (3-1, 0-0), Tucson Catalina (0-4, 0-0), Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (3-2, 0-0), Safford (2-2, 0-0), Tucson Tanque Verde (2-2, 0-0), and Tucson Sabino (0-4, 0-0).
This week, Thatcher visits Payson, Pusch Ridge hosts Florence, Andrada Polytechnic visits Douglas, Palo Verde Magnet visits Safford, Tanque Verde hosts Coolidge, and Sabino hosts Gilbert Christian Sept. 15;
Andrada Polytechnic visits Eloy Santa Cruz on Sept. 16; Empire visits Sahuarita, Pusch Ridge hosts Tucson Flowing Wells, Catalina visits Palo Verde Magnet, Tanque Verde hosts Apache Junction, and Sabino hostsTucson Cholla on Wednesday, Sept. 17; Catalina visits San Tan Foothills and Palo Verde Magnet hosts Desert Christian on Thursday, Sept. 18; Andrada Polytechnic hosts San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills on Friday, Sept. 19; Thatcher will be attending the Snowflake tourney on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 19-20; Pusch Ridge will be attending the Benjamin Franklin tourney on Sept. 19-20; and Tanque Verde will be attending the Tucson Salpointe Catholic tourney on Sept. 19-20.
1A East Region
Region member standings as of Sept. 13 were Duncan (3-2 seeding, 1-0 region), Scottsdale Cicero Prep (5-0, 0-0), Fort Thomas (3-2, 0-0), Superior (1-1, 0-0), San Manuel (1-4, 0-0), Kearny Ray (1-3, 0-0), Winkelman Hayden (0-3, 0-0), and Phoenix Valley Lutheran (0-4, 0-1).
The lone region contest played to date had Duncan over Phoenix Valley Lutheran in four sets (25-19, 21-25, 25-8, 25-22) on Sept. 13.
This week, region pairings have Duncan hosting Fort Thomas, Cicero Prep visiting Hayden, Superior hosting Valley Lutheran, San Manuelvisiting Ray on Sept. 16; Cicero Prep visiting Fort Thomas, Superiorhosting San Manuel, Ray visiting Hayden, and Valley Lutheran hosting Mayer on Sept. 18; and Cicero Prep attending the Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin tourney on Sept. 19-20.
2A East Region
Region member standings as of Sept. 13 are Gilbert Classical (6-1seeding, 1-0 region), Chandler Lincoln Prep (2-4, 1-0), Gilbert San Tan Charter (4-0, 0-0), Pima (4-2, 0-0), San Carlos (2-3, 0-1), Gilbert Arete Prep (2-4, 0-0), Miami (1-3, 0-0), Chandler Prep (0-3, 0-0), and Gilbert Leading Edge (0-3, 0-1).
To date in region pairings, Lincoln Prep has defeated Leading Edge 3-0 (27-25, 25-18, 25-12) on Sept. 11 and Gilbert Classical over San Carlos 3-0 (25-12, 27-25, 25-17) on Sept. 12.
This week in the 2A East Region, Gilbert Classical visits Glendale Trivium Prep, Lincoln Prep visits Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep, Miami hosts San Tan Charter, and Chandler Prep hosts Laveen Heritage on Sept. 15; San Tan Charter hosts Tucson Santa Rita, Miami visits Globe, and Chandler Prep visits Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic on Sept. 16; Gilbert Classical visits American Leadership – Mesa North, San Carlos hosts Willcox, Leading Edge visits Florence American Leadership – Anthem South on Sept. 17; San Tan Charter hosts Arizona Lutheran, Pima hosts Chandler Prep, and San Carlos hosts Arete Prep; Gilbert Classical, Lincoln Prep, San Carlos, and Leading Edge will be attending the Benjamin Franklin tourney.
2A South Region
Region member standings as of Sept. 13 were Tucson San Miguel Catholic (2-5 seeding, 1-0 region), Benson (4-1, 0-0), Willcox (0-1, 0-0), Tombstone (2-4, 0-0), Morenci (2-2, 0-0), Tucson Desert Christian (1-0, 0-0), Bisbee (1-3, 0-0), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (1-3, 0-1), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-5, 0-0).
To date in region pairings, San Miguel defeated Saint Augustine 3-1 (25-21, 27-25, 19-25, 25-14) on Sept. 11.
This week in the 2A South Region, Desert Christian hosts Tucson Sahuaro and Saint Augustine visits San Simon on Sept. 15; San Miguel visits Desert Christian, Benson hosts Bisbee, Willcox hosts Saint David, Morenci visits New Mexico Silver, and Santa Rita visits San Tan Charter on Sept. 16; Willcox visits San Carlos on Sept. 17; Willcox hosts Morenci, Tombstone visits Elfrida Valley Union, Desert Christian visits Tucson Palo Verde Magnet on Sept. 18; Tombstone visits Santa Rita on Sept. 19; San Miguel hosts Coolidge on Sept. 20; and Morenci and Bisbee will be attending the Benjamin Franklin tourney on Sept. 19-20.
