Bus ride sole rest time in between matches
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Austin Mitchell-coached No. 28 Morenci Wildcats (4-6 seeding, minus 14.1645 rating) close out his initial season on the road this week. The Wildcats travel to Eloy, facing the No. 32 Santa Cruz Dust Devils (0-9, minus 19.4732) on Tuesday, Feb. 3, and to Tucson, facing the No. 4 San Miguel Catholic Vipers (10-0, 10.1258) on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The matches have starts of 6 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
This Week (Feb. 2-7)
In the 2A South Region this week, Morenci visits Santa Cruz and Tombstone visits ALA – Anthem South on Tuesday, Feb. 3; and San Miguel hosts Morenci on Feb. 4.
Non-region pairings include Santa Cruz hosting Scottsdale Cicero Prep on Thursday. Feb. 5.
2A No. 26 SANTA CRUZ Dust Devils (2-8 seeding, minus 11.8298 rating)
The Homar Cruz-coached Dust Devils (2-8 seeding, 1-3 region) are averaging a 1-4 (13-36) score per seeding match or a 3-goal deficit.
The Dust Devils are competing in the 6-member 2A South Region with the Florence American Leadership – Anthem South Titans, the Morenci Wildcats, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, the Tucson schools, the Desert Christian Eagles, and the San Miguel Catholic Vipers.
2A No. 5 SAN MIGUEL Vipers (10-0 seeding, 10.1258 rating)
The Josue Romero-coached Vipers (10-0 seeding, 4-0 region) are averaging a 6-1 (63-5) score per seeding match or a 5-goal margin.
San Miguel lists a 28-member team of 10 seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores, and six freshmen. The seniors include Jared Arvizu Garcia (6), Oscar Garcia (30), Santiago Gutierrez (18), Sergio Martinez (4), Obed Quijada (29), Miguel Resendiz (10), Omar Talavera (17), Yosgar Vargas (15), Kevin Vasquez (7), and Miguel Vasquez (14); juniors Landon Bonfiglio (8), Brandon Dominguez (16), Salvador Gallegos (20), Angel Gonzalez (25), Giovanni Martinez (24), Angel Perez (5), and Daniel Vasquez (1); sophomores Diego Crissoza (28), Javier Fraijo Mungarro (3), Judas Redondo (11), Edgardo Rodriguez (13), Adrian Ruiz (23); and freshmen Cristian Galvan (12), Sebastian Enriquez (22), Jancarlo Flores (21), Orlando Jimenez (9), Elias Pena (2), and Cristian Vasquez (15).
The Vipers are competing in the 6-member 2A South Region with the Eloy Santa Cruz Dust Devils, the Florence American Leadership – Anthem South Titans, the Morenci Wildcats, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, and the Tucson Desert Christian Eagles.
2A No. 27 MORENCI Wildcats (4-6 seeding, minus 14.2642 rating)
The Austin Mitchell-coached Morenci Wildcats (4-6 seeding, 1-3 2A South Region) are averaging a 2-4 (18-35) score per seeding match or a 2-goal deficit.
Morenci lists a 27-member team of seven seniors, three juniors, 14 sophomores, and three freshmen. The seniors include Aaron Esquivel (37), Emma Kerrigan (2), Samuel Kitcheyan (11), Summer Luster (13), Johnny Madrid (12), and Manuel Medina (99); juniors Karol Escalona (8), Clayton Jacobs (40), and Avery Wiltbanks (4); sophomores Jolie Anderson (32), Don Black (1), Katerine Escalona (8), Sierra Esquivel (35), Carson Hobbs (38), Juaquin Ma (33), Axel Martinee (9), Christopher Montoya (20), Aidan Nogales (6), Alizza Pearson (39), Juan Ramirez (10), Lohgan Szymanski (18), Emmanuel Velasquez Salgado (15), and Illiana Wocando (3); and freshmen Maddox Fellow (36), Cooper Hough (17), and Patricio Reyes (5).
The Wildcats are competing in the 6-member 2A South Region with the Eloy Santa Cruz Dust Devils, the Florence American Leadership – Anthem South Titans, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, and Tucson schools the Desert Christian Eagles, and the San Miguel Catholic Vipers.
2A State Rankings
State rankings for the 2A as of noon on Feb. 3 were Glendale Trivium Prep (11-0 seeding, 18.3987 rating) No. 1, Phoenix Country Day School (10-1, 14.3044) No. 2, Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (9-1, 13.5759) No. 3, Scottsdale Christian (8-2, 11.9030) No. 4, Tucson San Miguel Catholic (10-0 seeding, 10.1258) No. 5, Glendale Prep (9-3, 8.5782) No. 6, Gilbert San Tan Charter (9-1-2, 8.2512) No. 7, and Gilbert Arete Prep (9-3, 6.6369) No. 8.
Phoenix Christian (7-4, 6.2451) was No. 9, Phoenix Veritas Prep (6-3-1, 4.7151) No. 10, Gilbert Classical (10-2-1, 4.2004) No. 11, Scottsdale Prep (7-4, 3.0354) No. 12, Phoenix Horizon Honors (7-4-1, 1.8212) No.; 13, Tempe Prep (9-3, 1.7197) No. 14, Wickenburg (6-5, 0.8369) No. 15, and Tucson Desert Christian (7-4, 0.4781) No. 16.
2A South Region Standings
Standings for the 2A South Region as of Feb. 2 were Tucson San Miguel Catholic (10-0 seeding, 4-0 region) first, Tucson Desert Christian (7-4, 4-1) second, Morenci (4-6, 1-3) third, Tombstone (6-5, 1-3) fourth, Eloy Santa Cruz (2-8, 1-3) fifth, and Florence American Leadership – Anthem South (2-10, 1-3) sixth.
Region results to date are San Miguel over Santa Cruz (8-0, Jan. 14), Tombstone (9-1, Jan. 20), ALA – Anthem South (9-0, Jan. 22), and Desert Christian (9-1, Jan. 30); Desert Christian over ALA – Anthem South (9-0, Jan. 8), Morenci (7-0, Jan. 14), Santa Cruz (8-2, Jan. 20), and Tombstone (12-1, Jan. 22); Morenci over Tombstone (3-2 2OT, Jan. 28); Tombstone over Santa Cruz (2-1, Jan. 26); Santa Cruz over ALA – Anthem South (3-1, Jan. 28); and ALA – Anthem South over Morenci (4-0, Jan. 26).
Morenci – 3, Tombstone – 2 2OT (Jan. 28)
Jose Torres scored the deciding goal in the last minute (53 seconds remaining) of the second extra period, breaking a 2-2 regulation deadlock. The Morenci senior had made an unsuccessful indirect kick in hopes of breaking the 1-1 tie in place at the time. The teams both scored once during the 20-minute first extra period, while Morenci scored once in the second extra period.
Tombstone senior Brendan Francis-Caballero scored both goals, in the 21st minute (19:30 remaining) of the first half and in the 13th minute (7:50 left) in the first extra period.
Sophomore Juan Ramirez scored Morenci’s initial goal in the 13th minute (26:25 remaining) of the first half and senior Samuel Kitcheyan the second in the 19th minute (38 seconds remaining) of the first extra period.
