Safford heads to Tucson, Pima to Yuma
By Raymundo Frasquillo
GRAHAM COUNTY – Three Section I teams are in the state tourney first round on Tuesday, April 28.
The No. 4 Thatcher Eagles (11-1 seeding, rating) host the No. 13 Anthem Prep Eagles (7-2, 4.1655) while the No. 9 Safford Bulldogs (11-4, 7.3462) visit No. 8 Tucson’s The Gregory School Hawks (10-2, 9.2314) and the No. 16 Pima Roughriders (7-4, 2.3710) visit the No. 1 Yuma Catholic Shamrocks (14-0, 18.6524), each with 3 p.m. starts.
Thatcher (11-1 seeding) was a combined 66-6 in seeding singles matches and 33-3 in doubles, Safford (11-4) 56-34 and 30-15, Pima (7-4) 37-29 and 23-10, No. 18 Globe (8-4) 44-28 and 20-16, No. 20 Duncan (7-5) 40-32 and 22-14, No. 24 Benson (8-6) 49-35 and 17-25, No. 34 Morenci (2-10) 11-61 and 6-30, and No. 36 Miami (3-11) 30-54 and 15-27.
Section I Individual State Tourney qualifiers number 17, including two singles and two doubles from Thatcher, a doubles from Safford, a doubles from Pima, a doubles from Globe, two doubles from Duncan, and a singles from Benson. The singles and doubles tourney first and second rounds are on Friday, May 1; the quarterfinals and semifinals are on Saturday, May 2; and the finals are on Monday, May 4.
This Week (April 27-May 2)
Division III State Team Tourney Round 1 (April 28)
The state team tourney, including the Top 16 of 49, meet for the first round on Tuesday, April 28. The top seed Yuma Catholic Shamrocks (14-0 seeding, 18.6524 rating) host the No. 16 Pima Roughriders (7-4, 2.3710), No. 8 Tucson’s The Gregory School Hawks (10-2, 9.2314) host the No. 9 Safford Bulldogs (11-4, 7.3462), the No. 5 Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep Mustangs (11-1, 12.8208) host the No. 12 Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic Lions (10-4, 4.5973), and the No. 4 Thatcher Eagles (11-1, 13.2970) host the No. 13 Anthem Prep Eagles (7-2, 4.1655) in the upper bracket.
The lower bracket has the No. 3 Phoenix Country Day School Eagles hosting the No. 14 Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills Guardians (6-4, 3.4249), the No. 6 Scottsdale Cicero Prep Centurions (10-1, 12.2647) hosting the No. 11 Scottsdale Christian Eagles (7-4, 5.5375), the No. 7 Gilbert Christian Knights (10-1, 10.1482) hosting the No. 10 Florence Gophers (11-3, 5.9188), and the No. 2 Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian Lions (12-2, 14.6275) hosting the No. 15 Glendale Prep Griffins (8-6, 2.5184).
Division III State Singles Tourney Round 1 (May 1)
The first round of the singles tourney begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Sixteen matches will be played at the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center, 6268 West Thunderbird Road. Round 2 starts at 5 p.m. The quarterfinals begin at 1 p.m., and the semifinals at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. The final is on Monday, May 4, at 5 p.m.
Top seed Saint John Paul II sophomore Ania Piatek (13-0) meets Flagstaff Northland Prep freshman Calliope Hill (10-0) for Match 1, Phoenix Country Day senior Zara Campbell (6-7) meets Thatcher senior Savanna Kartchner (9-1) for Match 2, Tanque Verde freshman Maddie Glickenstein (9-3) meets No. 8 Cicero Prep senior Hailey Bostwick (8-2) for Match 3, Pusch Ridge junior Noelle Sunukjian (11-0) meets Florence sophomore Elizabeth Gurule (8-6) for Match 4, Ranch Solano Prep sophomore Sydney Hedges (11-0) meets No. 5 Benson junior Lucy Cooper (9-1) for Match 5, Chandler Prep junior Satomi Small (10-1) meets Anthem Prep senior Brighton Pillsbury (8-1) for Match 6, Phoenix Northwest Christian junior Gwen Buskirk (5-7) meets No. 4 Glendale Prep senior Belle Bodzin (12-2) for Match 7, and Yuma Catholic senior Annie Scarborough (14-0) meets Scottsdale Christian sophomore Angela Soria (7-4) for Match 8.
Glendale Prep senior Elsie Wright (5-9) meets Desert Christian freshman Natalie Fuentes (8-6) for Match 9, Florence senior Tatiana McKissack (7-7) meets No. 3 Rancho Solano Prep freshman Noemie Delacollette (7-3) for Match 10, Tombstone senior Abigail Satterfield (5-7) meets Thatcher junior Jaiden Wakefield (10-1) for Match 11, Miami senior Adrina Kaulaity (9-3) meets No. 6 Yuma Catholic freshman Sofia Gallegos (11-3) for Match 12, Saint John Paul II sophomore Dominika Grabiec (11-2) meets Pusch Ridge junior Micaela Nagel (10-3) for Match 13, Cicero Prep senior Jessica Reitler (7-4) meets No. 7 Gilbert Christian junior Martina Adsara Criscuolo (9-0) for Match 14, Chandler Prep senior Elise Yeung (9-3) meets The Gregory School sophomore Layla Lizon (8-3) for Match 15, and Gilbert Christian senior Sophia Kiesow (9-2) meets Scottsdale Prep senior Noelle Oh (10-1) for Match 16.
Division III State Doubles Tourney Round 1 (May 1)
The doubles tourney first round begins at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Sixteen matches will be played in the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center, 6268 West Thunderbird Road. Round 2 starts at 5:30 p.m. The quarterfinals begin at 1 p.m., and the semifinals at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. The final is on Monday, May 4, at 5 p.m.
Safford junior Iris Green – sophomore Emma Rodriguez (10-4) meet No. 1 Rancho Solano Prep sophomores Maya Litt – Chloe Okrasinski (11-0) for Match 1, Seton Catholic junior Isabel Polakowski-Gonzalez – freshman Virginia Golla (4-5) meet PCDS freshmen Ann Nichols – Ali Leinbach (12-0) for Match 2, Page sophomores Kylie Robertson – Peyton Miller (5-5) meet No. 8 Tanque Verde junior Jeannie McCallum – sophomore Mally McCallum (7-2) for March 3, Thatcher seniors Leah Bryce – Katie Bastian (9-1) meet Scottsdale Prep sophomores Ciana Mattingly – Shreya Joshi (6-3) for Match 4, The Gregory School seniors Ellie Sundt – Lauren Horowitz (2-0) meet No. 5 Benjamin Franklin senior Isa Monaster – junior Gia Monaster (6-7) for Match 5, Scottsdale Christian seniors Olivia Nelson – Abby Nelson (7-3) meet Veritas Prep seniors Lily McGeough – Cate Schneider (5-6) for Match 6, Yuma Catholic junior Chloe Dammeyer – sophomore Paloma Smith (13-1) meet No. 4 Gilbert Christian senior Kirby Bogen – junior Lauren Kheshvadjian (9-2) for Match 7, and Duncan senior Emely Evans – junior McKenzie Jones (6-2) meet ALA – West Foothills sophomore Laura Fedoryshyn freshman Ashlyn Myers (4-4) for Match 8.
Pusch Ridge seniors Brady Imes – Pearl Kulvaton (12-2) meet Florence seniors Lexie Holman -Nicole Erhard (9-4) for Match 9, Rancho Solano Prep sophomores Aleya Chahal – Jacqueline Schatzberg (9-1) meet No. 3 Thatcher senior Sophie Haynie – junior Sarah Sampson (9-1) for Match 10, Pima junior Ashley Hughes – senior Merrill DeCrow (4-1) meet Amthem Prep junior Adalynn Frye – sophomore Amizhthene Thirumaran (5-4) for Match 11, Duncan juniors Lily Ford – Heidi Miller (5-3) meet PCDS sophomore Mary Bartolin – senior Lexi Black (10-2) for Match 12, Saint John Paul II Izabella Frankowski – Chantelle Gleaves (6-3) meet Antelope juniors Mairet Correa Dezarai Salcido (6-5) for Match 13, The Gregory School freshman Vivianna Moore – senior Anacelia Moore (4-1) meet Yuma Catholic juniors Abigail Olsen – Claire Olsen (14-0) for Match 14, ALA – West Foothills sophomore Tayte Eastman – freshman Ansley Myers (2-2) meet Globe sophomores Liza Shank – Carlee Van Buskirk (5-2) for Match 15, and NWC junior Hallie Metzger – freshman Joey Metzger (3-6) meet Cicero Prep senior Bianca Carbone – junior Bryn Hermenau (6-1) for Match 16.
Division III State Final Rankings
The state final rankings as of 7 a.m. on Thursday, April 23 were Yuma Catholic (14-0 seeding, 18.6524 rating) No. 1, Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (12-2, 14.6275) No. 2, Phoenix Country Day School (11-2, 13.5498) No. 3, Thatcher (11-1, 13.2970) No. 4, Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (11-1, 12.8208) No. 5, Scottsdale Cicero Prep (10-1, 12.2647) No. 6, Gilbert Christian Knights (10-1, 10.1482) No. 7, and Tucson’s The Gregory School Hawks (10-2, 9.2314) No. 8.
Safford (11-4, 7.3462) was No. 9, Florence (11-3, 5.9188) No. 10, Scottsdale Christian (7-4, 5.5375) No. 11, Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (10-4, 4.5973) No. 12, Anthem Prep (7-2, 4.1655) No. 13, Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills (6-4, 3.4249) No. 14, Glendale Prep (8-6, 2.5184) No. 15, and Pima (7-4, 2.3710) No. 16.
Division III Section I Standings
The section standing as of April 22 were Thatcher (11-1 seeding, 7-0 section), Safford (11-4, 6-1), Pima (7-4, 4-3), Globe (8-4, 4-3), Duncan (6-4, 2-3), Benson (7-5, 3-4), Morenci (2-10, 1-6), Miami (3-11, 1-6).
Twenty-eighteen section pairings resulted in wins by Thatcher over Globe (9-0, Feb. 26), Morenci (9-0, March 26), Benson (9-0, March 31), Safford (9-0, April 9), Pima (9-0, April 10), Duncan (9-0, April 14), and Miami (9-0, April 16); Safford over Globe (7-2, March 4), Pima (7-2, March 26), Benson (7-2, April 7), Miami (7-2, April 14), Morenci (9-0, April 16), and Duncan (8-1, April 21); Pima over Duncan (6-3, March 30), Morenci (9-0, April 14), Benson (5-4, April 16), and Globe (7-2, April 21); Globe over Miami (6-3, March 10), Duncan (6-3, March 26), Benson (5-4, March 30), and Morenci (9-0, April 20); Duncan over Benson (8-1, March 11), Morenci (8-1, April 9), and Miami (8-1, April 21); Benson over Miami (5-4, April 9) and Morenci (7-2, April 10); Morenci over Miami (5-4, March 31); and Miami over Pima (5-4, April 2).
No. 4 Thatcher Eagles (11-1 seeding, 12.2970)
Thatcher (11-1) was 66-6 in singles and 33-3 in doubles. Singles top seed senior Sophie Haynie was 9-1, No. 2 junior Sarah Sampson 11-1, No. 3 senior Leah Bryce 11-1, No. 4 senior Katie Bastian 11-1, No. 5 junior Jaiden Wakefield 10-1, No. 6 senior Savanna Kartchner 9-1, junior Ella Goodman 3-0, and sophomore Ruby Ellerman 2-0.
In doubles, No. 1 Haynie – Sampson was 9-1, No. 2 Bryce – Bastian 9-1, No. 3 Savanna Kartchner – sophomore Macady Kartchner 8-1, Savanna Kartchner – Goodman 1-0, Sampson – Bryce 2-0, Bastian – Wakefield 2-0, and Goodman – Ellerman 2-0.
No. 9 Safford Bulldogs (11-4 seeding, 7.3462 rating)
Safford (11-4) was 56-34 in singles and 30-15 in doubles. Singles top seed junior Iris Green was 8-7, No. 2 sophomore Emma Rodriguez 11-3, No. 3 junior Amanda Neal 5-8, No. 4 senior Phoebe Tarnutzer 9-6, No. 5 senior Hailey Foote 12-3, No. 6 sophomore Maya Biggs 9-4, sophomore Brynlee Cluff 1-1, and sophomore Addie Lines 1-2.
In doubles, No. 1 Green – Rodriguez was 10-4, No. 2 Neal – Foote 7-4, No. 3 Tarnutzer – Biggs 8-1, Green – Tarnutzer 0-1, Neal – Tarnutzer 1-1, Foote – Biggs 0-1, Tarnutzer – Foote 1-1, Biggs – Lines 0-2, Biggs – Cluff 2-0, Tarnutzer – Lines 1-0.
No. 16 Pima Roughriders (7-4 seeding, 2.3710 rating)
Pima (7-4) was 37-29 in singles and 23-10 in doubles. Singles top seed junior Ashley Hughes was 3-2, No. 2 senior Merrill DeCrow 4-7, No. 3 freshman Audrey Bryce 6-5, No. 4 junior Perry Bingham 3-3, No. 5 junior Morgan Russell 5-1, No. 6 freshman Tynzli Hatch 1-1, senior Miley Preston 4-6, freshman Brielle Allen 7-2, junior Paizli Payne 3-2, and sophomore Jenna Smith 1-0.
In doubles, No. 1 Hughes – DeCrow was 4-1, No. 2 Bryce – Bingham 6-0, No. 3 Russell – Hatch 3-0, Bryce – Russell 0-1, Bingham – Hatch 1-1, Bingham – Preston 0-1, DeCrow – Hatch 1-0, DeCrow – Allen 2-3, Russell – Smith 1-0, Preston – Bryce 2-1, Preston – Hatch 1-1, Preston – Allen 1-0, and Hatch – Smith 1-1.
No. 18 Globe Tigers (8-4 seeding, 2.1147 rating)
Globe (8-4) was 44-28 in singles and 20-16 in doubles. Singles top seed sophomore Liza Shank was 6-6, No. 2 junior Teairsa Ellis 6-6, No. 3 sophomore Carlee Van Buskirk 7-3, No. 4 junior Azucena Medrano 6-3, No. 5 junior Aaliyah Ortiz 9-3, No. 6 senior Evelyn Parker 6-4, senior Milynn Allinson 2-3, and sophomore Taylor Ortega 2-0.
In doubles, No. 1 Shank – Van Buskirk was 5-2, No. 2 Ellis – Medrano 2-0, No. 3 Ortiz – Parker 1-1, Shank – Ellis 1-1, Medrano – Van Buskirk 2-0, Ortiz – Allison 2-1, Ellis – Parker 2-6, Ortiz – Medrano 3-1, Shank – Ortega 1-0, Shank – Allinson 0-1, Shank – Ortiz 0-1, Ortiz – Ortega 1-0, Medrano – Allison 0-1, and Ortiz – Van Buskirk 0-1.
No. 20 Duncan Wildkats (7-5 seeding, 1.6484 rating)
Duncan (7-5) was 40-32 in singles and 22-14 in doubles. Singles top seed junior Lily Ford was 7-5, No. 2 junior Heidi Miller 8-3, No. 3 senior Emely Evans 9-3, No. 4 junior McKenzie Jones 5-7, No. 5 freshman Bailey Jones 6-6, No. 6 junior Roxy Donaldson 5-6, and junior Elise Jarvis 0-2.
In doubles, No. 1 Ford – Miller was 7-4, No. 2 Evans – McKenzie Jones 9-2, No. 3 Bailey Jones – Donaldson 5-5, Ford – Evans 1-0, Jarvis – Donaldson 0-1, McKenzie Jones – Bailey Jones 0-1, Bailey Jones – Jarvis 0-1.
No. 24 Benson Bobcats (8-6 seeding, minus 0.5918 rating)
Benson (8-6) was 49-35 in singles and 17-25 in doubles. Singles top seed junior Lucy Cooper was 12-1, No. 2 senior Andrea Hummel 5-9, No. 3 freshman Hazel Chapman 10-1, No. 4 senior Juana Macias 1-10, No. 5 sophomore Melanie Pettinger 10-4, No. 6 sophomore Paisley England 8-6, senior Celina Yockey 3-2, and freshman Savannah Moyers 0-2.
In doubles, No. 1 Chapman – Hummel was 3-2, No. 2 Pettinger – England 5-8, No. 3 Macias – Yockey 0-1, Macias – Moyers 1-1, Cooper – Macias 0-1, Cooper – Chapman 0-1, Chapman – Pettinger 1-0, Chapman – Lewis 3-1, Hummel – Macias 2-2, Hummel – Yockey 1-4, Macias- junior Adalie Lewis 0-2, England – Lewis 1-0, Moyers – freshman Gabrielle Castagno 0-1, Moyers – Lewis 0-1.
No. 34 Morenci Wildcats (2-10 seeding, minus 6.7771 rating)
Morenci (2-10) was 11-61 in singles and 6-30 in doubles. Singles top seed junior Ariza Espinoza was 0-10, No. 2 junior Izzalana Gobert 0-9, No. 3 junior Adriana Dorame Galindo 4-8, No. 4 senior Blanca Macario 3-7, No. 5 junior Kaylee Rorhman 3-9, No. 6 sophomore Alizza Pearson 0-5, junior Daisy Dia 1-7, junior Ximena Estrada 0-1, sophomore Valeria Hernandez 0-3, junior Alandra Dalton 0-1, and sophomore Lena Jann 0-1.
In doubles, No. 1 Espinoza – Gobert was 1-6, No. 2 Dia – Galindo 1-6, No. 3 Macario – Rorhman 4-4, Espinoza – Galindo 0-3, Gobert – Dia 0-1, Galindo – Rorhman 0-1, Pearson – junior Ximena Estrada 0-1, Macario – Galindo 0-1, Rorhman – Pearson 0-2, Gobert – Macario 0-1, Rorhman – Hernandez 0-1, Pearson – Hernandez 0-2, Dalton – Jann 0-1.
No. 36 Miami Vandals (3-11 seeding, minus 7.4951 rating)
Miami (3-11) was 30-54 in singles and 15-27 in doubles. Top seed senior Adrina Kaulaity was 11-3, No. 2 senior Alexis Moody 4-9, No. 3 sophomore Liliana Light 5-9, No. 4 sophomore Evelyn Ramos 5-9, No. 5 junior Emely Sanchez 2-12, No. 6 junior Sienna Egitto 1-2, freshman Valeria Macinas Portillo 2-9, and sophomore Savina Williams 0-1.
In doubles, No. 1 Kaulaity – Moody was 6-7, No. 2 Light – Ramos 5-9, and No. 3 Sanchez – Portillo 2-8, Sanchez – Egitto 0-3, Kaulaity – Portillo 1-0, and Sanchez – Williams 1-0.
