By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The Kassi Mortensen-coached Duncan Wildkats will host 2A South Region Tucson Catalina on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The match has a 5 p.m. start.
Also this week (Sept. 9-15) for 1A East Region members, Cicero Prep visits Superior, Fort Thomas visits 1A South Region Elfrida Valley Union, Duncan hosts 2A South Region Tucson Catalina, San Manuel hosts 1A South Region Saint David on Wednesday, Sept. 9; and Fort Thomas visits 1A Central Region Heber Mogollon, Hayden visits the 1A South Region Tucson Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind, Duncan visits 1A South Region Patagonia, and Superior hosts 1A South Region San Simon on Thursday, Sept. 10; Ray visits Tucson’s The Gregory School on Friday, Sept. 11; Cicero Prep will be participating in the 16-team Phoenix Greenway tourney and both Ray and Superior will be participating in the 44-team Arete Prep tourney on Saturday, Sept. 12; and Cicero Prep hosts 2A Valley Region Laveen Heritage on Monday, Sept. 14.
2A Catalina Trojans (0-3 seeding)
The Duncan freshman got the ball past the front line defender.
The Oscar Morales-coached Catalina Trojans (0-3 overall, 0-3 seeding, 0-1 region) have seeding losses of 0-3 (14-25, 6-25, 23-25) to Bisbee on Aug. 31, 0-3 to Tucson Amphitheater on Sept. 2, and 1-3 to Tucson Santa Rita on Sept. 4.
Catalina’s 10-member roster includes two juniors, five sophomores, and three freshmen. The juniors are Ameyalli Urias (5) and Meyalli Urias (10); sophomores Khloe Jefferson (7), Rosalinda Lalima (1), Ariella McClure (12), Jordan Rivas (4), and Hiam Saeed (3); and freshmen Nataly Alonso (2), Jeniko Lincoln (13), and Ash McNaughton (6).
The Trojans are competing in the 7-member 2A East Region with the Chandler Lincoln Prep Lightning, the Gilbert Arete Prep Chargers, the Gilbert Classical Spartans, the Gilbert San Tan Charter Roadrunners, the Globe Tigers, and the San Carlos Braves.
1A Duncan Wildkats (2-2 seeding)
serve. The Duncan freshman scored six points during the second set as the sixth server.
The Kassi Mortensen-coached Duncan Wildkats (2-2 overall, 2-2 seeding, 0-1 region) has seeding wins of 3-1 (25-23, 25-15, 17-25, 26-24) over Elfrida Valley Union on Aug. 27 and 3-0 over Miami on Sept. 4 along with losses of 0-3 (11-25, 10-25, 18-25) loss to Cicero Prep on Aug. 31 and 2-3 (18-25, 25-16, 25-22, 17-25, 10-15) to San Simon on Sept. 2.
the loss to Duncan. The 0-4 Vandals seek their first win for 2026 under
second-year head coach Lopez.
Duncan’s 13-member roster includes three seniors, a junior, four sophomores, and five freshmen. The seniors are Lily Ford (20), Sophia Harris (15), and McKenzie Jones (16); junior Haley Bigler (5); sophomores Emma Harris (7), Peyton Hoglan (14), Karli McKinley (10), and Josie Wright (4); and freshmen Kiyana Bruce (12), Mila Herrera (3), Allie Hughes (2), Ashlyn Jensen (1), and Elyana Whitmer (17).
The Wildkats are competing in the 8-member 1A East Region with the Fort Thomas Apaches, the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the San Manuel Miners, the Scottsdale Cicero Prep Centurions, the Superior Panthers, and the Winkelman Hayden Lobos.
1A Fort Thomas Apaches (2-1 seeding)
address a slippery surface.
The Darcy Barney-coached Apaches (4-3 overall, 2-1 seeding, 1-0 region) have 3-0 seeding wins over Hayden on Sept. 1 and over San Carlos on Sept. 2, along with a 0-3 loss to Pima on Aug. 26.
Additionally, the Apaches went 2-2 during the Second Cochise County Round-up on Aug. 29. Fort Thomas went 2-1 in pool play with wins of 37-33 over San Simon and 44-41 over Bisbee and a 36-37 loss to Patagonia. The Apaches finished third with a 2-set (27-25, 25-12) win over host Willcox.
Fort Thomas lists a 10-member roster of four seniors, three juniors, and five sophomores. The seniors are Kynnedee Bryce (21), Kelcie Harvey (27), Jamie Johnson (8), and Tranessa Jones (19); juniors Carmen Antonio (10), Maliah Duncan (11), and Dreona Pike (13); and sophomores Carter Hawkins (4), Jalayah Johnson (6), Cadence Olivar (2), Kinlee Pearson (1), and Aaliyah Peter (16).
The Apaches are competing in the 7-member 1A East Region with the Duncan Wildkats, the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the San Manuel Miners, the Scottsdale Cicero Prep Centurions, the Superior Panthers, and the Winkelman Hayden Lobos.
2A South Region
The Duncan freshman is one of five Class of 2030 members on the team.
Region standings as of Sept. 8 were Eloy Santa Cruz (1-3 overall, 1-3 seeding, 1-0 region), Tucson Santa Rita (1-2, 1-2, 1-1), Tucson San Miguel (1-2, 1-2, 0-0), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (1-4, 1-4, 0-0), Tucson Catalina (0-3, 0-3, 0-1), Tucson Desert Christian (0-4, 0-4, 0-0), and Sells Baboquivari (0-0, 0-0, 0-0).
Region pairings to date include Santa Cruz over Santa Rita in three sets (25-21, 25-20, 25-17) on Sept. 3 and Santa Rita 3-1 over Catalina on Sept. 4.
1A East Region
Region standings as of Sept. 8 were Scottsdale Cicero Prep (3-0 overall, 3-0 seeding, 1-0 region), Fort Thomas (4-3, 2-1, 1-0), Winkelman Hayden (1-3, 1-3, 1-1), Duncan (2-2, 2-2, 0-1), Kearny Ray (1-3, 1-3, 0-0), Superior (0-1, 0-1, 0-0), and San Manuel (0-2, 0-2, 0-1. Region pairings to date include Hayden over San Manuel in five sets (25-19, 25-19, 24-26, 19-25, 15-5) on Aug. 26, Cicero Prep over Duncan 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-18) on Aug. 31, and Fort Thomas 3-0 over Hayden on Sept. 1.
