By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Jackie Blaschke-coached Benson Bobcats (7-2 overall) visits the Jasmine Aguinaga-coached Morenci Wildcats (2-6) on Monday, Sept. 14. The Phil Martinez Court non-region pairing has a 6 p.m. start. The region contest is in Benson on Oct. 14.
Also this week (Sept. 14-19), Sierra Vista American Leadership hosts Pima and Willcox hosts Bisbee on Sept. 14; Willcox visits Fort Thomas on Sept. 15; Benson hosts Willcox, Tombstone visits Pima on Sept. 16; Bisbee visits Morenci on Sept. 17; Sierra Vista ALA will be participating in the 8-team Tucson’s The Gregory School tourney on Sept. 18; and Pima will be participating in the 2-day, 15-team Snowflake tourney on Sept. 18-19.
2A Benson Bobcats (5-0 seeding)
The Jackie Blaschke-coached Benson Bobcats (7-2 overall, 5-0 seeding, 0-0 region) have seeding wins over Safford of 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-18, 25-23) on Aug. 26, over Tucson Desert Christian of 3-0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-16) on Aug. 31, over Tombstone of 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-14) on Sept. 3, over Pima of 3-2 (25-22, 25-18, 22-25, 11-25, 15-12), and over Bisbee of 3-0 (25-6, 25-6, 25-23) on Sept. 9.
In addition, the Bobcats went 2-2 during the Arete Prep tourney on Sept. 12. Benson defeated Tuba City 2-0 and Fountain Hills as well as succumbed to Phoenix Country Day 0-2 and to Glendale TriviumPrep.
There are nine Bobcats on the varsity roster with four seniors, one junior, three sophomores, and one freshman. The seniors are Alexis Cooper (6), Raeli Farnsworth (7), Halle Hatch (2), and Madisyn Torrez (5); junior Karris Taylor (23); sophomores Hayzel Chapman (22), Madison Jones (11), and Autumn Ochoa (3); and freshman Delani Kearney (8).
Benson is competing in the 7-member 2A Southeast Region with the Bisbee Pumas, the Morenci Wildcats, the Pima Roughriders, the Sierra Vista American Leadership Guardians, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, and the Willcox Cowgirls.
2A Morenci Wildcats (1-3 seeding)
The Jasmine Aguinaga-coached Morenci Wildcats (2-6 overall, 1-3 seeding, 0-0 region) have seeding wins over Miami of 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-10) on Sept. 2 and losses of 1-3 (25-23, 27-29, 21-25, 18-25) to Willcox on Aug. 26, Eagar Round Valley of 1-3 (18-25, 18-25, 25-23, 11-25) on Aug. 31, and Sierra Vista American Leadership of 1-3 (25-20, 19-25, 12-25, 22-25) on Sept. 9.
In addition, Morenci went 0-3 in pool play and finished seventh during an 8-team Second Cochise County Round-up in Willcox on Aug. 29. The Wildcats fell 31-34 to Sierra Vista American Leadership, 30-36 to Willcox, and 29-36 to Tombstone. The placement win was 2-1 (25-13, 17-25, 15-7) over Bisbee.
There are 11 Wildcats on the varsity roster with a lone senior, three juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen. The senior is Kailee Sandoval (11); juniors Ava Basteen (2), Jayliana Guzzo (1), and Taytum Porter (8); sophomores Araceli Cuhen (4), Analisa Cuhen (6), Kendall Merrill (3), and Justine Tartaglia (5); and freshmen Serenity Chavarria (9), Sophia Davis (6), and Jazmin Williamson (13).
Morenci is competing in the 7-member 2A Southeast Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Pima Roughriders, the Sierra Vista American Leadership Guardians, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, and the Willcox Cowgirls.
2A Pima Roughriders (2-4 seeding)
The Ruthie Butler-coached Pima Roughriders have seeding wins over Fort Thomas of 3-0 on Aug. 26 and over Globe of 3-1 (25-23,25-17, 23-25, 29-27) on Sept. 9 along with losses to Safford of 0-3 (19-25, 14-25, 13-25) on Sept. 1, to Willcox of 1-3 on Sept. 2, to Round Valley of 1-3 (12-25, 25-22, 21-25, 21-25) on Sept. 4, and to Benson of 2-3 (22-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-11, 12-15) on Sept. 8.
The varsity roster has 11 Roughriders: five seniors, three juniors, and three sophomores. The seniors are Cheyanne Alder (1), Shantea Butler (15), Demi Derrick (5), Trista Hatch (4), and Morgan Russell (9); juniors Audrey Brimhall (6), Elle McRae (8), and Ashley Payne (7); and sophomores Taylor Ashby (3), Tynzli Hatch (11), and Harlee McBiles (2).
Pima is competing in the 7-member 2A Southeast Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Morenci Wildcats, the Sierra Vista American Leadership Guardians, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, and the Willcox Cowgirls.
2A Willcox Cowgirls (2-2 seeding)
The Shaye Klump-coached Willcox Cowgirls (5-3 overall, 2-2 seeding, 0-0 region) have seeding wins over Morenci of 3-1 (23-25, 29-27, 25-21, 25-18) on Aug. 26 and over Pima of 3-1 on Sept. 2 along with losses to Safford of 0-3 on Aug. 31 and to Tombstone of 1-3 (16-25, 27-29, 25-20, 24-26) on Sept. 9.
In addition, the Cowgirls finished third in the 2nd Cochise County Round-up on Aug. 29. Willcox went 2-1 in pool play, topping Tombstone 37-26 and Morenci 36-30 as well as falling 29-41 to Sierra Vista American Leadership, and topped Fort Thomas 2-0 (27-25, 25-12) in the bracket.
Willcox has an 11-member roster of four seniors, two juniors, and five sophomores. The seniors are Leslie Barraza (22), Gloria Encinas (8), Lilyana Millenaar (10), and Keely Norris (14); juniors Maley Allred (9) and Karlie Saint Clair (3); and sophomores Grace Flanders (2), Hattie Macumber (1), Camry Thompson (6), Lia Villa (4), and Lilly Williams (17).
Willcox is competing in the 7-member 2A Southeast Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Morenci Wildcats, the Pima Roughriders, the Sierra Vista American Leadership Guardians, and the Tombstone Yellow Jackets.
2A Southeast Region
The region standings as of Sept. 12 were Benson (7-2 overall, 5-0 seeding, 0-0 region), Sierra Vista American Leadership (6-1, 3-0, 0-0), Willcox (5-3, 2-2, 0-0), Tombstone (4-7, 3-4, 0-0), Bisbee (2-7, 2-3, 0-0), Pima (2-4, 2-4, 0-0), and Morenci (2-6, 1-3, 0-0).
