Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Ashlyn Thompson (32) denies a Safford interior pass during the Dec. 20 meeting. The Thatcher senior was one of two Eagles contributing double-digit scoring. Thatcher defeated Safford 46-21 following a 31-10 first-half outing. The No. 17 Eagles visit the No. 29 Bulldogs on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAFFORD – The Robert Abalos-coached Safford Bulldogs take on the Dennis Griffin-coached Thatcher Eagles on Tuesday, Jan. 10. The tip-off in Norma Bellamy Gymnasium is 7 p.m.
The teams met last month during the 46th Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney second round (Dec. 20). Thatcher used a 19-2 opening quarter outing en route to posting a 46-21 semifinal win.
Also in region play this week are Tucson Empire at Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian Academy on Jan. 10; Empire at Thatcher on Thursday, Jan. 12; and Tucson Palo Verde Magnet at Empire and Pusch Ridge at Tucson Catalina on Friday, Jan. 13.
Other games for region members include Tucson Sabino at Catalina on Jan. 10; Tucson Tanque Verde at Sabino on Wednesday, Jan. 11; Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic at Tucson Tanque Verde and Tucson Flowing Wells at Palo Verde Magnet on Jan. 12; and Tucson Amphitheater at Safford and Sabino at Thatcher on Jan. 13.
Region standings to start the week were Palo Verde (8-7 overall, 6-2 seeding, 1-0 region), Safford (5-10, 3-4, 1-0), Palo Verde Magnet (2-10, 1-7, 0-0), Thatcher (8-5, 5-1, 0-1), Sabino (5-11, 2-6, 0-0), Empire (1-16, 1-6, 0-0), Tanque Verde (2-9, 1-6, 0-1), and Catalina (0-8, 0-5, 0-0).
Region games held last week resulted in wins of 55-25 over Tanque Verde for Safford (Jan. 3) and 47-42 for Pusch Ridge over Thatcher (Jan. 6).
3A State Rankings
The statewide rankings to start the week had the North Region with all seven teams in the Top 24, the South Central Region with 5-8, the East Region with 4-6, the North Central Region with 4-7, the West Region with 2-7, and the South Region with 2-8.
West Region Yuma Catholic (13-2 overall, 7-0 seeding, 15.3049 rating, 3-0 region) is the top team of 44. North Region Kayenta Monument Valley was second (10-5, 6-2, 12.9429, 3-1), South Central Region Gilbert Christian third (9-0, 5-0, 12.0411, 1-0), West Region Parker fourth (10-6, 6-1, 10.7939, 2-1), North Region Whiteriver Alchesay fifth (14-4, 6-2, 9.8797, 3-2), North Region Tuba City sixth (11-4, 6-1, 9.6545, 2-1), North Region Chinle seventh (11-3, 5-2, 8.8789, 2-2), East Region Show Low eighth (12-5, 6-2, 8.4594, 0-0), East Region Lakeside Blue Ridge ninth (2-9, 2-1, 8.0206, 0-0), and North Central Region Scottsdale Christian 10th (6-1, 4-0, 7.7940, 3-0).
East Region Winslow was 11th (10-5, 5-2, 7.6560, 1-0), East Region Payson 12th (10-4, 5-1, 6.8681, 0-0), North Central Region Phoenix Bourgade Catholic 13th (8-3, 4-2, 5.9808, 2-0), South Region Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian 14th (8-7, 5-2, 5.9646, 1-0), South Central Region Chandler Valley Christian 15th (12-5, 5-2, 4.5825, 0-0), North Region Page 16th (8-5, 4-3, 4.4352, 1-3), South Region Thatcher 17th (8-5, 5-1, 4.2910, 0-1), North Region Fort Defiance Window Rock 18th (11-4, 3-4, 4.0860, 3-2), North Central Region Coolidge 19th (6-7, 2-3, 2.9320, 0-0), and South Central Region Fountain Hill 20th (6-5, 4-3, 2.5724, 1-1).
South Central Region Florence was 21st (9-6, 5-2, 2.3502, 0-0), North Region Ganado 22nd (6-7, 3-3, 1.5397, 0-3), North Central Region Phoenix Northwest Christian 23rd (3-6, 2-3, 1.4681, 1-0), and South Central Region Queen Creek San Tan Foothills 24th (5-9, 2-2, minus 0.1756, 0-0).
The other South Region member rankings were 29th for Safford (5-10, 3-4, minus 3.9193, 1-0), 33rd for Tucson Sabino (5-11, 2-6, 0-0), 39th for Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (2-10, 1-7, minus 12.4521, 0-0), 41st for Tucson Empire (1-16, 1-6, minus 13.8363, 0-0), 43rd for Tucson Tanque Verde (2-9, 1-6, minus 15.2869, 0-1), and 44th for Tucson Catalina (0-8, 0-5, minus 20.4532, 0-0).
Thatcher Eagles
The 3A South Region Eagles are averaging a 53-40 (683-524) score per game or a 13-point margin per game.
Thatcher has wins of 88-6 Gilbert San Tan Charter (Nov. 29), 63-36 Douglas (Dec. 1), 57-21 Tucson Sabino (Dec. 15), 71-25 over Morenci (Dec. 19), 46-21 over Safford (Dec. 20), 58-49 over San Carlos (Dec. 28), 57-28 over Sierra Vista Buena (Jan. 4), and 52-45 over Show Low (Jan. 7).
The losses are 42-53 to Pima (Dec. 21), 27-81 to Surprise Valley Vista (Dec. 29), 40-56 to Winslow (Dec. 29), 40-56 to Alchesay (Dec. 30), and 42-47 to Pusch Ridge (Jan. 6).
Seniors Jaiden Davis, Haley Nicholas, Kellee O’Connell, Regan Palmer, Hailey Smith, Makenzie Sweet, and Ashlyn Thompson; juniors Macey Carter, Emma Green, Miah Hunt, and Sophie Welker; and sophomore Cambria Wakefield comprise the Thatcher roster.
Safford Bulldogs
The 3A South Region Bulldogs have a 39-46 (579-690) score per game or a 7-point deficit per game.
Safford has wins of 67-59 over Douglas (Nov. 22), 36-33 over Snowflake (Dec. 6), 60-34 over Prescott (Dec. 8), Fort Thomas (Dec. 19), and Tanque Verde (Jan. 3).
The losses are 49-58 to Round Valley (Nov. 28), 46-52 to Sahuarita (Dec. 2), 27-41 to Holbrook (Dec. 8), 47-54 to Rock Point (Dec. 8), 30-44 to Round Valley (Dec. 9), 32-37 to Saint Johns (Dec. 10), 32-41 to New Mexico Silver (Dec. 15), 50-77 to Tucson Pueblo (Dec. 17), 21-46 to Thatcher (Dec. 20), and 24-56 to Saint David (Dec. 21).
Seniors Brianna Camarena, Hannah Fairchild, Brynzee Hansen, Zonnie Heidi, Rene Holcomb, Lexi Lucas, and Jasmyn Rios; juniors Mia Abalos, Melana Gonzales, Jaidyn Mortensen, and Camilla Smith; sophomores Marley Jurado and Gracie Stearns; and freshmen Alexis Rope and Hannah Schade are on the Safford roster.
