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).
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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
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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
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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.