Duncan netters open in Pima on Wednesday

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Emily Kempton drills a ball across the net during a drill. She is one of four senior returnees on the squad, positioned as the outside hitter. Duncan opens the 2024 season in Pima on Wednesday, Aug. 28. The Wildkats host San Simon and San Manuel next week, on Tuesday, Sept. 3 and Thursday, Sept. 5, respectively.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Emily Kempton drills a ball across the net during a drill. She is one of four senior returnees on the squad, positioned as the outside hitter. Duncan opens the 2024 season in Pima on Wednesday, Aug. 28. The Wildkats host San Simon and San Manuel next week, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and Thursday, Sept. 5, respectively.

By Raymundo Frasquillo

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Elizabeth Basteen goes down low to keep the ball in play during a warm-up drill during a recent practice session. The Class of 2025 member is a setter and opposite hitter.

DUNCAN – The Kassi Mortensen-coached Duncan volleyball team opens the 2024 season against the Roughriders in Pima. The match begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Next week (Sept. 2-7), the Wildkats have home matches against the San Simon Longhorns on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and the San Manuel Miners on Thursday, Sept. 5, and head to the all-day Phoenix Horizon Honors tourney on Saturday, Sept. 7. The home matches also have a 5 p.m. start.

Last season, Duncan fell 1-3 (18-25, 18-25, 28-26, 18-25) to Pima (Sept. 7) plus posted wins of 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18) over San Simon (Aug. 24) and 3-1 (25-13, 25-12, 23-25, 25-16) over San Manuel (Oct. 13).

The Wildkats (17-8 overall, 15-3 seeding, 4-2 Tucson Southeast Region for 3rd) bowed out of the state meet first round via a 3-set (15-25, 13-25, 8-25) loss to No. 5 Williams. The Vikings fell 1-3 (25-22, 17-25, 22-25, 22-25) to No. 4 Heber Mogollon in the quarterfinals, and Mogollon fell 0-3 (14-25, 7-25, 23-25) to No. 1 Scottsdale Cicero Prep in the semifinals. Cicero Prep downed No. 2 Saint David 3-0 (25-21 thrice) for the title.

Duncan returns 10 players, four seniors, four juniors, and two sophomores listed on its 2023 roster. The seniors include McKenzie Babers, Elizabeth Basteen, Emily Kempton, and Shaylynn Rhoton; juniors are Sierra Chamberlin, Lara Elmer, Emily Evans, and Brendy Paz; and sophomores are Karleigh Capel and Lily Ford.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: A near-wall-size painting of the school mascot adorns the wall opposite the lobby in the Duncan gymnasium.

Also out for the Wildkats are juniors Madison Chapman, Arianna Ford, and Allyssa Garcia; sophomores Sofia Harris, Jozilyn Heredia, Veronica “Roni” Johnson, McKenzie Jones, and Sidney Wright; and freshmen Haley Bigler, Elvalie Vigil, and Ariella Watrons.

Annie Jones is assisting Mortensen (32-23 overall, 27-9 seeding, 5-5 region, 0-2 state) in her third season.

1A East Region

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Shaylynn Rhoton tosses the ball up for a serve during a practice session. The Class of 2025 member is slotted in the libero position.

The Wildkats are competing in the 1A East Region with the Cicero Prep Centurions, the Fort Thomas Apaches, the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the San Manuel Miners, the Superior Panthers, the Phoenix Valley Lutheran Flames, and the Winkelman Hayden Lobos.

Other pairings for region members include Cicero Prep hosting Chandler Lincoln Prep and Hayden hosting Dishchii’bikoh on Aug. 28; and Ray hosting Dishchii’bikoh on Thursday, Aug. 29.

Next week (Sept. 2-7), Fort Thomas visits San Carlos, and Globe visits Ray on Tuesday, Sept. 3; San Manuel visits Patagonia on Wednesday, Sept. 4; Phoenix Veritas Prep visits Cicero Prep, Valley Lutheran visits Fort Thomas, and San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills visits Ray on Sept. 5; Cicero Prep visits Anthem Prep and Bagdad visits Hayden on Friday, Sept. 6; and Cicero Prep, Fort Thomas, Ray, Superior, and Valley Lutheran are participating in the Horizon Honors tourney on Sept. 7.

1A State Final 2023 Rankings

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: McKenzie Babers taps the ball across the net. The Class of 2025 member playing middle blocker and middle hitter for the Wildkats.

Statewide final rankings as of Oct. 29 had the Top 16 with Cicero Prep (14-3 seeding, 11.2322 rating) as No. 1, Saint David (16-1, 10.3290) No. 2, Colorado City El Capitan / Academy (16-1, 9.1611) No. 3, Mogollon (13-3, 8.0903) No. 4, Williams (15-3, 7.5946) No. 5, Phoenix North Valley Christian (15-3, 6.4712) No. 6, Rock Point (16-2, 6.3302) No. 7, and North Phoenix Prep (15-3, 6.1008) No. 8.

Bagdad (12-2, 4.7220) was No. 9, Ash Fork (13-4, 3.74400) No. 10, Valley Union (13-3, 1.9994) No. 11, Duncan (15-3, 1.8980) No. 12, Valley Lutheran (8-8, 0.7600) No. 13, Wellton Antelope Union (10-5, 0.4033) No. 14, Lincoln Prep (9-8, 0.3621) No. 15, and Joseph City (9-8, 0.4263) No. 16.

The initial listings on Sept. 26 had Saint David (8-1 seeding, 8.9746 rating) No. 1, Mogollon (6-1, 7.9566) No. 2, Cicero Prep (7-3, 7.6453) No. 3, El Capitan (7-0, 7.0336) No. 4, Williams (9-1, 5.2498) No. 5, North Phoenix Prep (6-2, 5.2480) No. 6, Duncan (8-1, 4.5668) No. 7, Bagdad (6-1, 4.5338) No. 8, North Valley Christian (6-2, 3.9408) No. 9, Valley Union (7-2, 3.5990) No. 10, Valley Lutheran (5-3, 2.7749) No. 11, Antelope Union (6-2, 2.6781) No. 12, Joseph City (4-3, 2.2892) No. 13, Tucson’s The Gregory School (6-2, 2.1334) No. 14, Rock Point (7-2, 1.7021) No. 15, and Patagonia (6-3, 0.2795) No. 16.

1A East Region Final 2023 Standings

The final region standings, as of Oct. 26, had Cicero Prep (14-3 seeding, 4-0 region) first, Lincoln Prep (9-8, 2-2) second, Valley Lutheran (8-8, 0-4) third, and Mesa Sequoia Charter (0-0, 0-0) fourth.

1A Tucson Southeast Region Final 2023 Standings

Saint David (16-1 seeding, 6-0 region) was first, Elfrida Valley Union (13-3, 5-1) second, Duncan (15-3, 4-2) third, Patagonia (10-6, 3-3) fourth, San Simon (4-10, 2-4) fifth, Sells Baboquivari (1-8, 1-5) sixth, and Nogales Lourdes Catholic (2-8, 0-6) seventh.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Third-year head coach Kassi Mortensen (32-23 overall, 27-9 seeding, 5-5 region, 0-2 state) explains the notations on the board all players are advised to check before the start of each practice session.

1A Tucson Northwest Region Final 2023 Standings

Tucson Desert Christian (10-6 seeding, 3-1 region) was first, Ray (7-11, 3-1) second, San Manuel (3-11, 2-2) third, Tucson’s The Gregory School (9-6, 2-2) fourth, and Tucson Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind (9-6, 0-4) fifth.

1A Copper Region Final 2023 Standings

Mogollon (13-3 seeding, 10-0 region) was first, Joseph City (9-8, 7-3) second, Fort Thomas (8-9, 6-4) third, Superior (8-9, 5-5) fourth, Dishchii’bikoh (2-13, 1-9) fifth, and Hayden (1-16, 1-9) sixth.