By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The Kassi Mortensen-coached Duncan Wildkats’ host 2A East Region Miami and Cicero Prep visits 1A South Region Tucson’s The Gregory School on Friday, Sept. 4. A 5 p.m. start is set for both.
Also this week (Sept. 4-10) for 1A East Region members, Ray hosts Superior on Tuesday, Sept. 8; 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.
1A Duncan Wildkats (1-2 seeding)
The Kassi Mortensen-coached Duncan Wildkats (1-2 overall, 1-2 seeding, 0-1 region) have a seeding win of 3-1 (25-23, 25-15, 17-25, 26-24) over Elfrida Valley Union on Aug. 27 and 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.
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.
2A Miami Vandals (0-3 seeding)
The Stella Lopez-coached Miami Vandals (0-3 overall, 0-3 seeding, 0-0 region) have seeding losses of 0-3(13-25, 16-25, 9-25) to San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills on Aug. 26, 0-3 (9-25, 6-25, 16-25) to Chandler Prep on Aug. 28, and 0-3 (19-25, 21-25, 10-25) to Morenci on Sept. 2.
Miami’s 13-member roster includes six seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and a freshman. The seniors are Olivia Chacon (4), Elise Combs (7), Grace Cruz (3), Mirna Flores (9), and Tamia Pietila (5); juniorsAdisynne Davis (15), Brylee Dho (2), Liliana Light (6), Tessa Roberts (8); sophomores Danica Valenzuela (1)and Anna Zazueta (11); and freshman Ezra Thompson (14).
The Vandals 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 Fort Thomas Apaches (2-1 seeding)
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.
1A East Region
Region standings as of Sept. 3 were Scottsdale Cicero Prep (2-0 overall, 2-0 seeding, 1-0 region), Fort Thomas (4-3, 2-1, 1-0), Winkelman Hayden (1-3, 1-3, 1-1), Duncan (1-2, 1-2, 0-1), San Manuel (0-2,0-2, 0-1), Kearny Ray (0-3, 0-3, 0-0), and Superior (0-0, 0-0, 0-0).
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, Fort Thomas 3-0 over Hayden on Sept. 1.
