Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Sophie Haynie tracks the ball across the net. The Thatcher sophomore fell in singles play and did not complete a doubles match. Thatcher topped Willcox 5-2 to advance into the semifinals in Glendale on May 3, but the Cinderella would go no further and fell to Scottsdale Prep 1-5 in the semifinal.
Fall to second seed Scottsdale Prep in semifinal
By Raymundo Frasquillo
GLENDALE – The Leah Meehl-coached No. 11 Thatcher Eagles were a surprise competitor against No. 2 Scottsdale Prep for the semifinal round on Friday, May 3, after beating the previously undefeated Willcox Cowgirls, 5-2. The semifinal match was held at the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center, 6268 West Thunderbird Rd., with Scottsdale Prep prevailing, 5-1.
Division III State Team Tourney
The Division III state tourney semifinals pit No. 4 Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian with No. 1 Phoenix Country Day School at 1 p.m. and No. 11 Thatcher with No. 2 Scottsdale Prep at 2 p.m., both at Paseo Racquet Center. Phoenix County Day defeated Pusch Ridge 5-3 to advance to the final against Scottsdale Prep.
Thatcher made its second trip to the state team tourney semifinals in four seasons. The Graham County girls were last there in 2021, falling, ironically, 1-5 to No. 1 Scottsdale Prep as No. 2.
Scottsdale Prep is making its third semifinalist appearance, also qualifying in 2022; Pusch Ridge Christian its second (2023, 2024); and Phoenix Country Day School its fourth., ending as state champion in 2022 and 2023 with 5-0 wins over Scottsdale Prep and Pusch Ridge, respectively.
Thatcher was second in Section I, Scottsdale Christian first in Section V, Pusch Ridge first in Section II, and Phoenix Country Day first in Section VII.
Quarterfinal results on April 30 had No. 1 Phoenix Country Day 5-1 over No. 8 Chandler Prep, No. 4 Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian 5-0 over No. 12 Phoenix Veritas Prep, No. 11 Thatcher 5-2 over No. 3 Willcox, and No. 2 Scottsdale Prep 5-2 over No. 7 Tucson Tanque Verde.
Round One on April 23 resulted in elimination wins of 5-0 by No. 1 Phoenix Country Day over No. 16 Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills, 5-1 by No. 8 Chandler Prep over No. 9 Flagstaff Northland Prep, 5-4 by No. 12 Veritas Prep over No. 5 Scottsdale Cicero Prep, 5-2 by No. 4 Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian over No. 13 Gilbert Christian, 5-0 by No. 3 Willcox over No. 14 Safford, 5-4 by No. 11 Thatcher over No. 6 Yuma Catholic, 5-1 by No. 7 Tanque Verde over No. 10 Glendale Prep, and 6-0 by No. 2 Scottsdale Prep over No. 15 Tucson’s The Gregory School.
No. 2 Scottsdale Prep (10-1 seeding, 18.4027 rating)
Scottsdale Prep (10-1 seeding, 6-0 section) had seeding wins over Miami (9-0, Feb. 21), Gilbert Christian (8-1, Feb. 27), Gilbert Classical (9-0, Feb. 29), Scottsdale Cicero Prep (7-1, March 19), Phoenix Basis (9-0, March 21), Chandler Prep (9-0, March 22), Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (9-0, April 2), Chandler Lincoln Prep (9-0, April 4), Phoenix Valley Lutheran (9-0, April 4), and Phoenix Veritas Prep (7-1, April 16). The loss was to Phoenix Country Day School (4-5, April 9). The lone loss was to Phoenix Country Day School (3-6, March 4).
The Michael Puhala-coached Spartans were 59-7 (115-14 sets) in singles and 29-2 in doubles.
Individually, senior Nandini Patel was 11-0 (21-0 sets), sophomore Noelle Oh 10-1 (21-2 sets), senior Samantha Ferro 11-0 (21-0 sets), junior Nandine Clerici 10-1 (20-2 sets), junior Gabriella Clerici 10-1 (19-2 sets), and freshman Maya Hamer 7-4 (13-8 sets).
In doubles, Patel – Ferro was 11-0, Oh – Nandine Clerici 10-1, and Gabriella Clerici – Hamer 8-1,
No. 11 Thatcher (10-3 seeding, 9.8979 rating)
Thatcher (10-3 seeding, 5-1 section) had seeding wins over Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills (8-1, Feb. 27), Miami (9-0, Feb. 29), Gilbert Classical (6-0, March 7), Tucson Sabino (5-0, March 25), Pima (9-0, March 28), Safford (6-3, March 29), Morenci (9-0, April 2), Benson (8-1, April 9), Duncan (9-0, April 11), and Safford (9-0, April 16). The losses were to Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (4-5, March 5), Tucson Tanque Verde (4-5, March 6), and Willcox (3-6, April 4).
The Leah Meehl-coached Eagles were 60-14 (117-40 sets) in singles and 29-7 in doubles. Four singles pairings with Sabino and three doubles with Gilbert Classical were not played.
Individually, sophomore Sophie Haynie was 6-5 (14-11 sets), senior Maddie Scarborough 9-3 (17-7 sets), junior Emily Sampson 9-3 (18-6 sets), senior Zoey Damron 9-2 (17-4 sets), junior Kayla Turley 10-1 (20-2 sets), junior Audrey Smith 10-0 (20-0 sets), junior Cambria Wakefield 3-0 (5-0 sets), senior Carly Keith 3-0 (5-0 sets), and freshman Sarah Sampson 1-0 (1-0 sets).
In doubles, Haynie – Emily Sampson was 7-4, Scarborough – Damron 9-2, Turley – Smith 10-1, Wakefield – Keith 1-0, Scarborough – Wakefield 1-0, and Sampson – Sampson 1-0.
Quarterfinals, April 30:
No. 11 Thatcher – 5, No. 3 Wilcox – 2
Four of six singles pairings were won by Thatcher and the other two by Willcox, prompting doubles play.
Thatcher seniors Maddie Scarborough – Zoey Damron defeated Willcox seniors Teresa Trujillo – Alexa Hernandez 8-2 to halt the match favoring the Eagles as the first to five wins.
In singles, Scarborough defeated senior Valerie Durazo (6-4, 6-3), Damron defeated senior Alexa Hernandez (6-3, 3-6, 10-7), junior Kayla Turley defeated junior Mabrisa Tona (6-2, 6-3), and junior Audrey Smith defeated freshman Lorena Tr (6-0 twice).
For Willcox, senior Mia Mungarro defeated sophomore Sophie Haynie (6-4, 6-1) and Trujillo defeated junior Emily Sampson (6-2 twice).
The doubles No. 1 Haynie – Sample versus Mungarro – Durazo as well as the No. 3 Turley Smith vs. Tona – Tr were stopped and not completed.
Round One, April 23:
No. 3 Wilcox – 5, No. 14 Safford – 0
Five of six singles pairings resulted in the match win for the Cowgirls. Mungarro, Durazo, Trujillo, Hernandez, and junior Keira Lentz defeated senior Hazel Green (6-1, 6-2), senior Rachel Peterson (6-1, 7-5), senior Brynlie Alder (6-1, 6-0), senior Camille Alder (6-0 twice), and senior Ella Price (3-6, 6-4, 10-6), respectively.
The sixth singles pairing between Tona and Safford junior Alexis Neal was stopped and not completed.
No. 11 Thatcher – 5, No. 6 Yuma Catholic – 4 (revised)
Initially, neither team won five singles pairings, the Shamrocks won four while the Eagles took two, necessitating doubles play.
Yuma Catholic sophomore Annie Scarborough, senior Francheska Cha, senior Kayle Heideman, and freshman Claire Olsen defeated Maddie Scarborough (4-6, 6-1, 12-10), Sampson (6-3 twice), Damron (7-5, 6-3), and Turley (2-6, 6-2, 10-7), respectively.
Thatcher’s Haynie and Smith defeated junior Grace Lanning (6-4, 7-5) and freshman Abigail Olsen (3-6, 6-3, 10-7), respectively.
Scarborough – Damron defeated Heideman – Cha 8-2 to trail 3-4, but Yuma Catholic’s Lanning – Scarborough downed Haynie – Sampson 8-3 in the No. 1 doubles to halt play. The Turley – Smith versus Olsen – Olsen match was not completed.
During a post-match review back in the hotel, it was discovered the wrong pairings were made for two singles slots. The No. 5 Yuma Catholic win was forfeited, giving both teams four wins. The unfinished No. 3 doubles pairing was completed in Glendale on April 27, since both teams were attending the state individual tourneys. The Thatcher Turley – Smith duo defeated Olsen – Olsen 9-7 to win the dual 5-4 and advance to the quarterfinals.
Division III State Doubles Tourney
The Division III state doubles tourney also had 16 slots in the first round, beginning on April 26. Section I teams landed five doubles slots, with Thatcher having two entrants, Willcox two entrants, and Pima one entrant. Collectively, the Section I entrants posted a 5-5 record.
Thatcher seniors Maddie Scarborough – Zoey Damron went 3-1, No. 6 Willcox seniors Mia Mungarra – Valerie Durazo (2-1), and No. 7 Thatcher sophomore Sophie Haynie – junior Emily Sampson, Willcox seniors Alexa Hernandez – Teresa Trujillo, and Pima juniors Kennedy Minor – Mia Ashby 0-1 apiece.
Scarborough – Damron defeated Pusch Ridge junior Sophia Barnett – sophomore Melaney Johnson (6-4, 6-1) in the first round, No. 5 Chandler Prep senior Kaitlyn Pfund – sophomore Elise Yeung (4-6, 7-5, 10-4) in the second round, withdrawn Phoenix Country Day School seniors Adelle Ekpo – Ayelet Jaffee in the quarterfinals before succumbing to eventual state runners-up Scottsdale Prep seniors Nandini Patel – Samantha Ferro (1-6, 2-6) in the semifinals.
Mungarra – Durazo defeated Phoenix Veritas Prep seniors Brooke Bice – Juliana Curtis (6-0, 6-1) in the first round and Gilbert Classical junior Stephanie Hein – sophomore Esha Bhatia (6-0, 6-3) in the second round, before falling to eventual semifinalist and No. 3 Phoenix Country Day sophomores Zara Campbell – Rachel Coviello (1-6 twice) in the quarterfinals.
First-round exits were made by Haynie – junior Emily Sampson to Page sophomores Haleigh Smith – Sienna Wertz (6-4, 2-6, 8-10), Hernandez – Trujillo to eventual quarterfinalist and No. 8 Flagstaff Northland Prep freshman Grace Daab – junior Amelia Raab (1-6, 3-6), and Minor – Ashby to the Chandler Prep Pfund – Yeung duo (2-6 twice),
Division III State Singles Tourney
The Division III state singles tourney also had 16 slots in the first round, beginning on April 26. Section I teams landed six singles slots, with Safford and Thatcher both having two entrants, and both Benson and Willcox one apiece. The entrants posted a combined record of 3-6.
Thatcher junior Audrey Smith, Safford senior Hazel Green, and Benson freshman Alexis Cooper each went 1-1; and Safford senior Rachel Peterson, Thatcher junior Kayla Turley, and Willcox junior Keira Lentz each bowed out in the first round.
Thatcher junior Audrey Smith advanced by default of Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian freshman Micaela Nagel and fell to No. 4 and eventual state runner-up Chandler Prep senior Sonali Bhalla (0-6, 1-6) in the second round.
Safford senior Hazel Green defeated Avondale Saint John Paul II junior Natalia Piatek (6-1, 6-2) in the first round and fell to eventual quarterfinalist Chandler Prep sophomore Satomi Small (3-6, 6-1, 5-10) in the second round.
Benson freshman Alexis Cooper defeated Thatcher junior Kayla Turley (2-6, 6-2, 10-5) in the first round and fell to eventual quarterfinalist Flagstaff Northland Prep freshman Grace Kim (3-6 twice) in the second round.
Safford senior Rachel Peterson fell to eventual quarterfinalist Yuma Catholic junior Grace Lanning (0-6, 3-6), Turley fell to Benson freshman Alexis Cooper, and Willcox junior Keira Lentz fell to Tucson Tanque Verde freshman Brianna Mildenbrandt (0-6 twice).
Final Division III State Rankings
The Final Division III State Top 16 Rankings as of 9 a.m. on April 18 included four teams from Section VII, three from Sections I and V, two from Sections II and IV, and one from Sections III and VI.
Phoenix Country Day School (12-0 seeding, 22.6322 rating) was No. 1, Scottsdale Prep (10-1, 18.4027) No. 2, Willcox (13-0, 15.8844) No. 3, Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (13-2, 15.4390) No. 4, Scottsdale Cicero Prep (10-1, 14.6215) No. 5, Yuma Catholic (9-1, 13.2693) No. 6, Tucson Tanque Verde (12-2, 11.9095) No. 7, and Chandler Prep (9-2, 11.8544) No. 8.
Flagstaff Northland Prep (9-0, 10.0313) was No. 9, Glendale Prep (11-2, 9.8998) No. 10, Thatcher (10-3, 9.8979) No. 11, Phoenix Veritas Prep (11-3, 9.4946) No. 12, Gilbert Christian (8-4, 7.0875) No. 13, Safford (8-5, 4.3188) No. 14, Tucson’s The Gregory School (10-3, 4.1717) No. 15, and Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills (7-6, 3.9959) No. 16.
Final Division III – Section I Standings
The final standings as of April 17 were Willcox (13-0 seeding, 6-0 section) first, Thatcher (10-3, 5-1) second, Safford (8-5, 4-2) third, Duncan (7-5, 3-3) fourth, Pima (7-6, 2-4) fifth, Morenci (1-12, 1-5) sixth, and Benson (3-9, 0-6) seventh.
No. 3 Willcox (13-0 seeding, 15.8844 rating)
Willcox (13-0) had seeding wins over Safford (9-0, Feb. 27), Saint David (9-0, Feb. 29), Tombstone (9-0, March 5), Duncan (6-0, March 7), Tucson’s The Gregory School (8-1, March 12), Morenci (9-0, March 14), Duncan (9-0, March 22), Pima (9-0, March 26), Morenci (9-0, March 28), Benson (9-0, April 2), Thatcher (6-3, April 4), Safford (7-2, April 8), and Globe (9-0, April 16). The Mike Kauffman-coached Cowgirls were 74-4 (97-10 sets) in singles and 34-2 in doubles. Three doubles matches were not played.
Individually, senior Mia Mungarro was 13-0 (19-2 sets), senior Valerie Durazo 10-2 (14-3 sets), senior Teresa Trujillo 13-0 (17-1 sets), senior Alexa Hernandez 13-0 (17-0 sets), junior Keira Lentz 12-1 (15-2 sets), junior Mabrisa Tona 12-1 (14-2 sets), and freshman Lorenca Tr 1-0 (1-0 sets).
In doubles, Mungarro – Durazo was 11-0, Trujillo – Hernandez 10-1, Lentz – Tona 10-1, Mungarro – Trujillo 1-0, Hernandez – Lentz 1-0, and Tona – Tr 1-0.
No. 14 Safford (8-5 seeding, 4.3188 rating)
Safford (8-5 seeding, 4-2 section) had seeding wins over Florence (Feb. 21), Tombstone (9-0, Feb. 29), Morenci (9-0, March 5), Benson (8-1, March 28), Duncan (9-0, April 2), Pima (7-2, April 4), Morenci (9-0, April 9), and Tucson Sabino (6-3, April 15). The losses were to Willcox (0-9, Feb. 27), Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (0-9, March 21), Thatcher (3-6, March 29), Willcox (2-7, April 8), and Thatcher (0-9, April 16).
The Thomas Biggs-coached Bulldogs were 50-27 (94-47 sets) in singles and 19-17 in doubles.
Individually, senior Hazel Green was 9-4 (18-5 sets), senior Rachel Peterson 9-2 (18-4 sets), senior Brynlie Alder 8-4 (15-7 sets), senior Camille Alder 8-4 (15-7 sets), senior Ella Price 8-5 (14-9 sets), senior Zoey Tutor 4-4 (7-7 sets), junior Charlotte Graham 1-0 (1-0 sets), junior Alexis Neal 2-2 (4-4 sets), freshman Iris Green 0-1 (0-2 sets), freshman Amanda Neal 0-1 (0-2 sets), and sophomore Kimberly Taylor 1-0 (2-0 sets).
In doubles, Alder – Alder was 4-7, Green – Peterson 6-1, Price – Tutor 2-5, Price – Graham 4-0, Green – Tutor 1-0, Green – Green 0-1, Price – Alexis Neal 2-1, Graham – Amanda Neal 0-1, and Price – Taylor 0-1.
