Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Safford defenders Alexis Rope (10) and Mia Abalos (4) leap up to block a hit by Sahaurita junior Aubrey Hitchner (14). The Bulldogs prevailed in three sets over the visiting Mustangs on Sept. 5. Safford hosts Show Low on Tuesday, Sept. 19, and Tanque Verde on Thursday, Sept. 21.
Safford hosts Tanque Verde on Thursday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAFFORD – The Robert Abalos-coached Safford Bulldogs welcome the region-leading Tucson Tanque Verde Hawks on Thursday, Sept. 21. It will be a 3A South Region contest.
The Bulldogs also meet 3A East Region Show Low in Norma Bellamy Gymnasium on Tuesday, Sept. 19. A 1-1 tie ensued following a tourney pairing in Snowflake on Sept. 15.
Graham County neighbor Thatcher visits Tanque Verde for a non-region contest on Sept. 19. The region match is a month later, in Thatcher on Oct. 19.
Show Low Cougars (12-4-1 overall)
Thus far, the Cougars (12-4-1 overall, 7-0 seeding, 2-0 3A East Region) have seeding match wins of 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-15) over Pima (Aug. 26), 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-12) over Payson (Aug. 28), 3-1 (27-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-15) over Fort Defiance Window Rock (Aug. 29), 3-0 (25-5, 25-12, 25-13) over Queen Creek San Tan Foothills (Aug. 30), 3-0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-20) over Saint Michael (Sept. 5), 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-16, 19-25, 15-5) over Winslow (Sept. 11), and 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 23-25, 27-25) over Tanque Verde (Sept. 14).
Show Low has participated in the same two tourneys as Safford, but ended up playing 10 matches in Snowflake, four more than the Bulldogs, and six in the Goodyear Estrella Foothills meet. Show Low went 5-4-1 and 4-2, respectively.
The 11-member team, coached by Melissa Brimhall, includes seniors Allie Garvin, Kieya Kraftor, and Amberlyn Linsey; juniors Kallie Hall and Marissa Hansen; and sophomores Jaylee Boyce, Jordyn Boyce, Avery Ervien, Livi Flake, Sarah Gibbins, and Gracie Umphress.
Safford Bulldogs (10-5-1)
The Bulldogs (10-5-1, 4-0, 0-0 3A South Region) have won four seeding matches and six of 12 tourney matches.
Safford has seeding match wins of 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-16) over Tucson Cholla (Aug. 29), 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-16) over Sahuarita (Sept. 5), 3-0 over Sabino (Sept. 7), and 3-0 (25-11, 25-7, 25-19) over New Mexico Silver (Sept. 13).
The 13-member roster has seniors Mia Abalos, Jaidyn Espinosa, Melanie Gonzales, and Jaidyn Mortensen; juniors Breanna Arbizo, Mianah Carasco, and Marley Jurado; sophomores Kai-Lee Cordova, Jerzi Hawkins, Rhylie Klajda, Alexis Rope, Hannah Schade; and freshman Payton Abalos.
Tanque Verde Hawks (7-4 overall, 3-2 seeding, 1-0 region)
The Hawks (7-4, 3-2, 1-0 3A South Region) have seeding wins of 3-1 (25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 25-15) over Empire (Aug. 31), 3-1 (25-12, 25-18, 21-25, 28-26) over Pusch Ridge Christian (Sept. 7), and 3-1 over Walden Grove (Sept. 13). The losses are 1-3 (25-16, 18-25, 18-25, 18-25) to Tucson Mica Mountain (Sept. 5) and 1-3 (16-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-27) to Show Low (Sept. 14).
Tanque Verde went 4-2 in the Palo Verde Magnet tourney (Sept. 1-2).
The 15-member roster, coached by Adam Shingler, has seniors Toni Defalco, Hannah Haggard, Dalaney Mikkelson, and Karson Taylor; juniors Addison Altherr, Ava Cheney, Ella McCarthy, Elaina Smiley, and Julia Sprotte; sophomores Elise Mansour, Alivia Sutton, Cayla Vimmerstedt, and Danica Vimmerstedt; and freshmen Sophia Cheney and Megan Hadley.
Thatcher Eagles (3-14)
The Eagles (3-14, 3-4, 1-0 3A South Region) have seeding wins of 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-7) over Sabino (Aug. 28), 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-16) over Sahuarita Walden Grove (Aug. 30), and 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-17) over Pima (Sept. 13). The losses are 0-3 () to Snowflake (Aug. 24), 0-3 (19-25, 19-25, 12-25) to Tucson Canyon del Oro (Sept. 5), 0-3 (5-25, 16-25, 22-25) to Mica Mountain (Sept. 7), and 0-3 (14-25, 18-25, 20-25) to Chandler Valley Christian (Sept. 15).
Thatcher went 0-7 during the Chandler tourney (Sept. 1-2) and 0-3 during the Red Mountain tourney (Sept. 8-9).
The Kim Orr-coached Eagles include seniors Avery Bingham, Macey Carter, and Marli Lopeman; juniors Kadie Bingham, Kenady Davis, Maggie Draper, Laci Hull, and Adysen Smith; sophomores Tyla Bryce, Presley Cummard, Shaylee Hughes, Makenzi Lunt, Lanie Larson, Emry Nelson, Kylia Nelson; and freshman Lillie Welker.
3A South Region Standings
Two of the nine-member region teams have played a region match to date. Tanque Verde and Thatcher have a region win apiece while Empire and Sabino each have a region loss.
Tanque Verde posted a 4-set (25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 25-15) win over Empire (Aug. 31) and Thatcher’s win is in three sets (25-13, 25-7, 25-7) over Sabino (Aug. 28).
Listed first coming out of the weekend is Tanque Verde (3-2 seeding), second Thatcher (3-4), third Safford (4-0), fourth Palo Verde Magnet (2-3), fifth Pusch Ridge Christian (3-4), sixth Sabino (1-6), seventh Empire (2-3), eighth Catalina (0-3), and ninth San Miguel Catholic (0-4).
