By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Albert Ortega-coached Morenci Wildcats (3-5 seeding, minus 3.8266 rating) succumbed 20-51 to the 2A North Region Eagar Round Valley Elks (8-2, 12.7484) on Jan. 13.
The Wildcats hosts the No. 23 Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves (4-2, 2.1087) while Round Valley visits the No. 11 Sanders Valley Pirates (8-3, 9.5831) on Thursday, Jan. 15. The two pairings are both region contests The Wildcats are fourth (1-0) and Wolves fifth (1-1) in the 2A South Region while are Elks are first (1-0) and the Pirates third (1-0) in the 2A North Region.
Round Valley – 51, Morenci – 20
Numerous uncontested lay-ups abounded as the visiting Elks limited their hosts to free throws in two quarters, 2-2 during the first quarter and 3-6 in the fourth quarter, and to single digits in each quarter.
Round Valley led 12-2 after the opening quarter, 24-10 at halftime, and 40-17 heading into the fourth quarter.
For the game, Morenci totaled five field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 9-15 free throws compared to 19 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 9-19 free throws by Round Valley.
Senior Rozlyn Funari tallied a team-high five points, juniors Tiara Jones and Mayeli Salazar, along with sophomore Jaylianna Guzzo, three apiece, and seniors Adriana Carbajal and Jaliyah Hernandez, as well as sophomores Aiyanna Merino and Arisela Salazar, two each.
For the Elks, juniors Carla Arreola and Kelci Walker netted 12 points each on four 3-pointers plus 0-2 free throws and on three field goals plus 6-9 free throws, respectively. Senior Skylar Hevener added six points, junior Addison Poston five, junior Cassidy Elmer three, and both junior Brynn Hamblin and freshman Brentley Finch two each.
2A No. 29 Morenci Wildcats (3-5 seeding, minus 3.8266 rating)
Morenci is averaging a 37-44 (704-843) score per game or a 6-point deficit through 19 games.
A 13-member roster has four seniors, three juniors, and six sophomores. The seniors are Adriana Carbajal (12), Rozlyn Funari (10), Jaliyah Hernandez (44), and Jamie Turner (2); juniors Tiara Jones (20), Mayeli Salazar (5), and Kaylee Wiggins (13); and sophomores Arwa Abdulqader (11), Jaylianna Guzzo (1), Khloee Kouts (4), Tracy Mianda (24), Aiyanna Merino (3), and Arisela Salazar (14).
The Albert Ortega-coached Wildcats are competing in the 9-member 2A South Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, the Willcos Cowgirls, and the Tucson schools Desert Christian Eagles, Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves, San Miguel Vipers, and Santa Rita Eagles.
2A South Region Standings
Standings for 2A South Region members as of Jan. 13 were Tucson Desert Christian (9-3 overall, 7-1 seeding, 1-0 region), Willcox (11-6, 6-2, 2-0), Bisbee (6-4, 4-0, 1-0), Morenci (7-12, 3-6, 1-0), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (7-7, 3-3, 1-1), Tucson Santa Rita (6-5, 6-5, 1-1), Tombstone (3-15, 2-7, 1-2), Benson (15-4, 4-4, 0-1), and Tucson San Miguel (0-12, 0-12, 0-3).
Region results are Desert Christian over Tombstone (34-17, Jan. 6), Willcox over Benson (48-47, Jan. 6) and Saint Augustine (52-29, Jan. 8), Bisbee over Tombstone (45-36, Dec. 19), Morenci over San Miguel (67-18, Jan. 6), Saint Augustine over Santa Rita (48-20, Jan. 6), Santa Rita over San Miguel (52-12, Jan. 8), and Tombstone over San Miguel (49-13, Jan. 12).
2A State Rankings
State rankings for the Top 24 of 48 2A members as of noon on Jan. 13 were Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (10-0, 18.8311) No. 1, Pima (7-0, 17.6509) No. 2, San Carlos (7-0, 15.6451) No. 3, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (8-0, 14.1715) No. 4, Eagar Round Valley (7-2, 12.7484) No. 5, Saint Johns (5-2, 11.4612) No. 6, Wickenburg (10-0, 10.9910) No. 7, and Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (10-0, 10.7912) No. 8.
Kingman Academy (6-2, 10.6750) was No. 9, Fountain Hills (11-0, 10.6354) No. 10, Sanders Valley (8-3, 9.5831) No. 11, Chandler Lincoln Prep (10-0, 9228) No. 12, Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (9-1, 7.7162) No. 13, Phoenix Horizon Honors (6-4, 6.0567) No. 14, Pinon (7-4, 4.6908) No. 15, Tucson Desert Christian (7-1, 4.3869) No. 16.
Willcox (6-2, 4.2121) was No. 17, Phoenix Christian (7-3, 4.1488) No. 18, Phoenix Country Day School (5-3, 4.0403) No. 19, Scottsdale Christian (6-3, 3.5017) No. 20, Bisbee (4-0, 3.4026) No. 21, Many Farms (7-3, 2.3714) No. 22, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (4-2, 2.1087) No. 23, and Glendale Trivium Prep (6-3, 0.4724) No. 24.
