Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Diego Montoya (12) awaits the ball on a pick-off attempt of Desert Christian sophomore Cooper Payne (15) on March 13. The Duncan senior was selected to the 1A South All-Region 1st team while Payne was named to the 2nd team.
Ruiz, Jensen, Hernandez on All-Region 2nd Team
By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The Brett Jensen-coached No. 17 Duncan 2024 baseball team had five players selected for 1A South All-Region Honors.
Senior Diego Montoya and junior Isaac Harris were named to the first team, and sophomores Ethan Hernandez, Taygan Jensen, and Pablo Ruiz to the second team.
Montoya batted .514 (36-70) with 19 runs batted in, two doubles, four triples, and a home run while playing in all 22 games. He notched a 4.34 earned run average in striking out 27, walking 17, grazing four, and yielding a .286 (23-80) batting average while facing 101 batters during 19 1/3 innings.
Harris batted .532 (33-62) with 12 RBIs, five doubles, and four triples while playing in 20 games. As a pitcher, he had an 8.13 ERA in striking out 25, walking 12, grazing eight, and allowing a .440 (51-116) batting average while facing 136 batters during 20 2/3 innings.
Jensen batted .461 (35-76) with 20 RBIs, four doubles, and four triples; Hernandez batted .357 (25-70) with 25 RBIs, six doubles, and a triple; and Ruiz batted .274 (17-62) with 11 RBIs, a double, and a triple while playing in 22 games apiece. A .934 (179-18-14) fielding average was posted by Jensen, .804 (20-17-9) by Ruiz, and .755 (19-18-12) by Hernandez.
Final 1A South Region standings were Tucson Desert Christian (17-4 overall, 16-1 seeding, 13-1 region) first, San Manuel (14-6, 12-4, 11-3) second, Saint David (12-12, 10-9, 9-5) third, Elfrida Valley Union (13-9, 11-7, 9-5) fourth, Kearny Ray (11-15, 10-8, 8-6) fifth, Duncan (8-14, 5-11, 4-10) sixth, Sells Baboquivari (2-17, 1-15, 1-13) seventh, and Patagonia (1-15, 1-15, 1-13) eighth.
Duncan averaged an 8-11 (180-231) score per game or a 3-run deficit through 22 games. The Wildkats started the season with high expectations, losing only three to graduation after taking No. 2 Williams to the seventh inning before succumbing by a run. The 2023 version had records of 9-9 seeding and 7-7 region. The 2024 Wildkats lose six of 17 to graduation.
Five South Region teams qualified for the first round with one advancing to the quarterfinals. The No. 12 Ray Bearcats fell 1-11 (5 inn) to No. 5 Glendale Desert Heights Prep, the No. 10 Saint David Tigers 0-4 to No. 7 Anthem Prep, the No. 9 Valley Union Blue Devils 0-1 to No. 8 Heber Mogollon, and the No. 6 San Manuel Miners 1-9 to No. 11 Chandler Lincoln Prep while the No. 3 Desert Christian Eagles defeated No. 14 Colorado City El Capitan/Academy 16-0 (5 inn) in the first round on April 27. The eventual state champion and No. 4 Hayden Lobos eliminated Desert Christian 9-1 during the quarterfinals on May 4.
Hayden ousted No. 1 Bagdad 9-3 and Lincoln Prep edged Anthem Prep 8-7 during the semifinals on May 10. Hayden topped Lincoln Prep 14-8 for the title on May 11.
Duncan has gone one and done in its four state meet qualifying seasons since 2014 or 10-year span. The Wildkats fell 9-10 to No. 2 Williams as No. 15 in 2023, 0-17 to No. 7 Superior as No. 10 in 2021, 3-13 to No. 11 Phoenix Christian as No. 22 in 2015, and 2-8 to No. 14 Saint Johns as No. 19 in 2014.
1A South Region POY, COY
Desert Christian had the region player of the year in senior infielder/pitcher Bennett Vondrak (11), region offensive player of the year in junior infielder Caden Esquerra (10), and the region coach of the year in Scott Altherr while San Manuel had the region defensive player of the year in freshman Taylor Decker (2).
1A South All-Region First Team (13)
Duncan had senior outfielder/pitcher Diego Montoya (12) and junior Isaac Harris (5) on the first team.
The rest of the first team was made up of Desert Christian junior catcher/utility Ethan Craig (16), senior infielder Austin Yarger (2), and senior outfielder Cruz Smith (17); San Manuel sophomore pitcher Ivan Flores (13) and sophomore Tanner Decker (7); Saint David junior pitcher/infielder Owen Judd (16), junior outfielder/pitcher Luke Haymore (19), and junior pitcher Cooper Merrell (2); Valley Union junior pitcher Dylan Mitchell (5); Baboquivari senior infielder Devine Antone (6); and Patagonia senior Arturo Magallanes (21).
1A South All-Region Second Team (14)
Duncan sophomores, catcher/infielder Taygan Jensen (1), infielder/pitcher Ethan Hernandez (22), and outfielder/pitcher Pablo Ruiz (9) were selected to the second team.
Also on the second team were Desert Christian senior pitcher Austin Yarger (2), sophomore catcher/utility Cooper Payne (1), and freshman infielder Samuel Alday (24); San Manuel junior Edwardo Guerrero (8); Saint David junior utility Cooper Merrell (2) and senior infielder/pitcher Cole Haymore (20); Valley Union junior infielder Steven Delacruz (22); Ray freshman infielder/pitcher Seth Wade (3), junior infielder/catcher Mark Chester (10), and junior infielder/outfielder James Ruiz (1); and Baboquivari senior infielder Patrick Conde (18).
1A South All-Region Honorable Mention (13)
Duncan seniors, outfielder Payton Bigler (2), infielder/outfielder Adriano Burrola (17), and infielder/pitcher Sean Webb (13) were selected for honorable mention.
Others receiving honorable mention were Desert Christian seniors, outfielder Jeff Payne (7) and utility Joseph Serrano (22); Saint David freshmen, outfielder Landon Chittum (1) and outfielder/pitcher Emmitt Ether (6) and sophomores, Cedar Haynie infielder/catcher (10) and infielder Chase Pacheco (4); Valley Union senior infielder Jason Noble (9); Ray junior outfielder/pitcher Reggie Lechuga (17) and sophomore outfielder/infielder Jason Day (10); and Patagonia junior Jonathan Fields (12).
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