Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: The entire team lines up for the pledge of allegiance prior to the start of a home match. Morenci hosts its 2023 tourney in Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday, Sept. 9, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Duncan, Globe, and San Simon join the Wildcats
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The New Mexico Silver Fighting Colts and the Saint David Tigers, Morenci volleyball tourney finalists last year, will not be attending the 2023 meet. Joining host Morenci in Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium are Duncan, Globe, and San Simon on Saturday, Sept. 9.
The morning pairings are Morenci versus San Simon and Duncan vs. Globe at 8:30 a.m., Morenci vs. Globe and Duncan vs. San Simon at 10 a.m., and Morenci vs. Duncan and Globe vs. San Simon at 11:30 a.m.
Silver topped Saint David 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-18). The meet was held consecutively from 2002-19 but shelved during 2020 and 2021 because of the ongoing global health crisis.
2023 Morenci Tourney participants
Morenci (2-2 overall, 2-2 seeding, 0-0 region) has wins of 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-13) over Globe (Aug. 28) and 3-1 (25-19, 25-22, 15-25, 25-21) over San Carlos (Sept. 4) as well as losses of 1-3 (24-26, 13-25, 25-14, 21-25) to Elfrida Valley Union (Aug. 25) and 0-3 (22-25, 23-25, 16-25) to Miami (Aug. 31).
The 2A East Region Wildcats field seniors Alizabeth Aguilar, Celeis Bejarano, Kay’Leigh Blair, Madison Crawford, and Ciantae Dosela; juniors Jayla Wilson, Miley Dunagan, Jadyn McCall, and Nicole Roybal; and freshman Tiara Jones.
Duncan (5-1, 5-1, 0-0 region) has wins of 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18) over San Simon (Aug. 24), 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-7) over Winkelman Hayden (Aug. 28), 3-0 (25-17, 25-20. 25-20) over Kearny Ray (Aug. 30), and 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-13) over Tucson Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind (Sept. 6). The loss was in four sets (18-25, 18-25, 28-26, 18-25) to Pima on Sept. 7.
The 1A Tucson Southeast Region Wildkats consist of seniors Aubrey Evans, Karly Coats, and Rachel Sumner; juniors McKenzie Babers, Elizabeth Basteen, Raymia Contreras, Emily Kempton, and Shaylynn Rhoton; and sophomores Sierra Chamberlin and Laya Elmer.
Globe (1-6, 1-3, 0-0 region) have a 4-set win (25-8, 25-21, 21-25, 25-20) over San Carlos (Sept. 6) as well as three 3-set losses to Morenci (10-25, 19-25, 13-25) on Aug. 28, to Chandler Valley Christian (8-25, 6-25, 10-25) on Aug. 30, and to Miami (23-25, 17-25, 18-25) on Sept. 7. The Tigers went 0-3 during the 2-day Payson tourney on Sept. 1-2.
The 3A South Central Tigers bring seniors Cal Cooper, Katelyn Moody, Qualiyah Nosie, Myranda Patten, and Emily Satter along with juniors Alliyah Curiel, Daisey Hansen, Riley East, and Jordan Talgo.
San Simon (1-3, 1-3, 0-0 region) has a 3-set win (25-6, 25-11, 25-11) over ASDB (Aug. 25). The 1A Tucson Southeast Region Longhorns have a 3-set loss (23-25, 23-25, 18-25) to Duncan (Aug. 24), a 4-set loss to Patagonia (Aug. 30) and a 4-set loss (23-25, 25-13, 17-25, 23-25) to Kearny Ray (Sept. 7).
The 1A Tucson Southeast Region Longhorns list senior Kimberly Martinez; juniors Betsabe Castellanos, Metzly Corrales, Kaylee Fierro, Hollie Keil, and Valeria Mendez; and sophomores Lynnea Kartchner and Evelyn Lopez on their roster.
Morenci Tourney finalists (2002-19)
Eight other different teams have been tourney champions, Pima five times (2008-11, 2013); Duncan four times (2004-06, 2012); Morenci (2014, 2019), Saint David (2017-18) and New Mexico Animas (2004-05) twice each; Benson (2016), Willcox (2003), and Thatcher (2002) once apiece. There was only round-robin play in 2015.
The seven other runners-up have been Miami (2019), Morenci six times (2006, 2011, 2013, 2016-18), Animas four times (2005, 2008-10), Pima (2012, 2014) and Willcox (2002, 2004) both twice, and both Bowie/San Simon (2007) and Duncan (2003) once.
Morenci came from behind to defeat Miami in three sets during the 2019 meet. Trailing by a set, the Wildcats pulled away from a late 16-16 tie to outscore the Vandals 9-4 in the second set and broke a 9-9 tie to gain a 6-2 advantage in the third set.
Saint David slipped past host Morenci in two sets in both 2018 (25-21, 25-23) and 2017 (25-20, 25-23). The 2016 meet had Benson over Morenci for first; Morenci bested Pima in 2014; Pima topped Morenci 2-0 in 2013 (25-19, 28-26) and in 2011 (21-13, 24-22), Animas 2-0 (21-17, 21-11) in 2010, plus 2-1 in both 2009 (18-21, 21-19, 15-11) and 2008 (17-21, 21-17, 16-14); Duncan prevailed 2-1 (25-22, 23-25, 17-15) over Pima in 2012, 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) over Morenci in 2006, 2-1 over Animas in 2005 and 2-1 (10-25, 25-21, 15-4) over Willcox in 2004; Animas edged Bowie / San Simon 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-12) in 2007; Willcox topped Duncan 2-0 (25-23, 25-16) in 2003; and Thatcher bested Willcox 2-0 in 2002.
This Week (Sept. 12-16)
Morenci visits Willcox on Tuesday, Sept. 12, and hosts Tucson Santa Rita on Thursday, Sept. 14, both for 2A East Region play; Duncan welcomes Tucson Desert Christian on Sept. 12; Globe hosts both 4A Black Canyon Region Apache Junction on Wednesday, Sept. 13 and 3A South Central Region Queen Creek American Leadership – Ironwood on Friday, Sept. 15; and San Simon visits San Manuel on Sept. 12 and Nogales Lourdes Catholic on Sept. 13.
