Pima is section runner-up and qualifies nine
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Casey Woodall-coached Morenci Wildcats earned the Division IV – Section IV title, totaling 249.5 points or 52 more than runner-up Pima (197.5) on Feb. 15. It is the 10th section title in 12 seasons under the current head coach and the second section meet held in Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium.
The section meet was postponed and canceled in 2014 due to health concerns regarding skin disease and in 2021 because of the ongoing global health crisis.
Morenci entered a full team for the sectional, including three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, and six freshmen. The Greenlee County residents walked out of Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium with 13 of 14 placing for the state meet, including five champions, three runners-up, one, third placer, and four in fourth place. The state meet begins at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 21 with final rounds starting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Previously, 12 of 14 (2015) entrants, 13 of 14 (2016-18), 9-13 (2019), 12-13 (2020), 13-14 (2022), 11-13 (2023), and 11 of 14 had qualified under Woodall. During the seasons without a section meet in 2014 and 2021, there were 13 and 14 Wildcats entered at the state meets, respectively.
Morenci Wildcats – 1st (249.5)
Eleven Wildcats qualified for the state meet by placing in the top five, five as section champions, three as runners-up, one as a third placer, and four as fourth placers.
The champions were freshman Ryder Nelson (106, 2-0, 2 pins), freshman Anthony Sanchez (120, 3-0, 3 pins), junior Kiano Torres (138, 4-0, 4 pins), sophomore Emerson Motes (144, 3-0, 2 pins), and senior Hollis Corbell (190, 2-0, 2 pins).
Senior Trent Nelson (126, 2-1, 2 pins), sophomore Merrick Williams (132, 2-1, 1 pin), and junior Isaiah Cook (285, 2-1, 2 pins) were second; senior Omar Torres (150, 4-1, 4 pins) third; freshman Jeremiah Cano, (113, 2-2, 2 pins), sophomore Joel Baca (165, 2-2, 1 pin), freshman Luz Hernandez (175, 1-2), and freshman James Davis (215, 2-2, 2 pins) fourth; and freshman Treyson Scalise (157, 1-2, 1 pin) did not place.
All 14 Wildcats contributed team scoring, with Kiano Torres adding 28 points, Sanchez 26, Motes 25, Corbell 24, Ryder Nelson 23.5, Cook 20, Trent Nelson 19.5, Omar Torres and Williams 18, Cano and Davis 13, Baca 11, Hernandez 7.0, and Scalise 3.5.
Pima Roughriders – 2nd (197.5)
Nine Roughriders qualified for the state meet by placing in the top four, four as section champions, two as runners-up, two as third placers, and one as a fourth placer.
The individual champions were freshman Aiden Espinoza (113, 3-0, 2 pins), and seniors Kodi Ferguson (150, 3-0, 3 pins), Kutter Beals (157, 3-0, 3 pins), and Brock Haws (215, 2-0, 2 pins).
Junior Tate Smith (3-1, 3 pins) and sophomore Joseph Palmer (165, 2-1, 2 pins) were second; junior Kyler Reed (3-1, 2 pins) and senior Jaxon McBiles (132, 4-1, 4, pins) third; and freshman Ryan Burk (190, 1-2) fourth. Freshmen Keegan Espinoza (175, 0-2), Oliver McCray (126, 2-2, 2 pins) and Jax Haws (285, 1-2, 1 pin) did not place.
Eleven of 12 Roughriders contributed to the team scoring, with Ferguson and Beals both 26 points, Aiden Espinoza 25, Brock Haws 24, Smith 21, Palmer 20, McBiles 19.5, Reed 18, McCray 8.0, Burk 6.0, Jax Haws 4.0. Keegan Espinoza did not score.
Thatcher Eagles – 3rd (132)
Six Eagles qualified for the state meet by placing in the top four, two as section champions, two as runners-up, two as third placers, and one as a fourth placer.
The individual champions were seniors Tristun Brown (165, 2-0, 2 pins) and Madden Magill (175, 2-0, 2 pins).
Senior Talin John (144, 2-1, 1 pin) and junior Josiah Matagaono (190, 1-1, 1 pin) were both second, junior Rannan Rubalcava (138, 4-1, 3 pins) and sophomore Brock Innes (285, 3-1, 2 pins) both third,
Junior Tate Smith (3-1, 3 pins) and sophomore Joseph Palmer (165, 2-1, 2 pins) were second; junior Kyler Reed (3-1, 2 pins) and senior Jaxon McBiles (132, 4-1, 4, pins) third; and freshman Ryan Burk (190, 1-2) fourth. Not placing were freshmen Keegan Espinoza (175, 0-2) Oliver McCray (126, 2-2, 2 pins), and Jax Haws (285, 1-2, 1 pin).
Not placing were freshmen Chase Knudsen (113, 0-2), Jason Hansen (126, 1-2, 1 pin), and Phoenix Haskins (132, 1-2, 1 pin) along with junior William Simoneuox (150, 12-10, 7 pins).
Eleven of 12 Eagles contributed to the team scoring, with Brown and Magill having 24 points apiece, John, Matagaono, and Rubalcava 18 apiece, Innes 17, Simoneuox 5.0, and both Hansen and Haskins 4.0.
Knudsen did not score.
Willcox Cowboys – 7th (71.5)
Four Cowboys qualified for the state meet by placing in the top four, one as a section champion, one as a runner-up, two as third placers, and one as a fourth placer.
The individual champion was senior Travis Larson (285, 2-0, 2 pins).
Senior Mario Fernandez (120, 2-1, 2 pins) was second, sophomore Kaleb Cooke (144, 2-1, 2 pins) third, and junior Joseph Sanchez (132, 2-2, 2, pins) fourth. Not placing were freshman Tyler Larson (138, 0-2), sophomore Mark Wilson (150, 2-2, 2 pins), and freshman Wyatt Cooke (157, 0-2).
Travis Larson had 22 points, Fernandez 19.5, Kaleb Cooke 12, Sanchez 10.5, and Wilson 7.5. Not scoring were Tyler Larson and Wyatt Cooke.
Team Placements / Scoring
Thatcher was third with 132 points, Benson fourth (111.5), San Manuel fifth (79.5), Eagar Round Valley sixth (72.5), Willcox seventh (71. 5), Bisbee eighth (42), and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic ninth (38).
Tucson Andrada Polytechnic was 10th (37), Elfrida Valley Union 11th (33.5), Tombstone 12th (33), Tucson Santa Rita 13th (15), Tucson Catalina 14th (12.5), Saint David 15th (9), and Tucson’s The Gregory School 16th (zero).
Division IV – Section IV Champions
The other nine section champions numbered four from Pima, two from Thatcher, and one each from Benson, Round Valley, and Willcox.
Also placing first were Pima freshman Aiden Espinoza (113, 3-0, 2 pins), senior Kodi Ferguson (150, 3-0, 3 pins), senior Kutter Beals (157, 3-0, 3 pins), and senior Brock Haws (215, 2-0, 2 pins); Thatcher seniors Tristun Brown (165, 2-0, 2 pins) and Madden MaGill (175, 2-0, 2 pins), Benson sophomore Kolttin Deskins (126, 3-0, 2 pins), Round Valley junior Mason Orona (132, 3-0, 1 pin), and Willcox senior Travis Larson (285, 2-0, 1 pin).
Division IV – Section IV State Qualifiers
A total of 115 participants from 16 different schools attended, with Morenci fielding a full team, Pima 12 entrants, Thatcher and Benson both 10, Tombstone and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic nine apiece, San Manuel, Eagar Round Valley, and Willcox seven apiece, Tucson Andrada Polytechnic and Elfrida Valley Union six each, Bisbee, Tucson Catalina, and Saint David four apiece, and both Tucson Santa Rita and Tucson’s The Gregory School three.
Morenci qualified 13 of 14, Pima 9-12, Thatcher 6-10, Benson 5-10, Round Valley, San Manuel, and Willcox each 4-7, Bisbee 2-4, Andrada Polytechnic 2-6, both Saint Augustine Catholic and Tombstone 2-9, Santa Rita 1-3, Catalina 1-4, Valley Union 1-6, The Gregory School none of three, and Saint David none of four.
