Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Elena Leonard (5) evades Saint David senior Halee Deskins (0) en route to the basket. The Morenci senior had five points and Deskins two. The Wildcats have their initial region contest with Willcox on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Wildcats begin 2024 campaign with one win in three games
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Albert Ortega-coached Morenci basketball girls open region play for the 2024 season by hosting the Willcox Cowgirls on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Morenci has played three games and Willcox six.
The rest of the tentative schedule has the Wildcats heading to the three-day Eagar Round Valley tourney on Dec. 7-9, visiting Tucson Santa Rita on Dec. 12, hosting Benson on Dec. 18, and closing out the month at the three-day, Thatcher-held 60th Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament on Dec. 27-29.
In January, the Wildcats visit Round Valley on the 2nd and Tombstone on the 5th, host Bisbee on the 8th, visit Pima on the 11th and Willcox on the 16th, host Santa Rita on the 19th, visit Benson on the 23rd, and host Tombstone on the 29th.
Morenci visits Bisbee on Feb. 1 and Tucson San Miguel Catholic on Feb. 3 and hosts Pima on Feb. 7 to conclude the regular season.
Willcox Cowgirls (2-4 overall)
The Susie Prichard-coached Wilcox Cowgirls (2-4 overall, 2-2 seeding, 0-1 region) have seeding wins of 73-43 over Globe (Nov. 16) and 46-40 in overtime over Patagonia (Dec. 4). The losses are 41-73 to San Carlos (Nov. 28) and 14-69 to Pima (Dec. 1).
Willcox went 0-2 during the 3-day Tucson Amphitheater tourney, falling 36-56 to Joseph City (Nov. 20) and 32-63 to Amphitheater (Nov. 22).
Morenci Wildcats (1-2)
Morenci (1-2, 1-2, 0-0) has a seeding win of 39-22 over Valley Union (Dec. 4). The losses are 42-75 to San Carlos (Nov. 20) and 28-74 to Saint David (Nov. 27).
Wildcats on the roster include seniors Ciantae Dosela (24), Aniya Fallow (14), Anita Gonzalez (11), and Elena Leonard (5); juniors Sway Cordova (2), Tayah Wilkes (4), and Jayla Wilson (3); sophomores Adriana Carbajal (12), Rozlyn Funari (10), and Jayiyah Hernandez (44); and freshmen Tiara Jones (20) and Mayeli Salazar (13).
2A East Region Standings
Following two weeks of competition, region standings through Dec. 4 are Pima (1-0 overall, 1-0 seeding, 1-0 region), Tombstone (2-1, 2-1, 0-0), Bisbee (3-3, 1-1, 0-0), Morenci (1-2, 1-2, 0-0), Willcox (2-4, 2-2, 0-1), Santa Rita (0-8, 0-3, 0-0), Benson (3-1, 0-0, 0-0).
Pima at Willcox (Dec. 1) is the lone region game played to date. The Roughriders prevailed 69-14.
This week, Willcox visits Morenci on Wednesday, Dec. 6; Santa Rita visits Benson and Tombstone visits Bisbee on Thursday, Dec. 7, and Benson visits Saint Augustine on Friday, Dec. 8.
In non-region pairings, Morenci faces Saint Johns and Heber Mogollon while Pima meets Holbrook and Round Valley for the first day of the Round Valley Tourney on Dec. 7; Morenci draws Whiteriver Alchesay and Pima meets Sanders Valley for the tourney day two on Friday, Dec. 8; and both Morenci and Pima continue in the Round Valley Tourney on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Around the region during non-region pairings earlier this week, San Carlos defeated Bisbee 83-23, Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic defeated Santa Rita 58-14 on Dec. 4, Benson defeated Tucson San Miguel Catholic 80-5, and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic edged Tombstone 34-33 on Dec. 5.
Morenci – 39, Valley Union – 22
The visiting Wildcats scored in double figures during three of the four quarters and outscored the Blue Devils in each of them. Morenci led 10-6 following the first quarter, 15-11 at halftime, and 25-18 heading into the fourth quarter.
“It was close at the end,” Ortega said, but a 14-4 fourth-quarter effort cemented the Morenci win. Salazar contributed seven points, Jones five, and Dosela two.
For the game, the Wildcats made 15 field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 8-19 free throws compared to 10 field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 1-5 free throws by the Blue Devils.
Jones tallied 16 points on six field goals plus 4-9 free throws. Salazar added seven points, Funari six, Dosela and Wilson four apiece, and Leonard two.
For Valley Union, seniors Breiah Two Moons and Kali Prudler both had five points, junior Lexi Boss four, and senior Lauren Cabral, juniors Gio Curiel and Karime Esquer, and freshman Kylee Gilbreth two apiece.
Saint David – 46, Morenci – 27
The Wildcats trailed by two points, 5-7 after the 8 minutes of the third quarter, but, the deficit was 14, 22-36 at halftime, and the visiting Tigers added a 10-5 fourth-quarter effort for the final score.
For the game, the Wildcats made nine field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 6-12 free throws compared to 19 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 4-8 free throws by the Tigers.
Wilson had eight points, Dosela seven, Leonard five, Jones three, and Cordova and Carbajal two each.
The Tigers got 10 points apiece from seniors Maya Trejo on three field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 2-2 free throws and Anissa Jacquez on five field goals. Sophomore Emelynn Jacquez added nine points, junior Alayna Didion seven, junior Gracey Crockett five, freshman Emma Hart three, and senior Halee Deskins two.
San Carlos – 61, Morenci – 28
The Braves led 17-7 following the opening quarter, 30-17 at halftime, and 46-27 heading into the fourth quarter. A 15-1 last 8-minute outing accounted for the final score.
On the evening, the Wildcats made eight field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 10-20 free throws compared to 25 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 3-4 free throws by the Braves.
Funari had nine points, Wilson five, Dosela four, Cordova, Leonard, and Salazar three apiece, and Jones one.
For San Carlos, junior Ellysia Cutter had 17 points on eight field goals (one 3-pointer), and sophomore Anaya Juan had 17 on six field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 3-4 free throws. Senior Jenessa Victor added nine points, senior Camryn Longstreet and sophomore Alyson Hopkins four apiece, and seniors Cecilia Cassa and Janai Patten, Ailak, and Antonio two each.
