Morenci hosts No. 22 Willcox for the play-in round on Thursday

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Elena Leonard (5) drives the lane unchallenged. The Morenci senior had a team-high 13 points for 12 double-digit efforts, eight in the last nine games played.

Pima girls post 12-0 region mark, await state pairing

By Raymundo Frasquillo

MORENCI – The Albert Ortega-coached Morenci Wildcats host the No. 22 Willcox Cowgirls as No. 11 for a play-in round game on Thursday, Feb. 8. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Morenci (12-6 seeding, 7.0053 rating) averaged a 45-42 (1,090-996) score per game or a 3-point margin through 25 games while Willcox (9-9 seeding, minus 0.1662 rating) averaged a 43-43 (1,106-1,112) score per game or a tie through 26 games.

Two other East Region teams are competing past the end of the regular season, with No. 15 Tombstone (11-7, 4.7151) hosting No. 18 Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (9-6, 3.9185) and Pima awaiting a state meet pairing as a Top 8 finisher.

2A Play-in Round

The No. 9-24 teams, with the lower seed visiting the higher seed, compete on Thursday, Feb. 8 for eight slots, No. 9-16. These winners face the Top 8 for the 16-team state tourney field beginning Feb. 16.

Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (13-3 seeding, 6.2200 rating) hosts No. 24 Many Farms (11-8, minus 0.3561) as No. 9, No. 16 Phoenix Basis (12-3, 4.2690) hosts Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic was No. 17 (15-4, 4.0604), No. 15 Tombstone (11-7, 4.7151) hosts No. 18 Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (9-6, 3.9185), and No. 12 Gilbert Leading Edge (11-6, 5.5222) hosts No. 21 Phoenix Veritas Prep (11-7, 2.6281) in one bracket.

The other bracket has No. 11 Morenci (12-6, 5.8884) hosting No. 22 Willcox (9-9, minus 0.1662), No. 13 Scottsdale Prep (13-5, 5.3342) hosting No. 20 Gilbert Classical (11-7, 3.2406), No. 14 Flagstaff Northland Prep (10-5, 5.2023) hosting No. 19 Sanders Valley (9-8, 3.6835), and No. 10 Eagar Round Valley (11-6, 5.9668) hosting No. 23 Kingman Academy (9-5, 0.5060).

Final 2A State Rankings

*Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Adriana Carbajal (12) looks for an open teammate as a pair of Pima defenders draw closer. The Morenci sophomore did not score.*

The 2A state rankings as of 10 a.m. on Feb. 7 the Top 8 teams without ratings until Saturday, Feb. 10, were Phoenix Country Day School (15-1 seeding), Miami (16-1), Pima (16-2), San Carlos (16-2), Glendale Prep (13-1), Saint Johns (15-3), Phoenix Horizon Honors (16-2), and Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (15-3).

Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated was No. 9 (13-3, 6.2200), Eagar Round Valley No. 10 (11-6, 5.9668), Morenci No. 9 (12-6, 5.8884), Gilbert Leading Edge No. 12 (11-6, 5.5222), Scottsdale Prep No. 13 (13-5, 5.3342), Flagstaff Northland Prep No. 14 (10-5, 5.2023), Tombstone No. 15 (11-7, 4.7151), and Phoenix Basis No. 16 (12-3, 4.2690).

Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic was No. 17 (15-4, 4.0604), Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep was No. 18 (9-6, 3.9185), Sanders Valley No. 19 (9-8, 3.6835), Gilbert Classical No. 20 (11-7, 3.2406), Phoenix Veritas Prep No. 21 (11-7, 2.6281), Willcox No. 22 (9-9, minus 0.1662), Kingman Academy No. 23 (9-5, 0.5060), Many Farms No. 24 (11-8, minus 0.3561).

Initial rankings on Jan. 9 had San Carlos No. 1 (10-1 seeding, 16.3606 rating), Miami No. 2 (9-1, 15.8087), Horizon Honors No. 3 (6-1, 14.3096), Phoenix Country Day No. 4 (4-1, 13.5137), Saint Johns No. 5 (8-2, 12.8585), Pima No. 6 (5-1, 12.6765), Mohave Accelerated No. 7 (8-0, 12.6258), Glendale Prep No. 8 (6-1, 11.0778), Morenci No. 9 (6-3, 7.9531), and Scottsdale Prep was No. 10 (8-1, 7.9307).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Rozlyn Funari (10) sights in on a high-percentage shot attempt with a pair of defenders nearby. The Morenci sophomore totaled four field goals and wound up with 10 points on the night.

Saint Augustine was No. 11 (7-1, 6.7870), Round Valley No. 12 (6-4, 6.3857), Leading Edge No. 13 (8-4, 5.4945), Rancho Solano Prep No. 14 (6-2, 5.1160), Valley No. 15 (6-4, 4.6699), Gilbert Classical No. 16 (8-4, 4.6347), Tombstone No. 17 (4-4, 4.5384), Arizona Lutheran No. 18 (5-2, 4.4131), Kingman Academy No. 19 (6-1, 4.3404), and Benson No. 20 (5-2, 3.4714).

Willcox was No. 21 (5-5, 2.2527), Veritas Prep No. 22 (5-3, 1.7475), Many Farms No. 23 (7-5, 0.1825), and Saint John Paul II No. 24 (5-4, minus 0.7785).

Final 2A East Region Standings

The 2A East Region standings following 42 games through Feb. 6 are Pima (22-4 overall, 12-0 region) first, Morenci (14-11, 9-3) second, Tombstone (17-11, 7-5) third, Willcox (11-15*, 5-7) fourth, Benson (14-13, 5-7) fifth, Bisbee (8-14, 4-8) sixth, and Tucson Santa Rita (1-21, 0-12) seventh.

Pima (12-0) has region wins over Willcox (69-14, Dec. 1), Tombstone (56-33, Dec. 12), Bisbee (67-24, Dec. 15), Santa Rita (57-4, Jan. 8), Benson (72-9, Jan. 19), Morenci (69-25, Jan. 11), Tombstone (62-19, Jan. 19), Bisbee (67-34, Jan. 23), Willcox (64-37, Jan. 29), Benson (47-21, Jan. 31), Santa Rita (79-6, Feb. 1), and Morenci (47-42, Feb. 6). The Top 8 Roughriders (16-2 seeding, unknown rating) are averaging a 54-29 (1,414-756) score per game or a 25-point margin through 26 games.

*Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Sway Cordova (2) releases a long-distance shot attempt that gave the hosts a 37-36 edge with 5:07 left to play.*

Morenci (9-3) has region wins over Willcox (50-45, Dec. 6), Santa Rita (57-43, Dec. 12), Benson (53-41, Dec. 18), Tombstone (53-40, Jan. 5), Bisbee (51-33, Jan. 8), Tombstone (54-44, Jan. 12), Willcox (60-47, Jan. 16), Santa Rita (62-25, Jan. 19), and Bisbee (56-44, Feb. 1). The No. 11 Wildcats (12-6 seeding, 5.8884 rating) are averaging a 45-42 (1,132-1,043) score per game or a 3-point margin through 25 games.

Tombstone (7-5) has region wins over Bisbee (63-31, Dec. 7), Willcox (49-41, Dec. 19), Bisbee (59-41, Jan. 16), Willcox (53-33, Jan. 23), Santa Rita (58-11, Jan. 26), Santa Rita (66-17, Jan. 31), and Benson (33-30, Feb. 6). The No. 15 Yellow Jackets (11-7 seeding, 4.7151 rating) are averaging a 43-37 (1,192-1,031) score per game or a 6-point margin through 28 games.

Willcox (5-7) has region wins over Tombstone (58-50, Dec. 19), Benson (59-46, Jan. 8), Santa Rita (57-19, Jan. 11), Benson (57-38, Feb. 1), and Santa Rita (66-17, Feb.6). The No. 22 Cowgirls (9-9 seeding, minus 0.1662 rating) are averaging a 43-43 (1,106-1,112) score per game or a tie through 26 games.

Benson (5-7) has region wins over Santa Rita (56-8, Dec. 7), Bisbee (49-41, Dec. 12), Tombstone (82-35, Jan. 11), Santa Rita (62-24, Jan. 16), and Morenci (46-43, Jan. 19). The No. 25 Bobcats (8-9 seeding, minus 0.8523 rating) averaged a 47-40 (1,280-1,078) score per game or a 7-point margin through 27 games.

*Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Pima head coach Roy Corona addresses his observations to the Roughriders during a time out.*

Bisbee (4-8) has region wins over Santa Rita (58-16, Jan. 5), Benson (36-30, Jan. 19), Willcox (47-35, Jan. 26), and Santa Rita (73-43, Jan. 29). The No. 28 Pumas (6-12 seeding, minus 4.0609 rating) averaged a 38-45 (834-994) score per game or a 7-point deficit through 22 games.

Santa Rita (0-12) did not win a regional game. The No. 40 Eagles (1-16 seeding, minus 16.1752 rating) averaged a 21-59 (470-1,308) score per game or a 38-point deficit through 22 games.

Pima – 47, Morenci – 42

It came down to the final 2:23 of play. A 42-42 tie was broken by Pima on a field goal. Another field goal plus 1-2 free throws completed the scoring as Morenci had no answer.

Morenci jumped out to an 11-point, 15-4, advantage with 52 seconds left in the first quarter, but Pima junior Sadie Richardson added a field goal 14 seconds later, and senior Jessica Schmidt another field goal with a second left to pare the deficit to seven, 15-8, at the start of the second quarter.

The Roughriders went on a 10-2 run to take an 18-17 edge with 4:23 left until the half. Junior Kelsi Brimhall dialed long distance and connected for a 21-17 advantage, but Morenci senior Elena Leonard’s field goal with 2:55 remaining and junior Jayla Wilson’s 3-pointer with 26 seconds left knotted the score at 21-21. Pima senior Ella Wiltbank added a field goal 16 seconds later and the visitors took a 23-21 edge into the mid-game break.

Pima returned to add a 7-2 run for a 30-23 advantage with 4:42 elapsed, but the Wildcats countered with a 9-2 run of their own to tie 32-32 at the end of the third quarter.

The Roughriders went ahead by four, 36-32 during the initial 2:12 of the fourth quarter. Morenci sophomore Rozlyn Funari’s field goal and junior Sway Cordova’s 3-pointer gave the hosts a 37-36 edge with 5:07 left. The teams traded a pair of baskets, Pima went ahead 38-37, Morenci led 39-38, and Pima went ahead 40-39, but a Leonard 3-pointer gave Morenci a 42-40 advantage with 5:54 left to play. Pima added a field goal to tie 42-42 15 seconds later.

*Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Lindsey Waters performed a solo dance routine during halftime of both Pima games on Feb. 6. The Morenci sophomore spirit line member is a flyer on the squad.*

For the game, Morenci connected on 14 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 10-22 free throws compared to 18 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 9-18 free throws by Pima.

Senior Elena Leonard (5) tallied 13 points on four field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 4-10 free throws and sophomore Rozlyn Funari (10) 10 on four field goals plus 2-2 free throws. Junior Jayla Wilson (3) and freshman Tiara Jones added seven points apiece, junior Sway Cordova (2) four, and senior Ciantae Dosela (24) two.

For Pima, junior Sadie Richardson (22) finished with a game-high 20 points on eight field goals plus 4-6 free throws. Senior Ella Wiltbank (25) added eight points, junior Kelsi Brimhall (23) seven, senior Madison Gann (15) five, junior Addison Hoopes (43) three, and both senior Jessica Schmidt (20) and sophomore Macy Allred (12) two apiece.