Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Jayla Wilson (3) looks to dribble past Round Valley sophomore Skylar Hevener (2) at the top of the key. The Morenci junior contributed six points, Hevener did not score, and the Elks posted a large-margin home win on Jan. 2. Morenci welcomes Bisbee on Monday, Jan. 8 following five consecutive road games.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Morenci Wildcats will host two East Region games, Bisbee on Monday, Jan. 8, and Tombstone on Friday, Jan. 12.
The other region pairings this week (Jan. 8-13), have Pima at Santa Rita and Willcox at Benson on Jan. 8; Benson at Pima on Wednesday, Jan. 10; Morenci at Pima, Tombstone at Benson, and Willcox at Santa Rita on Thursday, Jan. 11.
In non-region pairings, Bisbee visits Saint David on Jan. 11 and Benson visits Tucson Desert Christian on Saturday, Jan. 13.
Bisbee Pumas (4-8 overall)
The Courtney Borquez-coached Bisbee Pumas (4-8 overall, 2-6 seeding, 0-3 East Region) are averaging a 35-43 (418-517) score per game or a 6-point deficit.
Bisbee has seeding wins over Tucson’s The Gregory School (38-10, Nov. 29) and Santa Rita (59-35, Jan. 5). The losses are to San Carlos (23-83, Dec. 4), Tombstone (31-63, Dec. 7), Benson (41-49, Dec. 12), Pima (24-67, Dec. 15), Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (38-52, Dec. 18), and Willcox (25-49, Jan. 2).
Additionally, the Pumas posted a 2-2 record during the 3-day Amphitheater tourney on Nov. 20-22. The wins were over Tucson Catalina (56-6, Nov. 20) and Winkelman Hayden (44-17, Nov. 20) while the losses were to Tucson Amphitheater (23-52, Nov. 21) and Joseph City (17-53, Nov. 22).
Bisbee’s roster has seniors Janitzia Avechuco (4), Bella Banuett (10), Naelani Borbon (34), and Devaney Olmstead (1); juniors Yaslin Hernandez (15), Kitana Rogers (12), and Isabella Solis (23); and sophomores Nicole Ceja (3), Alyssa Lopez (11), Natalie Mendez (20), and Rosa Moreno (22).
Tombstone Yellow Jackets (10-8)
The Thomas Valenzuela-coached Tombstone Yellow Jackets (10-8 overall, 4-4 seeding, 2-2 East Region) are averaging a 49-45 (731-672) score per game or a 4-point margin.
Tombstone has seeding wins over Duncan (42-30, Nov. 17), Elfrida Valley Union (42-34, Nov. 30), Bisbee (63-31, Dec. 7), and Willcox (49-41, Dec. 19). The losses are to Saint David (22-49, Nov. 29), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (33-34, Dec. 5), Pima (33-56, Dec. 12), and Morenci (49-53, Jan. 5).
The Yellow Jackets also posted a combined 6-4 record during two tourneys. They went 5-1 during the 3-day Benson tourney on Dec. 14-16 and 1-3 during the 2-day Tucson Flowing Wells tourney on Dec. 28-29. The wins were over Tucson Empire (53-7, Dec. 14), Willcox (44-32, Dec. 14), Elfrida Valley Union (40-24, Dec. 15), Sells Baboquivari (46-24, Dec. 16), and Tucson Catalina (60-19, Dec. 28). The losses were to Douglas (24-46, Dec. 16), Nogales (19-54, Dec. 28), Sierra Vista Buena (37-44, Dec. 29), and Tucson Canyon del Oro (39-51, Dec. 29).
A 10-member roster has already gone up against the Wildcats, including seniors Julie Jacuay (14) and Annie Loreto (4); juniors Jessa Maldonado (30), Brooklynn Penrose (13), Emma Rivera (5), Briella Schuller (21), Ed’Jerrica Spencer (2), and Rachel Thursby (3); sophomore Espi Lepley (5); and freshman Jayden Penrose (20).
Morenci Wildcats (7-8)
The Albert Ortega-coached Morenci Wildcats (7-8 overall, 5-3 seeding, 4-0 East Region) are averaging a 40-43 (595-641) score per game or a 3-point deficit.
Morenci has seeding wins over Elfrida Valley Union (39-22, Dec. 4), Willcox (50-45, Dec. 6), Tucson Santa Rita (57-23, Dec. 12), Benson (53-41, Dec. 18), and Tombstone (53-40, Jan. 5). The losses are to San Carlos (28-61, Nov. 20), Saint David (27-46, Nov. 27), and Eagar Round Valley (28-54, Jan. 2).
Additionally, the Wildcats posted a combined 2-5 record in two 3-day tourneys. They went 1-3 during the Round Valley tourney on Dec. 7-9 and 1-2 during the EAC tourney on Dec. 27-29. The wins were over Heber Mogollon (37-28, Dec. 7) and Valley Union (60-40, Dec. 29) while the losses were to Saint Johns (29-55, Dec. 7), Whiteriver Alchesay (17-59, Dec. 8), Holbrook (46-47, Dec. 8), Saint David (33-35, Dec. 27) and Safford (38-45, Dec. 28).
Seniors Ciantae Dosela (24), Aniyah Fallow (14), Anita Gonzalez (11), and Elena Leonard (5); juniors Talia McCabe (1), Tayah Wilkes (4), and Jayla Wilson (3); sophomores Adriana Carbajal (12), Rozlyn Funari (10), and Jaliyah Hernandez (44); and freshmen Tiara Jones (20) and Mayeli Salazar (13) are on the squad.
2A East Region Standings
The 2A East Region standings through Jan. 5 are Pima (10-3 overall, 4-1 seeding, 3-0 region), Morenci (7-8, 5-3, 4-0), Benson (11-5, 5-1, 2-1), Tombstone (10-8, 4-4, 2-2), Willcox (6-11*, 4-5, 1-3), Bisbee (4-8, 2-6, 1-4), and Tucson Santa Rita (1-11, 1-6, 0-3).
Thirteen region games have been played to date. Morenci (4-0) has wins over Willcox (50-45, Dec. 6), Santa Rita (57-43, Dec. 12), Benson (53-41, Dec. 18), and Tombstone (53-40, Jan. 5); Pima (3-0) over Willcox (69-14, Dec. 1), Tombstone (56-33, Dec. 12), and Bisbee (67-24, Dec. 15); Benson (2-1) over Santa Rita (56-8, Dec. 7) and Bisbee (49-41, Dec. 12); Tombstone (2-2) over Bisbee (63-31, Dec. 7) and Willcox (49-41, Dec. 19); Willcox (1-3) over Tombstone (58-50, Dec. 19); and Bisbee (1-4) over Santa Rita (58-16, Jan. 5).
Pima is averaging a 51-33 (667-427) score per game or an 18-point margin through 13 games, Benson a 53-39 (850-624) score per game or a 14-point margin through 16 games, Tombstone a 49-45 (731-672) score per game or a 4-point margin through 18 games, Morenci a 40-43 (595-641) score per game or a 3-point deficit through 15 games, Willcox a 39-44 (667-752) score per game or a 5-point deficit through 17 games, Bisbee a 35-43 (418-517) score per game or a 6-point deficit through 12 games, and Santa Rita a 24-56 (284-668) score per game or a 32-point deficit through 12 games.
Morenci – 53, Tombstone – 40
The Wildcats took a 4-point advantage into the locker room at halftime, leading 31-27 on the strength of the 19-15 first-quarter edge. Morenci added double figures in both second-half quarters while limiting the host to single figures in each.
For the game, Morenci connected on 21 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 8-18 free throws compared to 11 field goals (five 3-pointers) plus 13-20 free throws by Tombstone.
Funari (10) netted 14 points on six field goals plus 2-4 free throws and Jones (20) 13 on five field goals plus 3-8 free throws. Salazar (13) added nine points, Leonard (5) eight, Wilson (3) six, and Carbajal (12) three.
Tombstone got a dozen points apiece from juniors Emma Rivera (5) and Rachel Thursby (3) on five field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 0-1 free throws and two field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 7-9 free throws, respectively. Junior Briella Schuller (21) added eight points, junior Brooklynn Penrose (13) four, and both juniors Jessa Maldonado (30) and Ed’Jerrica Spencer (2) two apiece.
Round Valley – 54, Morenci – 28
The Wildcats trailed by six before a Leonard field goal pared the deficit to four points with 2:29n elapsed in the game. Morenci would match that deficit twice more, 4-8 with 2-3 Leonard free throws moments later and 11-15 on a Carbajal field goal with nearly three minutes elapsed in the second quarter, but no closer. The Elks enjoyed a 24-11 halftime advantage and led 46-24 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats totaled 10 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 4-7 free throws compared to 24 field goals plus 6-13 free throws by the Elks.
Leonard netted 10 points on three field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 3-5 free throws. Wilson and Carbajal both added six points, Dosela four, and Salazar two.
Round Valley got double-digit scoring from three freshmen. Harli Haws (10) totaled 13 points on five field goals plus 3-5 free throws, Addison Poston (23) 13 on six field goals plus 1-2 free throws, and Kelci Walker (1) 10 on five field goals. Senior Brenli Haws (12) added nine points, senior Kendra Logan (14) three, and juniors Jolie Bigelow (3) and Tycee Walker (4) as well as freshman Carla Arreola (34) two apiece.
