Wildcats head to Saint Johns on Saturday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Albert Ortega-coached No. 30 Morenci Wildcats (3-6 seeding, minus 3.8266 rating) topped the No. 21 Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves (5-2, 2.1798) 52-30 on Jan. 15.
A week-ending trip to the White Mountains is on tap for the Wildcats (4-6, minus 1.7023) as they face the No. 9 Redskins (11-0, 11.3059) in Saint Johns as No. 26 on Saturday, Jan. 17.
In another non-region contest, No. 41 Tombstone (2-8, minus 12.7136) visits 2A No. 21 Central Region Phoenix Christian (7-4, 2.8429) on Jan. 17.
This week (Jan. 19-24)
This week (Jan. 19-24) in the South Region, Desert Christian hosts Morenci, Santa Rita visits Bisbee, and Saint Augustine hosts Benson on Tuesday, Jan. 20; Willcox visits Morenci, Desert Christian visits Santa Rita, Bisbee visits Benson, and Saint Augustine visits San Miguel on Thursday, Jan. 22; and Willcox hosts Tombstone on Friday, Jan. 23.
Non-region contests include Tombstone visiting 1A South Region Nogales Lourdes Catholic on Wednesday, Jan. 21; Morenci visiting Phoenix Country Day School, Bisbee visiting 1A South Region Saint David, Saint Augustine hosting 3A South Region Empire, Benson visiting 2A East Region Chandler Prep, on Jan. 23, and Desert Christian hosting Tucson’s The Gregory School on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Morenci – 52, Saint Augustine – 30
The Wildcats limited their guests to single digits in three of four quarters, it was 47 seconds into the second half before they reached double digits on a 3-pointer, and a 12-11 Saint Augustine third quarter effort was not enough to offset the 19-point first half deficit.
Morenci led 16-4 after the opening quarter, 28-9 at halftime, and 39-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
For the game, Morenci totaled five field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 9-15 free throws compared to 19 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 9-19 free throws by Round Valley.
Before exiting on five fouls with 5:11 remaining, junior Tiara Jones tallied 14 points on five field goals plus 4-6 free throws, and junior Mayeli Salazar also netted 14 on seven field goals. Senior Rozlyn Funari added eight points, sophomore Khloee Kouts five, sophomore Arisela Salazar four, seniors Adriana Carbajal and Jamie Turne,r along with sophomore Jaylianna Guzzo two apiece, and senior Jaliyah Hernandez one.
For the Wolves, sophomore Aliyah Preciado had nine points, junior Marina Gutierrez and sophomore Natalie Reyna five apiece, sophomore Yulissa Camacho three, and junior Natalie Giron, along with sophomores Ameliana Dorame, Mariana Giron, and Sevina Paz, two each.
2A No. 26 Morenci Wildcats (4-6 seeding, minus 1.7023 rating)
Morenci (8-12overall, 4-6 seeding, 2-0 region) is averaging a 38-44 (756-873) score per game or a 6-point deficit through 20 games.
A 13-member roster has four seniors, three juniors, and six sophomores. The seniors are Adriana Carbajal (12), Rozlyn Funari (10), Jaliyah Hernandez (44), and Jamie Turner (2); juniors Tiara Jones (20), Mayeli Salazar (5), and Kaylee Wiggins (13); and sophomores Arwa Abdulqader (11), Jaylianna Guzzo (1), Khloee Kouts (4), Tracy Mianda (24), Aiyanna Merino (3), and Arisela Salazar (14).
The Albert Ortega-coached Wildcats are competing in the 9-member 2A South Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Bisbee Pumas, the Tombstone Yellow Jackets, the Willcos Cowgirls, and the Tucson schools Desert Christian Eagles, Saint Augustine Catholic Wolves, San Miguel Vipers, and Santa Rita Eagles.
2A State Rankings
State rankings for the Top 24 of 48 2A members as of noon on Jan. 16 were Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (11-0, 19.3433) No. 1, Pima (9-0, 18.3040) No. 2, San Carlos (8-0, 15.9810) No. 3, Eagar Round Valley (9-2, 14.2830) No. 4, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (10-0, 14.0289) No. 5, Saint Johns (7-2, 13.3915) No. 6, Kingman Academy (8-2, 13.2134) No. 7, and Fountain Hills (13-0, 11.6796) No. 8.
Avondale Saint John Paul II Catholic (11-0, 11.3059) was No. 9, Wickenburg (11-1, 10.0639) No. 10, Sanders Valley (8-4, 8.3174) No. 11, Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (9-1, 7.6791) No. 12, Phoenix Horizon Honors (7-4, 7.5526) No. 13, Willcox (7-2, 5.8290) No. 14, Chandler Lincoln Prep (10-1, 5.6184) No. 15, and Miami (4-4, 2.1509) No. 16.
Scottsdale Christian (7-3, 4.7589) was No. 17, Phoenix Country Day School (5-3, 4.5229) No. 18, Pinon (7-5, 4.1149) No. 19, Bisbee (5-1, 3.1189) No. 20, Phoenix Christian (7-4, 2.8429) No. 21, Many Farms (8-3, 2.4431) No. 22, Tucson Desert Christian (8-2, 0.2083) No. 23, and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (5-3, minus 0.4012) No. 24.
The state rankings for the other five 2A South Region members were Benson (4-5, minus 0.9004) No. 25, Morenci (4-6, minus 1.7023) No. 26, Santa Rita (7-5, minus 4.8102) No. 32, Tombstone (2-8, minus 12.7136) No. 41, and San Miguel (0-13, minus 25.3354) No. 48.
2A South Region Standings
Standings for 2A South Region members as of Jan. 15 were Willcox (12-6, 7-2, 3-0), Tucson Desert Christian (10-4 overall, 8-2 seeding, 2-0 region), Morenci (8-12, 4-6, 2-0), Tucson Santa Rita (7-5, 7-5, 2-1), Bisbee (7-5, 5-1, 1-1), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (9-7, 5-3, 1-2), Tombstone (3-16, 2-8, 1-2), Benson (15-5, 4-5, 0-2), and Tucson San Miguel (0-13, 0-13, 0-4).
Region results are Willcox over Benson (48-47, Jan. 6), Saint Augustine (52-29, Jan. 8), and Bisbee (59-44, Jan. 15); Desert Christian over Tombstone (34-17, Jan. 6) and San Miguel (68-9, Jan. 15); Morenci over San Miguel (67-18, Jan. 6) and Saint Augustine (52-30, Jan. 15); Santa Rita over San Miguel (52-12, Jan. 8) and Benson (45-41, Jan. 15); Bisbee over Tombstone (45-36, Dec. 19); Saint Augustine over Santa Rita (48-20, Jan. 6); and Tombstone over San Miguel (49-13, Jan. 12).
