By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The No. 36 San Manuel Miners visit No. 25 Duncan for a region pairing on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The Wildkats head to No. 32 San Simon on Thursday, Jan. 23.
As of Jan. 18, the state rankings for 1A East Region members were No. 3 for Fort Thomas (9-1 seeding, 8.7558 rating), No. 8 for Winkelman Hayden (8-3, 1.8215), No. 11 for Phoenix Valley Lutheran (7-3, 0.9717), No. 13 for Scottsdale Cicero Prep (6-6, minus 0.58885), No. 22 for Kearny Ray (6-6, minus 7.0238), No. 25 for Duncan (5-8, minus 11.5034), No. 33 for Superior (2-10, minus 16.1988), and No. 36 for San Manuel (2-10, minus 19.3837).
Other region pairings for East Region members this week (Jan. 20-25) include Valley Lutheran at Superior and Hayden at Ray on Jan. 21; Cicero Prep at Fort Thomas on Jan. 22; and Fort Thomas at Valley Lutheran, Hayden at Superior, and Ray at Superior on Jan. 24.
The non-region parings include Fort Thomas at Saint David on Jan. 21, Hayden at Sells Baboquivari on Jan. 24, Ray at Patagonia, and Superior at San Simon on Saturday, Jan. 25.
1A East Region Standings
Region standings for the 8-team region through Jan. 18 were Fort Thomas (15-8 overall, 10-1 seeding, 3-0 region) first, Valley Lutheran (11-9, 8-3, 4-1) second, Hayden (12-11, 9-3, 3-1) third, Cicero Prep (11-11, 6-7, 2-1) fourth, Ray (9-11, 5-6, 0-2) fifth, Duncan (5-12, 5-8, 1-3) sixth, San Manuel (4-15, 2-11, 1-3) seventh, and Superior (2-17, 2-11, 0-4) eighth.

To date, region wins have been Fort Thomas over Superior (69-10, Dec. 17), Hayden (51-41, Jan. 7), and Duncan (61-48); Valley Lutheran over Ray (30-21, Dec. 13), Cicero Prep (51-37, Jan. 7), Duncan (59-38, Jan. 10), and San Manuel (54-26, Jan. 17); Hayden over San Manuel (50-28, Dec. 17), Valley Lutheran (52-34, Jan. 14), and Superior (64-26, Jan. 17); Cicero Prep over Duncan (56-17, Nov. 23) and Ray (57-50, Jan. 10); Ray over san Manuel (69-28, Jan. 15); Duncan over Superior (64-32, Jan. 10); and San Manuel over Superior (32-29, Jan. 16).
No. 36 San Manuel Miners (4-15)
San Manuel (4-15 overall, 2-11 seeding, 1-3 1A East Region) is averaging a score of 27-53 (346-692) per seeding game or a 26-point deficit. The William Smith-coached Miners have seeding wins over ASDB (44-25, Dec. 5) and Superior (32-29, Jan. 16) along with losses to Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (33-53, Nov. 22), Duncan (29-41, Nov. 26), Hayden (20-70, Dec. 3), Eloy Santa Cruz (22-77, Dec. 9), Baboquivari (20-64, Dec. 10), Superior (24-52, Dec. 16), Hayden (28-50, Dec. 17), Valley Lutheran (18-53, Dec. 20), Ray (22-55, Jan. 7), Ray (28-69, Jan. 15), and Valley Lutheran (26-54, Jan. 17).

Additionally, the Miners went 3-4 in the 3-day Globe tourney. The wins were over Superior (34-27, Dec. 13) and Superior (22-18, Dec. 14) while the losses were to Miami (18-76, Dec. 13), Globe (21-52, Dec. 13), Avondale Agua Fria (11-73, Dec. 14), and Tuba City Greyhills (23-25, Dec. 14). San Manuel is averaging an overall score of 25-47 (475-893) per game or a 22-point deficit.
San Manuel has a 12-member team of five seniors, one junior, two sophomores, and four freshmen. The roster includes senior Carlos Gallego (12), Bayden Martinez (2), Domingo Rodriguez (15), Joshua Saint Jeor (24), and David Valencia (3); junior Marcos Smith (1); sophomores Marcello Baeza (11) and Santiago Pinedo (0); and freshmen Giorgio Carrillo (44), Nate Holley (22), Steven Pelfrey (32), and Omar Urbalejo (10).
The Miners are competing in the 8-member 1A East Region with the Cicero Prep Centurians, the Duncan Wildkats, the Fort Thomas Apaches, the Hayden Lobos, the Ray Bearcats, the Superior Panthers, and the Valley Lutheran Flames.
No. 32 San Simon Longhorns (4-13)
San Simon (4-13 overall, 4-9 seeding, 2-4 1A South Region) is averaging a score of 41-52 (531-670) per seeding game or an 11-point deficit. The Clayton Wade-coached Longhorns have seeding wins over Maricopa Sequoia Pathway (45-32, Nov. 22), Nogales Lourdes Catholic (63-41, Dec. 4), Elfrida Valley Union (60-49, Dec. 11), Tucson ASDB (54-19) along with losses to Kearny Ray (41-62, Nov. 23), Patagonia (42-44, Dec. 2), Sells Baboquivari (58-76, Dec. 5), Willcox (23-56, Dec. 16), Duncan (33-41, Dec. 17), Tucson’s The Gregory School (20-64, Jan. 7), Patagonia (26-51, Jan. 9), Hayden (25-86, Jan. 11), and Valley Union (41-49, Jan. 16).

Additionally, the Longhorns went 0-4 in The Gregory School 3-day tourney with losses to Tombstone (23-42, Nov. 25), Joseph City (26-65, Nov. 25), Tucson Saint Augustine (61-63, Nov. 27), and Tucson Andrada Polytechnic (39-55, Nov. 27). San Simon is averaging an overall score of 36-53 (620-895) per game or a 17-point deficit.
The Longhorns have an 11-member team of three juniors, three sophomores, and five freshmen. The roster includes juniors Mason Brown (12), Peter Esquivias (13), and Joel Martinez (10); sophomores Marcos Hernandez (23), Brycen Thompson (1), and Rhett Wade (34); and freshmen Jon Fierro (4), Rece Lentz (2), Daniel Medrano (3), Cayden Sloan (11), and Emmanuel Villescas (15).
San Simon is competing in the 8-member 1A South Region with the Elfrida Valley Union Blue Devils, the Nogales Lourdes Catholic Warriors, the Patagonia Lobos, the Sells Baboquivari Warriors, the Saint David Tigers, and Tucson schools Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind Sentinels and The Gregory School Griffins.
No. 25 Duncan Wildkats (5-12)
Duncan (5-12 overall, 5-10 seeding, 1-3 1A East Region) is averaging a score of 35-43 (532-645) per seeding game or an 8-point deficit. The Brad Roof-coached Wildkats have seeding wins over San Manuel (41-29, Nov. 26), Tucson ASDB (44-24, Dec. 3), San Simon (41-33, Dec. 17), Valley Union (45-31, Jan. 6), and Superior (64-32, Jan. 7) along with losses to Superior (36-50, Nov. 22), Cicero Prep (17-56, Nov. 23), Saint David (24-54, Dec. 4), Dishchii’bikoh (47-67, Dec. 6), Fort Thomas (39-80, Dec. 10), Valley Lutheran (38-59, Jan. 10), Fort Thomas (48-61, Jan. 14), and Hayden (48-69, Jan. 16).

In addition, the Wildkats went 0-4 during the 3-day Round Valley tourney, with losses to host Round Valley (22-66, Dec. 12), Holbrook (40-69, Dec. 12), Morenci (54-64, Dec. 13), and Sanders Valley (35-59, Dec. 13). The Wildkats are averaging an overall score of 40-53 (683-903) per game or a 13-point deficit.
Duncan has an 11-member team of one senior, five juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen. The roster includes senior Isaac Harris (12); juniors Josh Free (50), Tanner Giacoletti (32), Taygan Jensen (22), Pablo Ruiz (10), and Isaiah Sumner (24); sophomores Joseph Nandino (34) and Aaron Zamora (30); and freshmen Canyon Carver (42), Jared Kempton (44), and Wyatt Lunt (4).
The Wildkats are competing in the 8-member 1A East Region with the Cicero Prep Centurians, the Fort Thomas Apaches, the Hayden Lobos, the Ray Bearcats, the San Manuel Miners, the Superior Panthers, and the Valley Lutheran Flames.
Fort Thomas – 61, Duncan – 48
The second of two Pablo Ruiz free throws lit up Duncan’s side of the scoreboard midway through the opening quarter. However, the visiting Apaches led 7-0 before it fell through the net and went on an 18-0 run to extend the deficit to 24 heading into the second quarter.
Fort Thomas led by 29, 31-2 with 1:35 elapsed in the second quarter before the Wildkats went on a 20-9 run to pare the deficit to 16, 22-38, with 3:16 left in the third quarter.

Duncan trailed by 22, 14-36, at halftime and by 21, 24-45, heading into the fourth quarter. The Apaches outscored their hosts 9-7 before inserting reserves with 4:29 left to play. Duncan went on a 17-7 run to end the game with a 13-point region loss.
For the game, Duncan connected on 18 field goals (six 3-pointers) plus 6-16 free throws while Fort Thomas had 25 field goals (eleven 3-pointers) plus 0-4 free throws.
Isaiah Sumner and Taygan Jensen both totaled 12 points on four field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 1-2 free throws and Jared Kempton 11 on five field goals plus 1-3 free throws. Isaac Harris and Ruiz added six points apiece, and Josh Free one.
Nine Apaches scored with junior Michael Olivar contributing a game-high 23 points on nine field goals (five 3-pointers) and junior Channing Wilson 15 on six field goals (three 3-pointers). Freshman Amare Ethelbah added eight points, senior Runyon Kinney four, freshman Malachi Johnson three, and senior Justin Kitcheyan, juniors Demarae Dosela and Koby Hunter, and sophomore Aiden Victor two each.
Valley Lutheran – 60, Duncan – 38

A 2-16 second-quarter outing helped spell defeat for the visiting Wildkats, as they were unable to tie or take the lead thereafter. They did manage a 22-26 second-half effort.
Valley Lutheran lead 18-14 after the first quarter, 34-16 at halftime, and 44-30 heading into the fourth quarter.
For the game, Duncan made 15 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 6-16 free throws while Valley Lutheran had 23 field goals plus 14-24 free throws.
Sumner had 13 points on five field goals plus 3-4 free throws. Harris added nine points, Kempton eight, and Jensen seven.
The Flames had three double-digit scorers with junior Anias Macias netting a game-high 19 points on six field goals plus 7-8 free throws, junior John McLaughlin 18 on eight field goals plus 2-6 free throws, and senior Luke Henley 12 on four field goals plus 4-6 free throws. Senior Caynan Chapman added seven points, and both senior Caleb Doyle and sophomore Daniel Dadah two each.