Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: The sixth-ranked Pima Roughriders are hosting the No. 5 Morenci Wildcats for a San Pedro Region contest on Friday, Oct. 29. Pima is 3-0 and first in the region while Morenci is 3-1 and third via a loss to second place Benson. The Roughriders will be clad in home colors, instead of the lighter colored jerseys.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
PIMA – The Jim Hughes-coached No. 6 Pima Roughriders welcome the Joseph Garcia-coached No. 5 Morenci Wildcats for a San Pedro Region contest Friday, Oct. 29. It is a match-up of teams coached by the former teacher versus the former assistant, as Hughes (8-6 overall at Pima) mentored Garcia (18-11 at Morenci) while both were in Willcox.
Garcia, an avid chess player, said Hughes does not play chess but expects countermoves throughout the game until one has the other in checkmate.
Through nine games this season, Morenci (7-2 overall, 8.7948 rating, 3-1 for third) has a 38-14 (344-130) average score per game or a 24-point margin. The wins were 45-12 over Maricopa Sequoia Pathway (Aug. 27), 55-0 over Globe (Sept. 10), 72-0 over Phoenix Madison Highland (Sept. 17), 27-7 over Saint Johns (Sept. 24), 46-7 over Bisbee (Oct. 1), 58-6 over Tombstone (Oct. 8), and 27-10 over Willcox (Oct. 22). The losses are 46-7 to Eagar Round Valley (Sept. 3) and 42-7 to Benson (Oct. 15).
Pima (6-2, 7.6214, 3-0 region for first) has averaged a 30-8 (268-71) score per game or 22-point margin. The Roughriders have wins of 56-14 over Miami (Aug. 27), 52-0 over Tucson Santa Rita (Sept. 17), 53-0 over Scottsdale Christian (Sept. 24), 14-7 over Benson (Sept. 30), 45-0 over Tombstone (Oct. 15), and 42-13 over Bisbee (Oct. 22). The losses were back-to-back to 3A Graham County neighbors, 23-6 to Safford (Sept. 3), and 14-0 to Thatcher (Sept.10).
The Wildcats are 19-6 versus the Roughriders with an average score per game of 26-12 (657-287) or a 14-point margin since 1946. Morenci is 7-4 in Pima with an average score of 19-10 (213-113) per game or a 9-point margin.
Games played on Edd Hubbard Field, named for the late George Edward ‘Edd’ Hubbard, favor Morenci 2-1 with wins of 21-8 in 2009 and 29-12 in 2018. Pima prevailed 30-0 in 2016. The Wildcats have a 4-game win streak with scores of 14-0 (2017), 29-12 (2018), 44-16 (2019), and 21-15 (2020) along with a 27-11 (108-43) average score per game or a 16-point margin.
Morenci is 90-67 (.573) overall during the previous 15 seasons (2006-2020). The Wildcats were 11-9 in two seasons under Garcia (2020: 7-2, 2019: 4-7), 17-7 in two seasons under David Gallegos (2918: 9-3, 2017: 8-4), 16-15 in three seasons under Gary Sandoval (2016: 5-6, 2015: 6-4, 2014: 5-5), 37-18 in five seasons under Frank Ogas (2013: 6-4, 2012: 13-1, 2011: 8-4, 2010: 4-5, 2009: 6-4), and 9-20 in three seasons under Dale Hooper (2008: 4-6, 2007: 3-6, 2006: 2-8).
Pima has a combined overall record of 99-48 (.673) during the same span. The Roughriders were 2-4 Jim Hughes (2020: 2-4), 4-13 under John Bryant (2018: 1-7, 2019: 3-6), 14-10 under Jace Hancock (2016: 9-3, 2017: 5-7), 48-5 in five 8-man seasons under Hancock (2015: 12-0, 2014: 8-2, 2013: 9-1, 2012: 10-1, 2011: 9-1), 5-11 in two 8-man seasons under Travis Masten (2010: 4-4, 2009: 1-7), and 26-5 in three 8-man seasons under Bryant (2008: 10-1, 2007: 9-2, 2006: 7-2).
Other San Pedro Region contests this week are No. 3 Benson (6-2, 10.0482, 3-1 for second) at No. 5 Willcox (7-1, 6.4295, 2-1 for fourth) and No. 27 Bisbee (3-6, minus 7.5436, 0-4 for fifth) at No. 30 Tombstone (2-5, minus 8.9864, 0-4 for sixth) Oct. 29.
Benson has a 39-10 (315-82) score per game or a 29-point margin, Willcox a 37-8 (330-68) score per game or a 31-point margin, Bisbee a 25-31 (224-282) score per game or 6-point deficit, and Tombstone a 16-35 (115-245) score per game or a 19-point deficit.
Last week in San Pedro Region pairings, the Pima at Bisbee game favored Pima 42-13, Willcox at Morenci game favored Morenci 27-10, and the Benson at Tombstone game favored Benson 49-6.
Following eight weeks of the regular season, Morenci’s 2021 opponents are a combined 46-39 (.541) overall. Maricopa Sequoia Pathway is 6-3 (.667), Eagar Round Valley 8-1 (.889), Globe 1-7 (.125), Phoenix Madison Highland 1-8 (.111), Saint Johns 6-3 (.667), Bisbee 3-6 (.333), Tombstone 2-6 (.125), Benson 6-2 (.750), Willcox 7-1 (.875), and Pima 6-2 (.750).
The six San Pedro Region members are a combined 28-16 (.667) overall. The other 38 teams, the four in the Little Colorado Region have a combined overall record of 18-12 (.600), the five in the Gila Region 24-21 (.533), the five in the Agua Fria Region 22-22 (.500), the five in the Hassayampa Region 17-21 (.445), the five in the Verde Region 17-22 (.436), the six in the Salt Region 20-28 (.417), the five in the Rillito Region 16-25 (.390), and the 3-team San Juan Region 4-11 (.267).
Week nine of the regular season has Sequoia Pathway hosting Queen Creek American Leadership – Ironwood, Round Valley hosting Winslow in 3A East Region play, Globe at Miami in Salt Region play, Madison Highland at North Point Prep in Verde Region play, and Saint Johns at Whiteriver Alchesay in Little Colorado Region play on Oct. 29.
Last week, Morenci’s non-region opponents went 3-2. Sequoia Pathway defeated Tucson Santa Rita 69-0 in Rillito Region play, Snowflake defeated Round Valley 52-8 in 3A East Region play, Globe defeated San Carlos 50-6 in Salt Region play, Scottsdale Christian defeated Madison Highland 66-0 in Verde Region play, and Saint Johns defeated Holbrook 61-28 in Little Colorado Region play on Oct. 22.
Week five of 2A statewide rankings for 44 teams on Oct. 26 had seven remaining the same, four moving up, three dropping down, two dropping out, and two replacing the dropouts in the Top 16.
The four San Pedro Region members, Benson stayed at No. 3, Morenci moved up from No. 8 to No. 5, Pima stayed at No. 6, and Willcox dropped down from No. 5 to No. 7. The other two members both dropped down one, Bisbee from No. 26 to No. 27, and Tombstone from No. 29 to No. 30.
Five of the other eight regions, the Agua Fria Region, the Gila Region, the Little Colorado Region, the Rillito Region, and the Verde Region each have two teams in the Top 16. The Salt Region and the Hassayampa Region both have one team in there.
Parker (8-0 overall, 17.0809 rating, 3-0 Agua Fria Region) stayed at No. 1, Arizona Lutheran (8-1, 13.5126, 3-0 Gila Region) stayed at No. 2, Benson stayed at No. 3, Gilbert Christian (7-2, 9.0282, 4-0 Salt Region) stayed at No. 4, Morenci moved up from No. 8 to No. 5, Pima stayed at No. 6, Willcox dropped down from No. 5 to No. 7, Camp Verde (7-2, 5.9390, 2-1 Agua Fria Region) moved up from No. 10 to No. 8, Scottsdale Prep (8-0, 5.9390, 4-0 Verde Region) stayed at No. 9, Holbrook (7-2, 5.2465, 2-1 Little Colorado Region) dropped down from No. 7 to No. 10, Saint Johns (6-3, 5.1673, 2-0 Little Colorado Region) moved up from No. 12 to No. 11, Chandler Prep (6-3, 2.8611, 2-1 Gila Region) stayed at No. 12, Tanque Verde (5-3, 1.1928, 1-1 Rillito Region up) moved up from No. 17 to No. 13, Scottsdale Christian (4-3, 0.3390, 1-0 Verde Region) stayed at No. 14, Sequoia Pathway (6-3, 0.2133, 3-1 Rillito Region) stayed at No. 15, and Whiteriver Alchesay (4-2, minus 0.1615, 2-0 Little Colorado Region) moved up from No. 19 to No. 16.
The teams dropping out were Miami (4-4, minus 0.0832, 2-1 Salt Region up) from No. 13 to No. 19 and Wellton Antelope (6-3, minus 2.7608, 2-0) from No. 16 to No. 18.
