Section I showdown in Willcox on Thursday

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Willcox top seed Mia Mungarro serves with authority during a recent match. The Willcox senior has won 15 of 16 sets in posting a 10-0 singles record. Willcox sits atop the Section I standings and welcomes Thatcher on Thursday, April 4.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Willcox top seed Mia Mungarro serves with authority during a recent match. The Willcox senior has won 15 of 16 sets in posting a 10-0 singles record. Willcox sits atop the Section I standings and welcomes Thatcher on Thursday, April 4.

Cowgirls near perfect, sit atop section standings

By Raymundo Frasquillo

WILLCOX – The Mike Kauffman-coached Willcox Cowgirls were midway through their section pairings at the week’s start, having already played three, and will host Thatcher on Thursday, April 4.

The Cowgirls were the top-ranked Division III team earlier in March, but “there are teams better than us,” Coach Kauffman said.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Emily Kempton (6-3) follows the ball into her racquet during a recent home match. The Duncan junior is in the No. 1 singles slot, along with Camille Miller and Brendy Paz, on the No. 1 doubles team.

Currently, Willcox is first in the Section I standings and ranked No. 4 of 52 in the division while Thatcher is second and No. 9, respectively.

A total of 14 more section matches remained as the week began, six this week (April 1-6), five next week (April 8-13), and three the following week (April 15-20). Benson, Morenci, Safford, and Thatcher had five section matches left; Duncan four; and Pima three.

In section matches already played this week, Willcox blanked Benson, Safford defeated Duncan 8-1, and Thatcher shut out Morenci 9-0 on April 2.

The remaining matches include Duncan at Morenci, Pima at Safford, and Thatcher at Willcox on April 4.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Anita Gonzalez (1-8) tracks her backhand return onto the other court. The Morenci senior has teamed up with four different underclassmen to pass on her experience.

In non-section pairings, the Safford at Tucson Sabino April 1 match was rescheduled for April 15, and Pima shut out Globe 9-0 at Miami on April 2.

Willcox (10-0 seeding, 12.8162 rating)

Willcox (4-0) has section wins over Duncan (6-0, March 7), Pima (9-0, March 26), and Morenci (9-0, March 28). The Mike Kauffman-coached Cowgirls are 59-1 (78-3 sets) in singles and 27-0 in doubles. Three doubles matches were not played.

Individually, senior Mia Mungarro is 10-0 (15-1 sets), senior Valerie Durazo 8-1 (11-2 sets), senior Teresa Trujillo 10-0 (13-0 sets), senior Alexa Hernandez 10-0 (13-0 sets), junior Keira Lentz 10-0 (13-0 sets), Mabrisa Tona 10-0 (12-0 sets), and freshman Lorenca Tr 1-0 (1-0 sets).

In doubles, Mungarro – Durazo is 8-0, Trujillo – Hernandez 8-0, Lentz – Tona 8-0, Mungarro – Trujillo 1-0, Hernandez – Lentz 1-0, and Tona – Tr 1-0.

Thatcher (7-2 seeding, 8.9185 rating)

Thatcher (2-0) has section wins over Pima (9-0, March 28) and Morenci (9-0, April 2). The Emily Meehl-coached Eagles are 41-9 (76-18 sets) in singles and 19-5 in doubles. Four singles pairings with Sabino and three doubles with Gilbert Classical were not played.

Individually, sophomore Sophie Haynie 4-3 (8-6 sets), senior Maddie Scarborough 6-2 (11-4 sets), junior Emily Sampson 6-2 (11-4 sets), senior Zoey Damron 7-1 (13-2 sets), junior Kayla Turley 7-1 (14-2 sets), junior Audrey Smith 8-0 (16-0 sets), junior Cambria Wakefield 1-0 (1-0 sets), senior Carly Keith 1-0 (1-0 sets), and freshman Sarah Sampson 1-0 (1-0 sets).

In doubles, Haynie – Emily Sampson 4-3, Scarborough – Damron 7-1, Turley – Smith 6-1, Wakefield – Keith 1-0, and Sampson – Sampson 1-0.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Maddie Scarborough (6-2) meets the ball for a backhand return. The Thatcher No. 2 senior has teamed up with classmate Zoey Damron to post a 7-1 doubles mark.

Safford (5-3 seeding, 3.7715 rating)

Safford (2-0) has section wins over Benson (8-1, March 28) and Duncan (9-0, April 2). The Thomas Biggs-coached No. 18 Bulldogs are 33-15 (65-30 sets) in singles and 16-8 in doubles.

Individually, senior Hazel Green is 6-2 (12-4 sets), senior Rachel Peterson 5-1 (11-2 sets), senior Brynlie Alder 5-2 (10-4 sets), senior Camille Alder 5-2 (10-4 sets), senior Ella Price 5-3 (9-6 sets), senior Zoey Tutor 3-3 (6-6 sets), junior Charlotte Graham 1-0 (1-0 sets), junior Alexis Neal 1-1 (2-2 sets), freshman Iris Green 0-1 (0-2 sets), freshman Amanda Neal 0-1 (0-2 sets), and sophomore Kimberly Taylor 1-0 (2-0 sets).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Valerie Durazo (8-1) checks where to place her return. The Willcox senior is in the No. 2 slot.

In doubles, Alder – Alder is 3-4, Green – Peterson 5-1, Price – Tutor 2-3, Price – Graham 1-0, Green – Tutor 1-0, Green – Green 0-1, Price – Alexis Neal 1-0, Graham – Amanda Neal 0-1, Price – Taylor 0-1.

Duncan (5-4 seeding, minus 1.2028 rating)

Duncan (1-2) has a section win over Pima (8-1, March 12). The Shannon Kempton-coached Wildkats are 29-22 (46-37 sets) in singles and 16-6 in doubles. There were three singles and five doubles not played.

Individually, junior Emily Kempton is 6-3 (11-5 sets), junior Camille Miller 4-5 (7-9 sets), sophomore Brendy Paz 4-2 (6-3 sets), freshman Heidi Miller 4-3 (6-5 sets), sophomore Emily Evans 5-2 (8-3 sets), freshman Lily Ford 4-4 (6-6 sets), sophomore Ari Ford 2-0 (2-0 sets), freshman McKenzie Jones 0-2 (0-4 sets), and sophomore Madison Chatman 0-1 (0-2 sets).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Camille Miller tosses the ball up for a serve. The Duncan junior has teamed up with three different partners to compile a 6-2 doubles mark.

In doubles, Kempton – Camille Miller is 4-2, Heidi Miller – Evans 2-2, Evans – Lily Ford 3-0, Kempton – Paz 2-0, Miller – Miller 1-0, Camille Miller – Lily Ford 1-0, Paz – Heidi Miller 2-0, Paz – Lily Ford 0-1, Ford – Ford 1-0, and Jones – Chatman 0-1.

Morenci (1-8 seeding, minus 9.8235 rating)

Morenci (1-2) has a regional win over Benson (6-3, April 3). The Brenda Street-coached Wildcats are 7-43 (9-53 sets) in singles and 3-19 in doubles. There were four singles forfeited, three doubles forfeited, and two doubles not played.

Individually, senior Anita Gonzalez is 1-8 (1-10 sets), sophomore Ariza Espinoza 0-8 (0-10 sets), junior Izzalona Gobert 1-8 (1-10 sets), sophomore Alannah Suarez 2-7 (3-8 sets), freshman Alana Demieville 1-5 (1-7 sets), freshman Adriana Dorame Galindo 0-2 (0-2 sets), and sophomore Blanca Macario 2-5 (3-6 sets).

In doubles, Espinoza – Gobert is 0-7, Gonzlaez – Macario 1-2, Suarez – Demieville 1-4, Gonzalez – Espinoza 0-2, Gobert – Macario 0-1, Gonzalez – Suarez 0-2, and Gonzalez – Galindo 1-1.

Pima (4-5 seeding, minus 2.4901 rating)

The Torrie Baldwin-coached Pima Roughriders (0-3) are 23-31 (40-59) in singles and 13-14 in doubles.

Individually, junior Kennedy Minor is 5-4 (10-9 sets), junior Mia Ashby 4-5 (9-10 sets), junior Brookie Burk 3-5 (6-10 sets), sophomore Merrell DeCrow 4-4 (6-7 sets), sophomore Miley Preston 3-6 (4-11 sets), freshman Paizli Payne 3-6 (4-10 sets), sophomore Lily Johnson 0-1 (0-2 sets), and freshman Emily DeCrow 1-0 (1-0 sets).

In doubles, Minor – Ashby is 6-3, Burk – Merrell DeCrow 1-2, Preston – Payne 0-3, Merrell DeCrow – Preston 3-2, Burk – Payne 1-3, Preston – Johnson 0-1, and Payne – Emily DeCrow 0-1.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Teresa Trujillo (10-0) looks the ball onto her racquet for a return. The No. 3 Willcox senior is 9-0 in doubles with two different partners.

Benson (2-6 seeding, minus 3.2080 rating)

The Audrey Chapman-coached Benson Bobcats (0-3) are 14-34 (20-58 sets) in singles and 8-16 in doubles.

Individually, freshman Alexis Cooper is 5-3 (9-5 sets), sophomore Andrea Hummel 1-6 (1-12 sets), senior Sierra Brooks 2-6 (3-10 sets), sophomore Juana Macias 2-5 (3-8 sets), junior Daisy Yamarino 2-6 (2-10 sets), sophomore Cali Mendez 2-5 (2-8 sets), and freshman Ireland Towne 0-3 (0-5 sets).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Heidi Miller serves the ball during a recent home match. The Duncan freshman is a combined 5-2 with three different partners.

In doubles, Cooper – Macias is 3-1, Hummel – Brooks 1-4, Yamarino – Mendez 0-3, Cooper – Hummel 2-0, Cooper – Brooks 0-1, Cooper – Towne 1-0, Brooks – Yamarino 0-1, Macias – Brooks 0-1, Yamarino – Towne 1-2, Macias – Yamarino 0-1, Macias – Towne 0-1, and Mendez – Towne 0-1.

Division III – Section I standings

The standings through April 3 are Willcox (10-0 seeding, 4-0 section) first, Thatcher (7-2, 2-0) second, Safford (5-3, 2-0) third, Duncan (5-4, 1-2) fourth, Morenci (1-8, 1-2) fifth, Pima (4-5, 0-3) sixth, and Benson (2-6, 0-3) seventh.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Alexa Hernandez (1-1) uses her backhand to meet the ball for a return. The No. 4 Willcox senior is one of four Cowgirls with a 10-0 singles mark.

Division III State Rankings

The Division III State Top 16 Rankings at noon on April 3 were Phoenix Country Day School (5-0 seeding, 15.4608 rating) No. 1, Tucson Tanque Verde (6-0, 14.6280) No. 2, Scottsdale Prep (7-1, 13.4635) No. 3, Willcox (9-0, 12.8162) No. 4, Yuma Catholic (5-0, 12.5264) No. 5, Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (7-1, 10.8863) No. 6, Scottsdale Cicero Prep (6-1, 10.5144) No. 7, and Flagstaff Northland Prep (6-0, 10.0534) No. 8.

Thatcher (7-2, 8.9185) was No. 9, Chandler Prep (4-2, 7.2959) No. 10, Glendale Prep (5-1, 7.2908) No. 11, Tucson’s The Gregory School (8-2, 6.5505) No. 12, Phoenix Veritas Prep (8-2, 5.9778) No. 13, Gilbert Christian (4-3, 3.8713) No. 14, Safford (5-3, 3.7715) No. 15, and Miami (5-2, 3.7074) No. 16.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Emily Evans watches a left-handed return clear the net. The Duncan sophomore has a 5-2 doubles record with two different partners.