Will play Heritage Academy Laveen in the Quarterfinals at Ceaser Chavez Park on Tuesday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAINT JOHNS – The visiting No. 11 Morenci Wildcats (10-7, 6.1125) left the White Mountains with a 9-7 eight innings upset win over the No. 6 Saint Johns Redskins (13-4, 10.9303) on May 3. It was for the first round of the state tourney.
The Redskins hosted the Wildcats earlier in the season, posting a 9-6 seeding win on March 17. Since then, Saint Johns went 11-4 and Morenci 9-5 in seeding games.
2A State Tourney Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals, with 4 p.m. starts on Tuesday, May 6, have No. 8 Tombstone (12-5, 9.1333) at No. 1 Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (17-1, 21.4016) and No. 5 Eagar Round Valley (13-4, 12.0002) versus No. 4 Kingman Academy (13-2, 13.7263) at Southside Park.
Lower bracket pairings include No. 11 Morenci (10-7, 6.1125) versus No. 3 Heritage (13-3, 17.4520) 21-1 (5 inn) at Cesar Chavez Park and No. 7 Willcox (14-3, 9.9958) at No. 2 Phoenix Horizon Honors (14-1, 21.0560).
No. 3 Laveen Heritage Heroes (22-4 overall)
The Steve Ladrigue-coached 2A Valley Region Heritage Heroes 21-4 overall, 13-3 seeding, 7-1 region for second of six) are averaging a 10-3 (267-66) score per game or a 7-run margin through 26 games.
Heritage had seeding wins over Chandler Prep (13-0 in 5 inn, March 4), Gilbert Classical (25-0 in 5 inn, March 3), Avondale Saint Johns Paul II Catholic (18-0 in 3 inn, March 5), Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills (12-1 in 5 inn, March 11), Arizona Lutheran (10-0 in 5 inn, March 21), Eagar Round Valley (7-1, April 7), Eloy Santa Cruz (11-0 in 5 inn, April 10), Santa Cruz (8-1, April 21), Glendale Prep (17-1, April 23), ALA – Anthem South (17-0 in 5 inn, April 24), and Arizona Lutheran (1-1 in 5 inn, April 28) along with losses to Phoenix Horizon Honors (7-13, April 16), Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (6-13, March 26), and Mohave Accelerated (5-7, April 26).
The Heroes went 3-1 during the 3-day Tolleson tourney and 4-0 during the 2-day Chandler Prep tourney. Heritage topped California Ventura Saint Bonaventure (2-1 in 5 inn, March 13), Avondale West Point (15-1 in 5 inn, March 6), California Coronado (9-1 in 4 inn, March 7), Anthem Prep (20-0 in 3 inn, March 20), San Tan Valley Poston Butte (9-5, March 20), Willcox (17-0 in 3 inn, March 21), and Glendale Deer Valley (4-0 in 4 inn, March 21). The loss was to Phoenix Desert Vista (3-19 in 3 inn, March 14).
Heritage has an 18-member team of four seniors, five juniors, five sophomores, and four freshmen. The roster includes seniors Alesi Grijalva (5), Ciara Madrid (18), Jenna Mosley (12), and Emi Whetten (2); juniors Rowan Asanovich (4), Gloriann Blanco (24), Flower Escarcega (25), Amaya LaDrigue (27), and Emmarie McMeans (13); sophomores Janicia Blanco (3), Zerin Ervien (11, Christina Martinez (9), Savana Soltero (00), and Sieana Soltero (7); and freshman Adrianna Delgado (21), Kaylee Mouch (8), Ailyn Rodriguez (17), and Genesy Rosas (26).
The Heroes competed in the six-member 2A Valley Region with Eloy Santa Cruz, Florence American Leadership – Anthem South, and Phoenix schools, Arizona Lutheran, Horizon Honors, and NFL Yet.
No. 11 Morenci Wildcats (17-11 overall)
The Joseph Garcia-coached 2A South Region Wildcats (17-11 overall, 11-7 seeding, 5-3 region) averaged an 11-7 (316-191) score per game or a 4-run margin through 27 games.
Morenci has seeding game wins over Miami (11-0 in 5 inn, March 5), Pima (15-0 in 5 inn, March 11), Eagar Round Valley (13-3 in 6 inn, March 19), Tombstone (15-13, March 24), Fort Thomas (18-2 in 5 inn, April 2), Santa Rita (23-1 in 4 inn, April 8), Chandler Prep (15-0 in 4 inn, April 14), San Miguel (1-0, April 16), Pima (15-0 in 4 inn, April 17), Benson (21-8 in 5 inn, April 22), and Saint Augustine (31-0 in 5 inn, April 24). The losses were to Willcox (0-10 in 5 inn, March 14), Saint Johns (6-9, March 17), Willcox (16-17 in 10 inn, March 27), Tucson Empire (1-11 in 5 inn, March 28), Bisbee (14-17, April 1), Horizon Honors (3-22 in 5 inn, April 4), Desert Christian (16-17, April 11).
The Wildcats went 3-1 during the 3-day Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin tourney and 1-3 during the 2-day Chandler Prep tourney. Morenci topped Gilbert Christian (23-0 in 3 inn, Feb. 27), San Tan Valley Poston Butte (9-7 in 6 inn, Feb. 28), Phoenix Northwest Christian (14-2 in 5 inn, March 1), and Prescott (5-2 in 6 inn, March 20). The losses were to Phoenix Horizon Honors (4-11 in 5 inn, Feb. 28), Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep (0-18 in 5 inn, March 20), Phoenix Thunderbird (2-12 in 5 inn, March 21), and Thatcher (0-1, March 21).
Morenci has an 11-member team with a senior, two juniors, five sophomores, and three freshmen. The roster includes senior Cameryn Woodall (3); juniors Jaliyah Hernandez (14), and Shaylee Wichmann (13); sophomores Tiara Jones (15), Kieralyn Madrigal (6), Malina Martinez (7), Mayeli Salazar (5), and Kailee Sandoval (8); and freshmen Ava Basteen (1), Emily Rivera (17), and Leiah Strong (16).
The Wildcats competed in the seven-member 2A West Region with Benson, Bisbee, Tombstone, Willcox, and Tucson schools, Desert Christian, Saint Augustine Catholic, San Miguel Catholic, and Santa Rita.
2A State Tourney First Round
The first round upper bracket pairings had top seed Mohave Accelerated 16-0 (5 inn) over No. 16 Wickenburg (8-10, minus 4.1528), No. 8 Tombstone 9-6 over No. 9 Santa Cruz (10-6, 9.0745), No. 5 Round Valley 13-5 over No. 12 Bisbee (10-5, 5.2473), and No. 4 Kingman Academy 11-5 over No. 13 Benson (9-9, 2.1179).
Lower bracket contests included a lone upset, Morenci over Saint Johns. It was No. 3 Heritage (13-3, 17.4520) 21-1 (5 inn) over No. 14 Miami (10-6, minus 0.1253), Morenci 9-7 (8 inn) over Saint Johns (13-4, 10.9303), No. 7 Willcox 5-4 over No. 10 Camp Verde (14-4, 6.4519), and No. 2 Horizon Honors 11-0 over No. 15 Glendale Prep (10-8, Minus 3.5162).
2A Play-in Round
Two upsets, with the higher seed defeating the lower seed, occurred during the April 30 play-in round. No. 20 Glendale Prep (10-8, Minus 3.5162) won 13-3 over No. 13 Chandler Prep (12-2, 5.6088), and No. 22 Wickenburg (8-10, minus 4.1528) won 6-5 over No. 11 Phoenix Christian (15-3, 6.4232).
Those two outcomes elevated six teams for the first round pairings: Morenci to No. 11, Bisbee to No. 12, Benson to No. 13, Miami to No. 14, Glendale Prep to No. 15, and Wickenburg to No. 16.
Results of the other play-in pairings were No. 9 Santa Cruz (10-6, 9.0745) 11-1 over No. 24 Pima (4-9, minus 6.0402), No. 10 Camp Verde (14-4, 6.4519) 16-1 (5 inn) over No. 23 Fountain Hills (7-6, minus 4.8996), No. 12 Morenci (10-7, 6.1125) 16-1 (4 inn) over No. 21 Scottsdale Christian (8-8 seeding, minus 3.8755 rating), No. 14 Bisbee (10-5, 5.2473) 1-0 over No. 19 Many Farms (7-5, minus 3.3190), No. 15 Benson (9-9, 2.1179) 15-2 over No. 18 Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (7-11, minus 2.4405), and No. 16 Miami (10-6, minus 0.1253) 7-6 over No. 17 Desert Christian (6-10, minus 1.3220).
2A State Final Rankings
State rankings for 2A member teams as of 9 p.m. on April 28 had Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (17-1 seeding, 21.4016 rating) No. 1, Phoenix Horizon Honors (14-1, 21.0560) No. 2, Laveen Heritage (13-3, 17.4520) No. 3, Kingman Academy (13-2, 13.7263) No. 4, Eagar Round Valley (13-4, 12.0002) No. 5, Saint Johns (13-4, 10.9303) No. 6, Willcox (14-3, 9.9958) No. 7, and No. 8 Tombstone (12-5, 9.1333) No. 8.
Eloy Santa Cruz (10-6, 9.0745) was No. 9, Camp Verde (14-4, 6.4519) No. 10, Phoenix Christian (15-3, 6.4232) No. 11, Morenci (10-7, 6.1125) No. 12, Chandler Prep (12-2, 5.6088) No. 13, Bisbee (10-5, 5.2473) No. 14, Benson (9-9, 2.1179) No. 15, and Miami (10-6, minus 0.1253) No. 16.
Tucson Desert Christian (6-10, minus 1.3220) was No. 17, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (7-11, minus 2.4405) No. 18, Many Farms (7-5, minus 3.3190) No. 19, Glendale Prep (10-8, minus 3.5162) No. 20, Scottsdale Christian (8-8, minus 3.8755) No. 21, Wickenburg (8-10, minus 4.1528) No. 22, Fountain Hills (7-6, minus 4.8996) No. 23, and Pima (4-9, minus 6.0402) No. 24.
The initial rankings on April 2 had Heritage (6-0 seeding, 15.1682 rating) No. 1, Horizon Honors (5-1, 12.0970) No. 2, Mohave Accelerated (6-1, 11.2531) No. 3, Willcox (6-1, 10.5351) No. 4, Phoenix Christian (8-0, 10.1006) No. 5, Saint Johns (4-2, 9.9916) No. 6, Kingman Academy (8-1, 9.7411) No. 7, and Bisbee (5-2, 7.0097) No. 8.
Tombstone (12-5, 9.1333) was No. 9, Morenci (4-4, 6.1568) No. 10, Flagstaff Northland Prep (3-0, 5.9097) No. 11, Santa Cruz (5-3, 5.7063) No. 12, Round Valley (3-3, 5.5983) No. 13, Chandler Prep (4-1, 4.7194) No. 14, Camp Verde (6-2, 4.5860) No. 15, and Florence American Leadership – Anthem South (6-1, 3.0893) No. 16.
Arizona Lutheran (4-3, minus 1.8171) was No. 17, Benson (4-4, 1.0581) No. 18, Miami (5-4, minus 0.3629) No. 19, Glendale Prep (3-3, minus 0.6458) No. 20, Desert Christian (2-3, minus 2.7488) No. 21, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (5-2, minus 2.9892) No. 22, Fountain Hills (2-2, minus 3.2717) No. 23, and Scottsdale Christian (2-3, minus 3.7346) No. 24.
