By Raymundo Frasquillo
THATCHER — Thatcher welcomes the Albert Ortega-coached Morenci Wildcats to the Eagles’ nest on Monday, Dec 9. The teams have both played a couple of games, with the visitors’ record being 2-0 and the hosts’ being 0-2.
It is the Class of 2025 members’ first regular-season meeting on the hardwood since entering high school. The schools last met in Guitteau Gymnasium during the 2022 Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament and while in middle school, but not for a regular-season pairing. The previous regular-season contest was while both teams were part of the 2A East Region in 2020. Thatcher prevailed twice, 50-45 (Jan 7) and 57-28 (Feb 21).
To date, Thatcher has identical 31-58 losses to Tucson Amphitheater (Nov 20) and Payson (Dec 3), while Morenci defeated Tucson Santa Rita 65-14 (Dec 2) and Tucson Empire 68-17 (Dec 5).
Morenci Wildcats (2-0)
Morenci heads to the 3-day Eagar Round Valley tourney on Thursday, Dec 12, visits Tombstone on Dec 16, hosts San Carlos on Dec 17, and closes out the month in the 3-day Eastern Arizona Holiday tourney beginning Dec 19.
The Wildcats compete in the 2A South Region with Benson, Bisbee, Tombstone, Willcox, and Tucson schools Desert Christian, Saint Augustine Catholic, San Miguel Catholic, and Santa Rita.
The regions standing through Dec 7 were Tombstone (3-0), Morenci (2-0), Willcox (2-0), Santa Rita (2-3), Bisbee (2-1), Saint Augustine Catholic (2-1), Benson (1-1), Desert Christian (3-2), and San Miguel Catholic (0-6).
The Wildcats have a 13-member roster of four seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and five freshmen. The roster includes seniors Arianna Burnette, Talia McCabe (12), Tayah Wilkes (4), and Jayla Wilson (3); juniors Adriana Carbajal (5) and Rozlyn Funari (10); sophomores Tiara Jones (20) and Mayeli Salazar (13); and freshmen Arwa Abdulqader (2), Jaylianna Guzzo (1), Khloee Kouts (14), Aiyanna Merino (24), and Arisela Salazar (30).
Thatcher Eagles (0-2)
Thatcher hosts Show Low on Tuesday, Dec 10, heads to the 2-day Payson tourney on Friday, Dec 13, visits Coolidge on Dec 17, and heads to the 3-day Eastern Arizona Holiday tourney on Dec 19.
The Eagles compete in the 3A South Region with Safford and Tucson schools Catalina, Empire, Palo Verde Magnet, Pusch Ridge Christian, Sabino, and Tanque Verde.
Region standings through Dec 7 were Palo Verde Magnet (4-1), Pusch Ridge (4-0), Sabino (4-1), Safford (1-2), Tanque Verde (1-2), Catalina (1-3), Empire (1-4), and Thatcher (0-2).
The Eagles have a 13-member roster of five seniors, six juniors, and two sophomores. The roster includes seniors Lizzy Bauman (10), Kenady Davis (14), Sophia Estrada (21), Audrey Smith (22), and Cambria Wakefield (12); juniors Clara Barron (5), Ragan Buhr (23), Makenzi Lunt (11), Emily Nelson (2), Claire Palmer (1), and Kate Rapier (30); and sophomores Taylor Henrie (3) and Sarah Sampson (4), Jaylianna Guzzo (1), Khloee Kouts (14), Tiara Jones (20), Aiyanna Merino (24), and Arisela Salazar (30).
Morenci Wildcats – 68, Empire Ravens – 17
Seven Ravens stepped into Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium for the first time, trailing by 17 points before lighting up their side of the scoreboard with 2:06 remaining in the opening quarter. Freshman Aurora Cota sank a field goal. It was not the first attempt to score, as three free throws did not fall through the net 1:21 earlier. Empire reached double-figure scoring with 2:56 left in the third quarter on junior Adrianna Bowe’s field goal.
On the other side of the court, five Wildcats contributed to the 29-2 advantage heading into the second quarter. Morenci led 45-7 at halftime and 66-11 heading into the fourth quarter.
For the game, sophomores Tiara Jones and Mayeli Salazar paced the Wildcats with 17 points apiece, followed by senior Talia McCabe with 12, junior Adriana Carbajal with eight, seniors Ariana Burnett and Jayla Wilson along with junior Rozlyn Funari with four apiece, and freshman Jaylianna Guzzo with two.
Empire got eight points from Bowe, five from sophomore Dizzla Velarde, and two each from Cota and sophomore Halley Dorris.
