Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Madilyn Clark, right, scores a point on her unblocked hit during a team scrimmage. The Wildcats opened the season with a 4-set loss at Round Valley on Aug. 29. Morenci hosts Pima on Thursday, Sept. 5 for the home opener.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Jasmine Aguinaga-coached Morenci Wildcats take on Pima on Thursday, Sept. 5. It is the home opener with a 6 p.m. start, preceded by freshmen and junior varsity matches. The Wildcats won’t have another home match for 12 days, with New Mexico Silver on Sept. 17 and Willcox on Sept. 19.
Morenci opened the season in the White Mountains last week, falling in four sets (23-25, 23-25, 27-25, 23-25) to the Round Valley Elks in Eagar on Aug. 29.
A total of 27 Wildcats, including four seniors, five juniors, sixsophomores, and 13 freshmen make up the three teams being fielded. Program members include seniors Kandyce Alvarez, Miley Dunagan, Jadyn McCall, and Tayah Wilkes; juniors Madilynn Clark, Ariza Espinoza, Keirah Fernandez, Izzalana Gobert, and Rozlyn Funari; sophomores Leayla Mendez-Garcia, Tiara Jones, Hailey Leanos, Breann Roybal, Mayeli Salazar, and Kailee Sandoval; and freshmen Arwa Abdalquader, Roxanne Allen, Avanie Alvarez, Ava Basteen, Jayliana Guzzo, Khloee Kouts, Aiyana Merino, Taytum Nelson, Aubrey Porter,Emily Rivera, Arisela Salazar, and Kaylee Wiggins.
Audrey Castillo is assisting Aguinaga.
2A South Region
Region member standings as of one week are Willcox (1-1 seeding, 0-0region), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (1-0, 0-0), Tombstone (1-0, 0-0), Tucson Santa Rita (0-1, 0-0), Bisbee (0-2, 0-0), Morenci (0-1, 0-0), Benson (0-2, 0-0), Tucson San Miguel Catholic (0-2, 0-0), and Tucson Desert Christian (0-0, 0-0).
Last week (Aug. 26-31), Willcox fell in three sets (22-25 thrice) to Sahuarita, Saint Augustine defeated Tucson Palo Verde Magnet 3-0, Santa Rita fell 0-3 (5-25, 10-25, 16-25) to Phoenix Maryvale Prep, Bisbee fell 1-3 (25-19, 18-25, 23-25, 15-25) to Patagonia Union, Benson fell 0-3 (20-25, 15-25, 20-25) to Tucson Empire, and San Miguel fell 0-3 to Eloy Santa Cruz on Aug. 28; Willcox defeated Benson 3-0 (17-25, 22-25, 26-24), Tombstone defeated Patagonia 3-1 (25-15, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23), Bisbee fell 2-3 (12-25, 27-25, 18-25, 25-22, 8-15) to Tucson’s The Gregory School, and Morenci fell 1-3 (23-25, 23-25, 27-25, 17-25) to Round Valley on Aug. 29; and San Miguel fell 0-3 (16-25, 14-25, 13-25) to Tucson Andrada Polytechnic on Aug. 30.
This week (Sept. 3-7), Tombstone hosts Saint David, Santa Rita hosts Palo Verde, Bisbee hosts Desert Christian, Benson visits Pima, San Miguel hosts Tucson Catalina, on Tuesday, Sept. 3; Willcox hosts San Carlos, Tombstone visits San Miguel, Bisbee hosts Benson, Morenci hosts Pima,and Desert Christian hosts Catalina on Sept. 5; Saint Augustine visits Avondale Saint Paul II Catholic on Friday, Sept. 6; and Willcox, Saint Augustine, Benson, and Desert Christian will take part in the Phoenix Horizon Honors Tourney while San Miguel attends the San Tan Valley Combs Tourney on Saturday, Sept. 7.
2A East Region
Region member standings as of one week are Gilbert Classical (2-0 seeding, 0-0 region), Gilbert San Tan Charter (1-0, 0-0), Pima (1-0, 0-0), Chandler Lincoln Prep (0-1, 0-0), San Carlos (0-1, 0-0), Gilbert Arete Prep (0-2, 0-0), Chandler Prep (0-0, 0-0), Gilbert Leading Edge (0-0, 0-0), and Miami (0-0, 0-0).
Last Week, Gilbert Classical defeated Laveen Heritage 3-1 (24-26, 12-25, 23-25, 12-25), San Tan Charter defeated Phoenix Christian 3-0 (11-25, 10-25, 16-25), Pima defeated Duncan 3-0 (11-25, 19-25, 20-25), and Lincoln Prep fell 0-3 (9-25, 24-26, 13-25) to Scottsdale Cicero Prep on Aug. 28; San Carlos fell 0-3 (24-26, 10-25, 13-25) to Whiteriver Alchesay on Aug. 29; and Gilbert Classical defeated Whittman Mountainside 3-1 (24-26, 12-25, 23-25, 12-25) and Arete Prep fell 0-3 to Tempe Prep on Aug. 30.
Chandler Prep and Miami took part in the Payson Tourney on Aug. 30-31.
This week, Gilbert Classical visits Florence American Leadership – Anthem South, San Tan Charter visits Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin, Pima hosts Benson, Lincoln Prep hosts Tempe Prep, San Carlos hosts Fort Thomas, and Chandler Prep hosts Glendale Trivium Prep on Sept. 3; Arete Prep hosts Queen Creek American Leadership – Ironwood on Sept. 4; San Tan Charter visits Phoenix Madison Highland Prep, Pima visits Morenci, Lincoln Prep visits Fountain Hills, San Carlos visits Willcox, Leading Edge host Phoenix Basis, and Miami hosts Round Valley on Sept. 5; Gilbert Classical visits Arete Prep and Lincoln Prep visits Leading Edge on Sept. 6; and Gilbert Classical, San Tan Charter, Lincoln Prep, and Miami will attend the Phoenix Horizon Honors Tourney on Sept. 7.
1A East Region
Region member standings as of one week are Scottsdale Cicero Prep (2-0 seeding, 0-0 region), Kearny Ray (1-0, 0-0), Duncan (0-1, 0-0), Winkelman Hayden (0-1, 0-0), Fort Thomas (0-0, 0-0), San Manuel (0-0, 0-0), Superior (0-0, 0-0), and Phoenix Valley Lutheran (0-0, 0-0).
Last week, Cicero Prep defeated Lincoln Prep 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-13), Duncan fell 0-3 (11-25, 19-25, 20-25) to Pima, and Hayden fell 0-3 toDishchii’bikoh on Aug. 28; Ray defeated Dishchii’bikoh 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-20) on Aug. 29; and Cicero Prep defeated Salome 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-8, 25-11) on Aug. 30.
This Week, Ray hosts Globe, Duncan hosts San Simon, and Fort Thomas visits San Carlos on Sept. 3; San Manuel visits Patagonia on Sept. 4; Cicero Prep hosts Phoenix Veritas Prep, Ray visits San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills, Duncan hosts San Manuel, and Fort Thomas hosts Valley Lutheran, on Sept. 5; Cicero Prep visits Anthem Prep and Hayden hosts Bagdad, on Sept. 6; and Hayden hosts Patagonia while Cicero Prep, Ray, Duncan, Fort Thomas, Superior, and Valley Lutheran will be attending the Horizon Honors Tourney on Sept. 7.
