By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Maurizio Ciriello-coached Morenci Wildcats (0-2 seeding) host the Globe Tigers on Monday, Jan. 6, and the Josue Romero-coached Tucson San Miguel Catholic Vipers (5-0) on Thursday, Jan. 9. The match with Globe was originally scheduled for Dec. 11.
The 0-2 Wildcats have been trying to remedy a defense yielding 10 goals, as two goalkeepers have recorded 35 saves during two matches.
This week (Jan. 6-11) for 2A South Region member teams, Florence American Leadership – Anthem South (0-5) visits San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills and Tombstone (2-2) visits Chandler Lincoln Prep on Tuesday, Jan. 7; Desert Christian (3-3) visits ALA – Anthem South on Jan. 9; and Tombstone hosts Gilbert San Tan Charter on Friday, Jan. 10; and Eloy Santa Cruz (2-2) does not play.
Globe Tigers (1-4)
Globe (1-4 seeding, 0-0 3A East Region) is averaging a score per match of 1-5 (5-23) or a 4-point deficit. The Tigers have a win over ALA – Anthem South (4-0, Dec. 4) along with losses to Tombstone (0-3, Dec. 3), Phoenix Bourgade Catholic (0-8, Dec. 6), San Miguel (0-8, Dec. 14), and Maricopa Desert Sunrise (1-4, Dec. 18).
The Tigers have a 24-member roster of four seniors, five juniors, 11 sophomores, and four freshmen. The Tigers include seniors Charlie Foxworth (22), Tyree Kenton (2), Uriel Jacinto (11), Andy Tarango (14); juniors Kaden Graham (12), Mario Guerrero (3), Jay-C Jones (7), Gavin Pettitt (1), and Davian Tarango (4); sophomores Aiden Alvarez (5), Orion Beason (17), Matthew Bolinger (8), Garrett Copeland (19), Conner Dean (20), Caden Dryden (15), Nicholas Enfield (21), Calvin Hansen (18), Heber Hansen (6), Timothy Mellema (10), and Mason Sandoval (16); and freshmen Issac Baeza (13), Daniel Rifenbark (24), Romas Santos (23), and Simon Schwenk (9).
Last season, Jones was named all-region honorable mention, and Jacinto was honorable mention in 2023 for the 3A East Region.
San Miguel Vipers (5-0)
San Miguel (5-0 seeding, 0-0 2A South Region) is averaging a score per match of 6-0 (32-2) or a 6-point margin. The Vipers have wins over Tombstone (8-0, Dec. 5), Tucson Desert Christian (7-2, Dec. 10), Globe (8-0, Dec. 14), Tucson Andrada Polytechnic (7-0, Dec. 16), and Coolidge (2-0, Dec. 18).
The Vipers have a 30-member roster of 13 seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores, and five freshmen. The Vipers include seniors Andres Amparano (21), Cristian Arredondo (13/32), Marc Arredondo (19), Evan Benitez (31), Alejandro Garcia (9), Misael Garcia (11), Alexis Gutierrez (12), Juan Fernando Lozano (15), Benjamin Lopez (29), Jesus Ochoa Martinez (3), Albert Mendoza (16), Fernando Orona (1/26), Angel Pena (2); juniors Jared Arvizu Garcia (9), Oscar Garcia (30), Santiago Gutierrez (18), Sergio Martinez (24), Omar Talavera (17), Kevin Vazquez (7), and Miguel Vazquez (14); sophomores Landon Bonfiglio (8), Brandon Dominguez (4), Salvador Gallegos (20), Giovanni Martinez (24), and Angel Perez (5); and freshmen Diego Crisoza (28), Javier Fraijo Mungarro (22), Judas Redondo (6), Adrian Ruiz (23), and Jayden Tacho (27).
Morenci Wildcats (0-2)
Morenci (02 seeding, 0-0 2A South Region) is averaging a score per match of 1-5 (2-10) or a 4-point deficit. The Maurizio Ciriello-coached Wildcats have losses to Desert Christian (1-6, Dec. 5) and Tombstone (1-4, Dec. 20).
The Wildcats have a 22-member roster of four seniors, eight juniors, two sophomores, and eight freshmen. The Wildcats include seniors Nolyn Adams (3), Bryant Figueroa (8), Armando Lopez Rivera (11), and Jossue Vaca Jr. (10); juniors Aaron Esquivel (37), Emma Kerrigan (6), Samiel Kitcheyan (12), Summer Luster (13), Johnny Madrid (32/66), Manuel Medina (14/99), Jose Torres (20), and Lyndale Waterhouse (16); sophomores Karol Escalona (7) and Clayton Jacobs (40); and freshmen Emily Dominquez (9), Katerine Escalona (1), Christian Kudadiri (4), Braxton Merrill (2), Juan Ramirez (5), Aiden Nogales (19), Juaquin Ma (33), and Lohgan Szymanski (18).
Last season, Figueroa was an all-region second-team selection; Adams, Rivera, Vaca, Esquivel, Kerrigan, Karol Escalona, and Jacobs honorable mention; and Ciriello region coach-of-the-year in the 3A Southeast Region.
