Wolves tangle with Wildcats on Friday

Play-in round looms ahead on Wednesday

By Raymundo Frasquillo

MORENCI – Saint Augustine Catholic (8-10 overall, 7-9 seeding, 2-5 region) visits the Joseph Garcia-coached No. 12 Morenci Wildcats (13-11, 9-7, 3-3) as No. 27 on Friday, April 25. It is the final region game and regular season finale for both teams.

Other pairings for South Region members (April 23-28) include Willcox at Tombstone and Benson at Bisbee on April 25.

Non-region pairings include Eagar Round Valley at Benson on April 23, Willcox at Miami on April 25, Desert Christian at Tanque Verde, and Catalina at Santa Rita on April 28.

The play-in round for teams ranked 9-24 at the higher seed begins on April 30. The Top 8 teams play the winners of the first round on May 3, also at the higher seed.

Upcoming 2A East Region pairings include San Carlos at Chandler Prep on April 23; Chandler Prep at Gilbert Classical and San Carlos at Miami on April 25; and Leading Edge at Gilbert Classical on April 28.

Non-region pairings include Willcox at Miami and Pima at Duncan on April 23; Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin at Chandler Prep on April 24; and Pima at Globe on April 25.

2A South Region Standings

Region standings through April 21 have Willcox (18-8 overall, 13-2 seeding, 7-0 region) first, Tombstone (14-13, 12-5, 6-1) second, Bisbee (16-9, 11-4, 5-2) third, Morenci (14-11, 10-7, 4-3) fourth, Benson (11-13, 8-8, 4-3) fifth, Tucson Desert Christian (6-15, 6-9, 4-4) sixth, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (8-10, 7-9, 2-5) seventh, Tucson Santa Rita (2-10, 2-10, 1-7) eighth, and Tucson San Miguel Catholic (0-15, 0-15, 0-8) ninth.

San Miguel forfeited its final four games with Morenci (April 16), Santa Rita (April 22), Tombstone (April 23), and Bisbee (April 28).

Region game results through April 22 include Willcox over Santa Miguel (27-4 in 4 inn, March 24), Morenci (17-16, March 27), Benson (17-7 in 5 inn, April 2), Saint Augustine (21-5 in 5 inn, April 4), Santa Rita (23-0 in 4 inn, April 11), Desert Christian (22-8 in 5 inn, April 18), Bisbee (25-5 in 5 inn, April 22); Tombstone over Saint Augustine (24-0 in 4 inn, April 1), Desert Christian (15-4 in 5 inn, April 8), Benson (17-2 in 5 inn, April 10), Santa Rita (19-0 in 4 inn, April 14), Bisbee (15-4 in 6 inn, April 18), and San Miguel (1-0, April 23); Bisbee over Desert Christian (16-6 in 5 inn, March 24), Morenci (17-14, April 2), Santa Rita (27-0 in 5 inn, April 4), and San Miguel (1-0, April 28); Morenci over Tombstone (15-13, March 24), Santa Rita (23-1 in 4 inn, April 8), San Miguel (1-0, April 16). Benson (21-8 in 5 inn, April 22); Benson over San Miguel (22-1 in 4 inn, March 27), Santa Rita (21-1 in 5 inn, April 2), and Desert Christian (10-9, April 4), Morenci; Desert Christian over Santa Rita (24-3 in 4 inn, March 27), San Miguel (30-5 in 5 inn, April 1), Morenci (17-16, April 11), and Saint Augustine (16-4 ion 5 inn, April 22); Saint Augustine over Santa Rita (34-15 in 5 inn, March 24) and San Miguel (29-16 in 5 inn, April 10); and Santa Rita over San Miguel (1-0, April 22).

2A East Region Standings

Region standings through April 5 have Chandler Prep (15-4 overall, 9-2 seeding, 3-0 region) first, Miami (12-7, 10-5, 3-1) second, Pima (6-9, 4-7, 3-2) third, San Carlos (3-9, 3-7, 1-2) fourth, Gilbert Leading Edge (8-9, 6-8, 1-3) fifth, and Gilbert Classical (0-10, 0-10, 0-3) sixth.

Region game results through April 22 Chandler Prep over Pima (12-8, March 28), Miami (9-7, April 1), and Leading Edge (24-18, April 16); Miami over Gilbert Classical (4-27, March 28), Pima (6-1, April 11), and Leading Edge (19-2 in5 inn, April 12); Pima over Leading Edge (17-13, April 3), Gilbert Classical (27-2 in 3 inn, April 9), and San Carlos (18-2 in 5 inn, April 16); San Carlos over Gilbert Classical (17-5, April 3); and Leading Edge over San Carlos (29-9, April 14).

2A State Rankings

Statewide ranking for 2A South Region member teams through April 22 have Willcox (13-2 seeding, 11.5762 rating) No. 6, Tombstone (11-4, 8.6497) No. 8, Bisbee (10-4, 7.0430) No. 11, Morenci (9-7, 6.5957) No. 12, Benson (8-8, 1.5121) No. 15, Tucson Desert Christian (6-9, minus 1.0379) No. 19, Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (7-8, minus 7.3890) No. 27, Tucson Santa Rita (1-10, minus 15.9836) No. 37, and Tucson San Miguel Catholic (0-11, minus 16.2409) No. 39.

Rankings for 2A East Region members were Chandler Prep (9-2 seeding, 5.6172 rating) No. 14, Miami (10-5, 0.7263) No. 16, Pima (4-7, minus 4.1633) No. 26, Gilbert Leading Edge (6-8, minus 8.5752) No. 28, San Carlos (3-6, minus 10.8940) No. 33, and Gilbert Classical (0-10, minus 20.5795) No. 41.

No. 27 Saint Augustine Wolves (8-11 overall)

The Bill Moten-coached 2A South Region Wolves (8-11 overall, 7-9 seeding, 2-5 region) are averaging a 13-15 (238-281) score per game or a 2-run deficit through 19 games.

Saint Augustine has seeding game wins over Tucson Catalina (17-2, Feb. 27), Santa Rita (22-7 in 5 inn, March 3), Leading Edge (32-30, March 10), Santa Rita (34-15 in 5 inn, March 24), Phoenix Madison Highland Prep (15-4 in 5 inn, March 31), Catalina (19-2 in 5 inn, April 7), San Miguel (29-16 in 5 inn, April 10) along with losses to along with losses to Leading Edge (20-21, Feb. 26), Benson (7-19 in 5 inn, March 26), Tombstone (0-24 in 4 inn, April 1), Eloy Santa Cruz (0-1, April 2), Willcox (5-21 in 4 inn, April 4), Bisbee (2-21, April 8), Desert Christian (0-15 in 4 inn, April 14), Benson (2-14 in 5 inn, April 16), and Desert Christian (4-16 in 5 inn, April 22).

During their two-day tourney, they posted a 1-2 mark, with a win over Catalina (16-0, March 14) and losses to Leading Edge (11-20, March 14) and Winkelman Hayden (3-33 in 4 inn, March 15).

The Wolves have a 17-member roster, with three seniors, six sophomores, and eight freshmen. The roster includes seniors Kamyla Durazo, Lourdes Gamez, and Gabby Sandoval; sophomores Celeste Durazo, Addie Fette, Emily Flores, Yaritza Fragoso, Maria Martinez, and Karen Velasquez; and freshmen Alondra Castillo, Jayleigh Diaz, Mia Sofia Hernandez, Sabino Lopez, Arianna Marquez, Thalia Peyron, Monique Rocha, and Paulina Yepiz.

Saint Augustine competes in the nine-member 2A South Region with Benson, Bisbee, Morenci, Tombstone, Willcox, and Tucson schools, Desert Christian, San Miguel Catholic, and Santa Rita.

No. 12 Morenci Wildcats (14-11 overall)

The Joseph Garcia-coached 2A South Region Wildcats (14-11 overall, 10-7 seeding, 4-3 region) are averaging a 10-7 (260-183) score per game or a 3-run margin through 25 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), and Benson (21-8 in 5 inn, April 22). The losses are 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 a 15-member team with two seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, and four freshmen. The roster includes seniors Ariana Burnette (20) and Cameryn Woodall (3); juniors Jaliyah Hernandez (14), Jaimie Turner (2), and Shaylee Wichmann (13); sophomores Tiara Jones (15), Kieralyn Madrigal (6), Malina Martinez (7), Mayeli Salazar (5), Kailee Sandoval (8), and Janessa Webb (9); and freshmen Ava Basteen (1), Khloee Kouts (11), Emily Rivera (17), and Leiah Strong (16).

The Wildcats compete in the nine-member 2A South Region with Benson, Bisbee, Tombstone, Willcox, Tucson schools, Desert Christian, Saint Augustine Catholic, San Miguel Catholic, and Santa Rita.