Year two in a coach’s tenure at a program is usually a step forward after the first year of laying the foundation and getting to know each other.

It can be hard to do when the first year ends in the 6A championship game, and the a senior-laden roster walked the stage a few months later.

With that said Gilbert girls basketball coach Savannah Bix felt the Tigers were in a good position to start the year after coming over from Poston Butte prior to last season.

The first year set the standard, they had a good summer, and a lot of young talent was infused into the program.

Then in fifth game of the year, the Tigers’ most prominent senior – Aspen McClees, who has more than 1,300 points in her career – tore her ACL. The Portland St. recruit’s season was done.

The season could have gone the same way, and playing in two tough tournaments right after wasn’t good for the psyche, but it proved to be a great way to find a new rotation and different lineups with McClees, who was averaging 18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

“We were in one of the top two brackets in the (Nike) TOC and we went up to Las Vegas and played Bishop Gorman, who has been ranked into the top in the nation,” Bix said. “We were battled tested after that.”

It led to the Tigers (16-9 overall, 14-3 regular season, 8-1 region) sharing the Fiesta Region lead after beating Higley on Tuesday to tie the Knights with one more regular season left Thursday night versus Highland at home.

“Winning a region title is small goal in the big picture,” Bix said. “It’s a stepping stone to the big picture.”

The big picture is winning the Open even though the rotation mainly includes four freshman, two sophomores and a junior.

“We’re a different team than we were at the beginning of the year,” she said. “We lost Aspen, but the young group has developed with the more varsity experience under their belt. We are really young and that’s good for the future, but they are playing well now and competing really hard.

“Being so young there are some silly mistakes, and growing pains, but they’ve handed it well for the most part.”

There are several reasons the Tigers have managed to stay in contention after losing McClees as junior Milan Silvera, who transferred from Poston Butte, took over a leadership role, the all-around ability of sophomore Contessa Ivy and the shooting of freshman Ava Thompson.

"We've a lot players step up and take on bigger roles," Bix said. "Anyone could lead us in scoring or rebounds each night."

The emotions of the blood round

The wrestling sectional tournaments that determine the field for the 16-person bracket at the girls state meet took place last week.

This weekend the boys compete for a top four finish in sectionals with spots with the state tournament on the line.

While there will be hundreds of matches wrestled this weekend – the blood round is the one that brings the most emotion.

In a double elimination tournament, the consolation bracket leads to the placement round - those who earn the opportunity to wrestle for third and fourth place with a victory.

It pits the wrestler who lost in the semifinals against someone who lost earlier in the tournament but now has a chance to advance to state with one more win. Each of the 56 wrestlers – four in each weight class – at the sectional knows what is at stake.

The blood round is THE round; the separator, the one that haunts or defines.

Especially when a berth to the state championship tournament is on the line.

“There is no grey area in the blood round,” Red Mountain girls coach Nick Karantinos said. “There is no better embodiment of learning some life skills right there. We talk to about fighting through it and finding a way to rebound.”

The boys wrestling schedule for sectionals is on Satuday.

Retired jersey times two

There was a lot of attention this week given to Perry boys hoops retiring the No. 11 jersey for former Puma and current Oklahoma City player Jalen Williams, who played at Perry from 2016-19.

A few weeks earlier, Mesa Mountain View girls basketball retired Brooke Jackson’s No. 12 on Jan. 27.

She scored 2,250 points in her career and is in eight statistical categories in the AIA Girls Record book in career, and game stats.

Later she starred at Mesa Community College (All-American), the University of Arizona, and finished her career at Utah State University.

Soccer postseason

The Open is underway and there is a heavy East Valley presence remaining in the girls tournament.

Entering Thursday’s second round nine of the 16 teams remaining in the girls tournament were still alive with three of the top four seeds coming the East Valley in No. 1 Hamilton, No. 2 Casteel and No. 4 Basha.

On the boy side, only four East Valley squads remain when action resumes on Friday with No. 7 AZ College Prep, No. 11 Basha, No. 14 ALA Gilbert North and No. 16 Red Mountain.

Spring season

This is tryout week for the spring sports as softball, baseball, boys and girls tennis, boys volleyball and girls beach volleyball.

The spring season opens up on Wed., Feb. 25 for the various sports with annual tournaments the first weekend.

Send comments and story ideas to jskoda@azpreps365.com