No. 1 Joseph City wins 2nd straight 1A girls title with 66-34 win over Fort Thomas
February 27, 2026 by Brian M. Bergner Jr., AZPreps365
PHOENIX — Audrey Neill recorded a double-double with 33 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 1-seeded Ash Fork in a 66-34 win over No. 2 Fort Thomas for the 1A state title Friday afternoon.
FINAL: #1 Joseph City 66, #2 Fort Thomas 34. Audrey Neill scores 33 points, 11 rebounds, 6 steals in dominant effort for the Wildcats today. Joseph City wins 2nd straight 1A title. #AzPreps365 pic.twitter.com/K6Idlf35cj
— Brian M. Bergner Jr. (@AzPreps365Brian) February 27, 2026
It is the second straight championship for the Wildcats, which have appeared in four consecutive title games at the 1A level.
“It’s great to be here two years in a row, four years, but we didn’t get the first two, but that’s alright. These girls came out with a game plan in mind, and came up with it on their own,” Joseph City coach Dan Bushman said. “There was no doubt in their minds on what was about to happen, so I’m really proud of them.”
Joseph City (33-3, 13-0 1A Central) had won 16 straight before losing to 3A state semifinalist Window Rock 68-56 a few weeks back.
In fact, their only other losses came against 2A St. Johns (33-31), who is the 2A final on Saturday, and Chinle (56-35), who made the Elite 8 in 3A before losing to Page 38-27.
Neill shot 14 of 27 from the field Friday, including a 4 for 5 mark from the free throw line. She also had six steals and two assists in the victory.
“She’s vitally important. You don’t always get a player like this, especially in 1A basketball. The best part about this team, though, is everyone supported her,” Bushman said.
The senior, who is committed to play for Yavapai College in Prescott next year, said she was just doing her job Friday to help her team win.
“I did this for my team. … It’s just crazy to go back-to-back,” Neill said about her team winning a second-straight championship. “We were so determined to get this done. … We have so much chemistry and it was great to get the job done and push through.”
Joseph City is one of the best 1A clubs in state history having made four straight championship games. The Wildcats made four straight from 1976 to 1979 as a “C” level team. St. Michael went to four in five years (1997-2001), and Seligman participated in six title games within a decade (1987-1998).
Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.
