SOFTBALL: Pueblo beat Thatcher 6-2 to remain on top of D-IV

Pueblo beat Thatcher 6-2 on Friday to remain on top of the Division IV AIA/MaxPreps rankings. The Warriors (18-5 overall and 12-2 in rankings games) are experiencing one of the best seasons ever for the program, rivaled only by the 25-2 squad that won the 4A championship in 1990.

Softball Andy Morales April 15, 2016

Longtime Pusch Ridge XC coach Elmer Yazzie set to retire

Yazzie has been the head cross country and track coach at Pusch Ridge since 2005 and an art teacher at the school for a couple of years before that. But he is heading home now, back to New Mexico, to teach art and coach with his daughter Autumn Newell at the Rehoboth Christian School just outside of Gallup.

Cross Country / Track & Field Andy Morales April 14, 2016

SPRING SIGNING UPDATES: SOUTHERN ARIZONA LIST GROWS

Abby Miller spent a lot of her childhood trying out different sports and even gave softball a go, like her older sister University of Arizona outfielder Merrilee Miller. The Ironwood Ridge senior also has a golf gene in her family thanks to an uncle who played at East Carolina so she gave that a try.

Football / Cross Country / Golf / Wrestling / Baseball / Softball Andy Morales April 13, 2016

Arizona Baseball Leaders: Santa Rita's Rickey Borquez

These are the current stat leaders for baseball with just about two weeks left in the regular season. These lists fluctuate daily depending on updated stats. Although I have only included the top three for each category, one name that will come out high on the strikeout list at the end of the season will be Santa Rita junior pitcher Rickey Borquez.

Baseball Andy Morales April 12, 2016

Spring signing period: Southern Arizona list

Spring signing period: Southern Arizona list

Football / Golf / Wrestling / Baseball / Softball Andy Morales April 12, 2016

BOYS VOLLEYBALL: CDO Hitmen Invitational brackets set

BOYS VOLLEYBALL: CDO Hitmen Invitational brackets set

Boys Volleyball Andy Morales April 8, 2016

GOLF: Empire beat Pusch Ridge & Bodhi Roether shot a 39

We are about five weeks away from the Division III state golf championship to be played May 13-14 at the Antelope Hills Golf Course in Prescott. There are seven sections in D-III and each section winner will earn an automatic berth to the playoffs while eight more teams will earn an at-large berth based on their iWanamaker rankings.

Football / Golf / Baseball Andy Morales April 7, 2016

TRACK & FIELD: CDO discus thrower Turner Washington setting new records

Washington won the state championship last spring with a distance of only 172-feet-8 inches. I wrote "only" because he set a state-record 202 feet at the Casa Grande Kiwanis Invitational on Friday, April 1.

Football / Track & Field Andy Morales April 6, 2016

VOLLEYBALL: CDO beat Ironwood Ridge 3-1 to end winless streak

It's been five years since Canyon del Oro has gotten the best of Ironwood Ridge. Those five years, and the 11 losses in a row that came with it, were almost forgotten Tuesday night when the Dorados came out on top 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-22) in an emotionally packed match. Almost forgotten, but not quite. This is a rivalry after all - at least it is now.

Boys Volleyball Andy Morales April 5, 2016

SOFTBALL: CDO beat Sunnyside 6-4 in D-II Top-10 game

Canyon del Oro defeated Sunnyside 6-4 in an important Division II match Friday between two teams currently ranked in the Top 10. CDO (17-1-1 overall and 9-1 in power-ranking games) is ranked second in the state as of Friday morning and Sunnyside (12-10, 5-3) came in ranked eighth.

Softball Andy Morales April 1, 2016

SOFTBALL: San Miguel outlasts Academy of Tucson in high-scoring game

San Miguel gave up an early lead but the Vipers slowly fought back to defeat Academy of Tucson 14-10 on Thursday. The Vipers improved to 6-4 overall and 1-1 in Division V, Section II while Academy of Tucson dropped to 9-4 and 0-1.

Softball Andy Morales March 31, 2016

BASEBALL: Catalina beat Pusch Ridge to strengthen high ranking

The Catalina Trojans woke up this morning and found themselves ranked third in the first Division IV AIA/MaxPreps power-rankings of the season. It's an incredible turnaround from a program that has only won 33 games since winning a state championship in 2011.

Baseball Andy Morales March 30, 2016

SOFTBALL: Salpointe defeats Cienega 5-1

Salpointe defeated Cienega 5-1 Tuesday in a rematch of the Division II state championship game last year where the Bobcats prevailed 9-2. The Lancers (13-1 overall, 8-1 in power-ranking games) have reloaded despite the loss of seven seniors while Cienega (9-9, 3-3) is still trying to find an identity.

Softball Andy Morales March 29, 2016

BASEBALL: BISHOP GORMAN BEATS CDO TO CLAIM CHRIS MOON CHAMPIONSHIP

Bishop Gorman defeated Canyon del Oro 9-0 in the championship game of the Chris Moon Memorial Classic on Friday afternoon at Cherry Field. It was a game that featured the defending Nevada Division I state champions against the defending Arizona D-II state champions.

Cross Country / Baseball Andy Morales March 25, 2016

GIRLS TENNIS: Ironwood Ridge slips past CDO 5-4

A rivalry in name only, Ironwood Ridge has grown accustomed to beating Canyon del Oro during singles play but the Dorados forced the Nighthawks to doubles where the Nighthawks ultimately pulled out a slim 5-4 win on Thursday.

Tennis Andy Morales March 25, 2016

GIRLS TENNIS: CATALINA FOOTHILLS STILL UNDEFEATED

Catalina Foothills swept Salpointe Monday in an important Division II girl's tennis match heading into the first power rankings of the season to be released on Wednesday. The Falcons are 6-0 overall and 3-0 in Section VII while the Lancers fell to 6-1 and 2-1.

Cross Country / Tennis Andy Morales March 22, 2016

BASEBALL: Tucson to host Chris Moon Memorial Classic

The Chris Moon Memorial Classic is named after the Tucson High 2007 consensus Southern Arizona Player of the Year pitcher and outfielder Chris Moon. Moon was drafted by the Atlanta Braves but chose instead to play for Andy Lopez at Arizona.

Baseball Andy Morales March 20, 2016

SAND VOLLEYBALL: Macy Gordon and Cierra Flood win First CatBox Classic Pairs Invite

The University of Arizona and Ironwood Ridge hosted the first high school “pairs” competition in Arizona. The CatBox Classic featured athletes from Xavier Prep, Salpointe, Chaparral, Ironwood Ridge, Corona del Sol and Notre Dame.

Cross Country / Beach Volleyball Andy Morales March 20, 2016

SOFTBALL: Tucson earns top-seed at the Badger Classic

Tucson went undefeated (4-0) to earn the top seed in the Championship Bracket of the Badger Invitational to be played Saturday at Cherry Field. The Badgers outscored their opponents 41-11 in the process. Buena (3-1) earned the 2-seed.

Softball Andy Morales March 18, 2016

BASEBALL: Empire beats Safford 12-5 at D'Eredita Memorial

Empire beat Safford 12-5 Thursday afternoon at the inaugural D'Eredita Memorial Baseball Invitational held at Empire High School in Vail.

Baseball Andy Morales March 17, 2016

SOFTBALL: walk-off double from Lesly Cazares lifts Desert View past Empire

Desert View beat Empire 4-3 Wednesday afternoon to start off pool play at the Badger Classic. The Jaguars (6-6-1) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to get past the Ravens (5-4).

Softball Andy Morales March 16, 2016

BASEBALL: Salpointe Lancer Classic scoring updates

AMSA Transportation Lancer Baseball Classic Mar. 14-18: Tucson Reid Park Annex

Baseball Andy Morales March 16, 2016

SOFTBALL: Sabino outlasts Mountain View Marana 8-6

Sabino outlasted Mountain View 8-6 Tuesday in an important Division II game between two teams still looking for an identity. Sabino (3-7 overall, 3-1 in division games) is still rebuilding from the loss of several standouts including Wisconsin leader Kelsey Jenkins while Mountain View (3-5-1, 1-3) is coming off one of the best seasons in recent memory that included a rare trip to the state playoffs.

Softball Andy Morales March 15, 2016

Empire & Tucson to host Baseball/Softball Invitationals this week

Six teams are taking part in the D'Eredita Memorial Raven Baseball Invitational held at Empire High School. Each team is scheduled for three games with bracket play scheduled for Saturday. In addition, softball will be played at the Tucson Badger Invitational at Cherry Field. Pool play starts on Wednesday and the championship is scheduled for Saturday night.

Baseball / Softball Andy Morales March 14, 2016

BOYS TENNIS: CDO 7, Amphi 2. Panthers sporting all-international squad

Canyon del Oro defeated Amphitheater 7-2 late Friday night to close out a match that was much closer than the score indicated. The Panthers (2-2) forced CDO (5-1) to the limit on a few singles matches and then played them into the setting sun with three hotly contested doubles matches.

Tennis Andy Morales March 11, 2016