by 
Copper Basin News
Baseball players from San Manuel and Ray were selected to the Arizona Baseball Coaches All-State Teams. Three of the four players competed in last weekend’s AzBCA All-Star Game.
AIA Division IV, Section VI Player of the Year Shane Kelly was named to the AzBCA All-State first team. Kelly, a junior from San Manuel, was joined on the first team by Ray Bearcats’ senior shortstop Dominic Bravo.
The Miners’ Anthony Garcia and Richard Romo were named to the AzBCA All-State second team. Garcia and Romo, both seniors, were the top pitchers on the San Manuel staff.
The Miners and the Bearcats both reached the state championship playoffs this past season. The Miners defeated the Bearcats in a quarterfinals matchup, 4 – 3. The Miners lost in the semi-finals to state runner-up Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, 3 – 0.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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