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Queen Creek’s boys’ golf team finished 11th at last week’s Division II State Championship. Photo courtesy of Queen Creek Athletics.
Both of Queen Creek’s Cross-Country teams competed at last Saturday State Championship Meet. The boys’ team finished 13th & the girls’ team finished 11th. Photo courtesy of Queen Creek athletics.
Four Corners of Sports
POSTON BUTTE
Football – Hall of Fame head coach Paul Moro announced his resignation last week after only two years at the school. Moro, who won 13 state titles at Blue Ridge High School before taking over the Broncos’ program, told azcentral sports the commitment was taking its toll on him.
“I’ve worked 60 to 80 hours a week the last two years,” Moro told azcentral sports reporter Scott Bordow. “There’s no end in sight. I can’t sustain that for two years. I’m not that young. I can’t do it.”
Moro indicated he’s not done coaching; instead suggesting he’s looking for what he considers a better “situation.”
“I’ve got to get into a situation where at the end of the season I have more than 12 seniors playing football,” Moro told Bordow.
That may be true, but the Broncos’ football program may need a better coaching “situation” as well.
“I’m not here just to win games for Poston Butte,” Moro told the Ledger in 2014, shortly after accepting the head coaching position. “I’m here to make a difference in kids’ lives.”
By most accounts, Moro succeeded in one of those areas, if not the other.
The Broncos finished 0 – 10 this season and dating back to the 2014 season have lost 13-straight games.
The coach who was heralded when he arrived at Poston Butte, mostly because of the 13 state titles, now moves on, leaving the Broncos with a 13-game losing streak.
SYS 7-on7 Passing Tournament – The Poston Butte football practice fields will serve as host to the Spirit of Youth Sports 7-on-7 Passing Tournament on Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Separate divisions by grade for players in 4 – 12 grades are invited to participate. A maximum of 12 players per roster can enter the tournament for a $180 fee. Each team will play a minimum of three games.
The sport of 7-on-7 is rapidly growing across the nation, as more and more coaches, players, and parents are discovering that 7-on-7 football is a fun and inexpensive way for football players to practice their skills and prepare for the upcoming Youth, Middle School & High School seasons.
For more information on 7-on-7 competition and to register a team online, visit http://sys7on7.homestead.com. Interested persons or teams can call 480-512-9972 for additional information. The registration deadline is Monday, Nov. 30.
QUEEN CREEK
Boys’ Golf – The Bulldogs finished 11th at last week’s Division II State Championship in Tucson. Freshman Gabe Salvanera, last week’s Ledger Athlete of the Week, was the top golfer for Queen Creek, finishing 21st out of 100 golfers. Chris Health (45th), Jarrett Fultz (61st), Bryson Gwilliam (78th), and Connor Duyck (81st) also represented the Bulldogs at the state championship.
Girls’ Golf – The Lady Bulldogs finished 14th at last week’s Division II State Championship in Tucson. Senior Taryn Simmons was the top golfer for Queen Creek, finishing tied for 29th out of 100 golfers. Victoria Barbari (75th), Jessica King (82nd), and Madison Norris (83rd) also represented the Lady Bulldogs at the state championship.
Boys’ Swimming & Dive – Senior Tyler Reznicek won the state championship in the 100-yard backstroke. His winning time was 53:28.
The Bulldogs finished fifth out of 45 teams at the state meet, thanks to Reznicek and teammates Gavin Turley, Hugh Jones, and Kadin Keith.
All four swimmers made up the 200-yard medley relay team and the 200-yard freestyle relay teams. They finished second in the medley race and fourth in the freestyle.
Turley narrowly missed winning his own state championship in the 200-yard Individual Medley, where he finished second, just three-quarters of a second behind the winner.
Turley also finished fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Girls’ Swimming & Dive – The Bulldogs finished 13th out of 43 teams at last week’s state meet. Senior Maria Reynolds was the Bulldogs’ top individual finisher, placing eighth in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Junior Madi Richardson placed 11th out of 31 in the 1M Dive.
The Bulldogs’ 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kali Huffman, Brette Mullenaux, Sophie Zecher, and Breanna Moon placed seventh.
The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Moon, Zecher, Reynolds, and Huffman placed eighth.
Boys’ Cross Country – The Bulldogs placed 13th out of 34 teams at last Saturday’s Division II State Championship meet at Cave Creek Golf Course. Three of the five runners who earned points for the Bulldogs finished in the top 50, including junior Tristan Stellmach, senior Jayce Hardt, and senior Treston Morrow. Other Bulldogs’ runners (in order of team finish) who competed at the state meet include senior Damian Sanchez, freshman Brycen Schall, senior James Stanley, and junior Jacob Lawson. A total of 251 runners competed in the boys’ race.
Girls’ Cross Country – The Lady Bulldogs placed 11th out of 34 teams at last Saturday’s Division II State Championship meet at Cave Creek Golf Course thanks in part to junior Alexus Navarro’s eighth-place finish. Senior Savanna Bradshaw finished in the top 50 at the meet. Other Lady Bulldogs’ runners (in order of team finish) who competed at the state meet include sophomore Maddie Ambrosio, senior Ashly Hale, junior Kelton Little, freshman Nicole Bowman, and freshman Syriyani Wasson. A total of 243 runners competed in the girls’ race.
COMBS
Girls’ Golf – Hannah Brown, the Coyotes’ lone representative at last week’s Division II State Championship in Tucson, finished 32nd out of 100 golfers. Brown was among the leaders after the first day with an opening round score of 86. Her second-day score of 99 wasn’t nearly as good, but the Yotes’ only golfer – boys or girls – represented her school well.
Editor’s Note: Individual results for the 2015 AIA Cross Country Championships were not available at press time. The Ledger will publish individual results for schools in our distribution area once they’re available.
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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