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QUEEN CREEK
Boys’ Basketball – The Bulldogs split a pair of close games last week, losing 73 – 71 at McClintock last Tuesday before defeating Tempe at home last Thursday, 60 – 57.
Currently the fifth-seed in the upcoming section tournament, the Bulldogs hold a one game lead over McClintock – the Chargers own the tiebreaker – and are up two games in the loss column on seventh-place Williams Field. The looming regular-season finale at No. 5 Gilbert Christian makes Tuesday’s home game against third-place Marcos de Niza a key section contest.
Upcoming schedule: Feb 2 vs. Marcos de Niza, Feb. 4 vs. Casa Grande, and Feb. 5 at Gilbert Christian. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Girls’ Basketball – The Lady Bulldogs won 2 of 3 games last week, defeating McClintock and Catalina Foothills before a loss at Desert Ridge on Jan. 29.
Kendyl Payne (16) and Jayden Kartchner (19) combined for 35 points in the Bulldogs’ 57 – 50 home win against Catalina Foothills on Jan. 27.
The duo was 7 of 9 from behind the three-point arc, including Kartchner’s perfect 3-for-3.
Kartchner also finished with a team-high seven rebounds while Destiny Madril grabbed six. Senior Sydney Schultz led the team with three assists.
The Bulldogs’ totaled 14 steals in the win, which included three each by Alicia Granill and Kelli Chapman.
Upcoming schedule: Feb. 2 at Marcos de Niza and Feb. 5 vs. Mesa. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
POSTON BUTTE
Boys’ Basketball – With a win in either of their final two remaining regular-season games, the Broncos will clinch a spot in next week’s six-team Section V Tournament.
The Broncos, currently third in the section standings, improved their section record to 5 – 2 with double-digit wins against Show Low and Blue Ridge last week and are now 12 – 12 overall this season.
Senior Preston Anderson scored a game-high 13 points and was one of three Broncos to score in double-figures in the 55 – 36 win at Show Low last Tuesday.
Tyson Berringer and Qujuan Steward each finished with 11 points in the victory.
Anderson, the Broncos’ leading scorer, shot 50 percent from the field, including 3 of 5 from three-point range.
Sophomore Logan Hatch, who is improving with each game, pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and had two of the team’s seven steals. Steward and sophomore point guard Kevin Johnson tied for a team-high five assists against the Cougars.
Upcoming schedule: Feb. 3 at Maricopa and Feb. 5 vs. Scottsdale Prep. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Girls’ Basketball – The Lady Broncos have won four games in-a-row, improved to 5 – 1 in section games, and in the process, clinched a berth in the Section V Tournament, which will take place next week at Valley Christian High School.
The Broncos, in third place and one game behind section leader Valley Christian, still have a chance to win at least a share of the regular-season section title. A win at second-place Alchesay in the finale would certainly help the Broncos’ cause.
The Broncos will host Higley on Feb. 2 in a Breast Cancer Awareness game. It’s also Senior Night. Please show your support if you can.
Upcoming schedule: Feb. 2 vs. Higley, Feb. 3 at Skyline, and Feb. 5 at Alchesay. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
SAN TAN FOOTHILLS
Wrestling – The Sabercats currently have three wrestlers with 40 wins or more on the season, including senior Dustin Freund (43 – 6), senior Filippo Ravedoni (40 – 15), and junior Omar Martinez (44 – 9). Junior Sydney Freund is 33 – 15 and senior Ernest Vega is 26 – 15. Junior Byron Cruz is undefeated with a record of 14 – 0. The Cats will compete at the Section III Championships on Feb. 6 at Mogollon. Those who qualify will compete at the State Championships on Feb. 12-13 at the Prescott Valley Event Center.
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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