Three High Desert Wrestlers Win CJHL Championships
High Desert Middle School wrestlers John Martinez (73lbs), Seth Durbin (93lbs), and Thomas Quintero (180lbs) each won their respective weight class at last weekend’s Central Junior High League Wrestling Championships.
High Desert placed 18 wrestlers in the top four of 13 different weight classes, which helped it accumulate 162 team points, placing it second in the final team standings. Eloy won the team championship with 244.5 points.
Miami, which finished third in the final team standings, placed seven wrestlers in the top four of five different weight classes. Miami finished with 69 team points.
The results for each team are as follows:
High Desert:
73 – John Martinez – 1st
83 – Michael Guerena – 3rd
88 – Dennis Coombs – 2nd
93 – Seth Durbin – 1st
93 – Darius Jones – 4th
98 – Jordan Ute – 3rd
98 – Michael McClean – 2nd
104 – Kyler Heimer – 3rd
111 – Dominic Barajas – 3rd
118 – Caden Hanson – 4th
118 – Jace Oconner – 2nd
125 – Mya Steadman – 3rd
125 – Chase Lemeke – 4th
133 – Jonathan Ortega – 4th
133 – Jacob Jost – 3rd
154 – Haley Coombs – 2nd
167 – Brent Dunning – 3rd
180 – Thomas Quintero – 1st
Miami:
118 – Avrium Curiel – 3rd
125 – Dominic Gonzalez – 2nd
167 – Jordan Clawson – 2nd
180 – Skyler Guerrero – 2nd
285 – Luis Romero – 2nd
285 – Ronald Sanchez – 4th
285 – Jeremiah Marquez – 3rd
Lady Braves Remain Unbeaten in Section IV
The third-ranked San Carlos girls’ basketball team improved its section record to 9 – 0 after wins against Miami, Ray, and San Tan Foothills.
With only three games remaining in the regular season against teams in the bottom half of the Section IV standings, the Lady Braves are in line to be the top-seeded team in the upcoming sectional tournament.
The top-six teams for the section will compete in the postseason tournament with the top-two seeds earning byes. If the season ended today, San Carlos and Ft. Thomas would be the top seeds in the tournament.
In what was likely their most difficult matchup during the last six games of the regular season, the Lady Braves defeated No. 7 Ray on the road last Friday night, 62 – 55.
Senior Mariah Kozie scored a game-high 32 points in the win, shooting 70 percent from the field after making 14 of 20 shots. Sophomore Kelsey Martin was nearly as hot, making 8 of 12 from the field, good enough for 67 percent shooting. She also pulled down eight rebounds. The duo accounted for more than 77 percent of the Lady Braves scoring against the Bearcats.
Kayla Dosela had a team-high nine rebounds to go along with four of the Lady Braves’ 14 steals in the game. Adrianna Haozous grabbed seven rebounds and tied Kozie with a team-high four assists.
Upcoming schedule: Feb. 2 at Superior and Feb. 5 vs Hayden. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Vandals Extend Winning Streak
The No. 16-ranked Miami boys’ basketball team will ride its second five-game winning streak of the season entering next week’s matchup against No. 2 Ft. Thomas.
The Vandals defeated Coolidge, Superior, Hayden, and San Manuel to mark their most recent five-game winning streak. A win against Ft. Thomas would extend it to a season-best six games.
Now 7 – 1 in section games, the Vandals are just a half-game behind first-place San Carlos, which is 7 – 0. Ft. Thomas, at 8 – 1, is between the two teams.
Upcoming schedule: Feb. 2 vs. Ft. Thomas and Feb. 4 at Duncan. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Tigers Control Destiny in Quest for Section Title
The No. 16-ranked Globe boys’ basketball team is currently one-and-a-half games behind first-place American Leadership Academy in the Section V standings with two section games remaining, including the regular season finale at ALA.
The Tigers will play two non-section games before closing out the season at home against Coolidge on Feb. 3 and at ALA on Feb. 5. Wins in both of those games would clinch the regular-season Section V Championship and secure the top seed in the upcoming sectional tournament.
The Tigers won their third-straight game Friday night, defeating Benjamin Franklin on the road, 79 – 58.
Freshman BJ Burries scored a game-high 27 points and was one of four Tigers to reach double-figure scoring totals. Robert Holmes (15), Braden Dalton (11), and Martine Reede (10) were the others.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 30 at Willcox, Feb. 2 vs. Pima, Feb. 3 vs. Coolidge, and Feb. 5 at ALA. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Lady Tigers Snap Losing Steak
The Globe girls’ basketball team snapped a three-game winless streak on Friday night, defeating Benjamin Franklin on the road, 45 – 40.
The Lady Tigers had lost is previous three games to Combs, Gilbert Christian, and Cibecue before Friday’s win.
In Thursday’s 46 – 34 loss at Cibecue, Jessica Hatch scored nine points, grabbed 12 rebounds, dished out three assists, and recorded two steals in a performance that earned her Player of the Game honors.
Cedar Randall, a junior, added eight points while Kayla Howard and Jolainna Bendle finished with six each.
Howard and Keanna Moses, a senior, each had two steals in the game.
Upcoming schedule: Feb. 2 vs. Pima, Feb. 3 vs. Coolidge, and Feb. 5 vs. American Leadership Academy (7 p.m.). All games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.