LOCAL GLANCE (Jan. 26): Prep Wrestling, JUCO Basketball, JUCO Softball
Gila Ridge took first place at the Diego Gadea Tournament at South Point Catholic High School Saturday.
The Hawks placed 12 of the 14 wrestlers including Nathan Mendivil (106) and Kyle Ford (132) who walked away with championships.
Four Gila Ridge wrestlers took second place including Austin Gerber (120), Isaac Saenz (145), Emilio Castro (195) and Kainoa Renaud (220).
“It was a good tournament,” said Gila Ridge coach David King. “It was a good tune-up for sectionals and eventually state.”
YC finishes third
The Shamrocks earned third place in the Bourgade Catholic Last Chance Tournament Saturday afternoon.
Yuma Catholic placed eight wrestlers including Zach Lopez (120) who finished sixth, Brandon Moreno (160) and Nick Cain (220) who finished fifth, Grady Eldridge (170) who finished fourth and Andy Determan (152) and Alex Varela (285) who finished second.
Ernesto Sandigo (138) and Clay Sierra (145) both finished in first place. Sierra was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the middle weights.
JUCO BASKETBALL
Matadors beat Scottsdale
AWC used a 19-0 run early in the second half to beat Scottsdale 76-51 Saturday afternoon.
The Matadors had four players in double figures including Darien Walker with 22 points, Marvin Whitt with 16, Tanner Clayton with 12 and Carlos Perez with 10.
“Our ‘help' defense wasn't very good in the first half, but we made some adjustments at halftime,” said AWC coach Charles Harral. “I thought that the work of Carlos (Perez), Tanner and Ivan (Uribe) made a difference in that second half.”
The victory marked the Matadors seventh-straight win.
AWC hosts Chandler-Gilbert at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Mats dominate first half
The Matadors scored 43 points in the first half en route to a 66-46 victory over Scottsdale Saturday afternoon.
Samantha Wallace led AWC with 22 points and Nikki Villescaz had 16.
“We watched the men struggle in their first half, so we told our ladies that they needed to avoid that, and they did,” said AWC coach Patrick Cunningham. “Unfortunately, we got into a turnover-fest in the second half, and we have to work on protecting the ball – no matter what the score is at the time.”
AWC hosts Chandler-Gilbert at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
JUCO SOFTBALL
Matadors split doubleheader
The Matador softball team went 1-1 Saturday with a 9-7 win over North Idaho and a 12-4 loss to Chipola Saturday afternoon.
“We came out swinging the bats well in the first game,” said AWC coach Nikki Bethurum. “But we just need to get back into playing shape when we're faced with playing 14 innings in a single day, and against highly-ranked competition.”
The Matador offense was led by Alvara and Savanna Baggett who hit back-to-back home runs leading to a three-run third inning. Abrianna Palacio went 3-5 with two runs scored.
In the second game Matador pitcher Jackie Pierson allowed five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings en route to a 12-4 loss. Pierson had trouble with the strike zone allowing five walks.
AWC faces Western Nevada 10 a.m. on Thursday in the Great Western Shootout on the AWC softball field.
