Local Roundup: Feb. 15

PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

All-GVR team named

Gila Ridge, Kofa, Cibola and San Luis each had one player on the All-Gila Valley Region First Team, which was released on Tuesday.

The Hawks’ Lance McLaren, the Kings’ Gilbert Palacio, the Raiders’ Jordan Mitchell and the Sidewinders’ Orlando Lopez earned spots on the first team. Region champ Lake Havasu swept the superlatives, with coach Scott Becker winning Coach of the Year and Max Draeger the Player of the Year.

On the second team were Cibola’s Stevie Mitchell, San Luis’ Mark Ochoa, Gila Ridge’s Corey Semler and Kofa’s Daniel Santana.

Playoffs begin Feb. 22. Kofa and Havasu are in, while Cibola is on the bubble.

“We’re mired in a deep hitting slump, which was the difference in the first game,” AWC coach John Stratton said. “In the second game, it was a good baseball game, and if we keep playing like that, we’re going to win some of those.  Pima played awfully well down the stretch, and made the plays they had to make.”

PREP BOYS TENNIS

Gila Ridge sweeps Yuma High

None of Gila Ridge’s top five players needed more than eight games in a match as the Hawks swept Yuma High 9-0 at home on Tuesday.

Charlie Fiddler didn’t lose a game at No. 1 singles, and combined with Cody Nickerson — a 6-2, 6-2 winner at No. 2 singles — to win 8-1 at No. 1 doubles.

Also picking up wins for the Hawks were Dylan Freeman (6-2, 6-2 at No. 3), Scotty Nickerson (6-2, 6-2 at No. 4), Kevin Qian (6-2, 6-1 at No. 5) and Jesse Aguirre (6-3, 6-4).
Freeman and Scotty Nickerson won 8-1 at No. 2 doubles, and Qian and Aguirre won 8-1 at No. 3.

PREP GIRLS TENNIS

Cibola squeaks past Kofa

Though Cibola’s top three singles players all lost their respective matches, the Raiders earned a 5-4 team victory at home against Kofa on Tuesday.

Kofa freshman Michelle Manon cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Vianka Villa in the No. 1 matchup, while Mirka Jenikova shut out Cibola’s Stephanie Ramirez 6-0, 6-0 in the No. 2 bout. Then came a marathon match for the No. 3s, as Kofa’s Jeannie Glasgow outlasted Kassandra Rodriguez, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-4) and 11-9.

But Cibola’s No. 4, Leslie Cruz-Rivera, No. 5, Amrutha Doniparthi, and No. 6, Shelby Chambless wrestled away three victories to notch the score at 3-3 after the singles matchups.

While Villa and Cruz-Rivera were swept 8-0 in the No. 1 doubles match, Ramirez and Rodriguez combined to win the No. 2 doubles, 8-1, before Doniparthi and Chambless coupled to win 8-2 in the No. 3 doubles tilt.

Gila Ridge rolls past Yuma High

In a matchup of coaches making their debuts, Gila Ridge’s Beth Osowski bested Yuma High’s Rebecca Taylor, by virtue of her team’s 7-2 victory on Tuesday at Yuma High.

Each of Gila Ridge’s top three singles players won in straight sets, while No. 4 Ashley Walker needed a third set to defeat Yuma’s Karla Aguilar at No. 4.

Yuma’s No. 5, Alma Solis, was the only Criminal to earn a singles victory, notching a 6-3, 6-1 win over Lucy Fiddler.

Gila Ridge’s top doubles pair of Walker and Meghan Johnson claimed an 8-4 victory, while Tiffany Laughlin and Alice Fiddler earned a close 9-7 win for Gila Ridge in the No. 3 doubles matchup.