Local Roundup: Jan. 30
Things started off well for the Arizona Western baseball team at the Coyote Border Battle in Las Vegas, but they took a turn for the worse Saturday.
The tournament started for the Matadors with a come-from-behind 8-6 win over host and 22nd-ranked Southern Nevada. But they were swept in a doubleheader against Salt Lake 10-1 and 12-2 on Saturday.
In the opener, the Matadors (1-2) erased a four-run deficit. Alex Reed picked up the win with four innings out of the pen. Sergio Sanchez, who had a key triple earlier in the game that drove in a run, pitched the ninth for the save.
And while the team cooled off Saturday, Sanchez doubled in the first game and provided the only two Matador runs in the second game on a home run. Wade Morten had two hits and an RBI in the late game.
The Matadors finish play in the tournament at 3:30 p.m. today against Southern Nevada.
JUCO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
AWC win streak reaches 11
It took Arizona Western more than 13 minutes to take the lead. Once the Matadors got it, they weren’t about to give it back.
Tyrisha Blake made a free throw with 6:44 left to put the Matadors up one as part of a 12-0 run, and they didn’t look back in a 70-63 win at Mesa on Saturday, the 11th in a row for AWC.
The Matadors (21-1 overall, 13-1 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) took a 35-25 lead into the half. The Thunderbirds (13-9, 8-6) didn’t get closer than six in the second half.
“We did a pretty good job executing and running our possession offense,” AWC coach Patrick Cunningham said of his team’s second-half effort. “We may not have been successful offensively, but we still ended up (scoring) 35 (in both halves.)”
Jolie Olingende had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Matadors. Blake also had seven rebounds to go with her 13 points. Both Blake and Olingende grabbed six offensive rebounds each. Nyla Bailey added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
JUCO MEN’S BASKETBALL
Matadors lose third straight
A 10-2 run for Mesa to open the second half proved too much for Arizona Western to overcome in a 62-57 loss on Saturday.
The loss was the third in a row and fourth in five games for the Matadors, who are still in first place in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference.
The run by the Thunderbirds (7-14 overall, 4-10 ACCAC) turned a three-point halftime edge to a 41-30 cushion with 16:30 still to play in the game. The Matadors (15-7, 10-4) battled back and pulled to within three with 3:26 remaining but never got closer.
“We battled the whole game, and that was an improvement,” AWC coach Kelly Green said. “We’re looking for any improvement right now, and that was a good thing.”
Renan Lenz scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked six shots for AWC. D’Angelo Scott also scored 14 for the Matadors.
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
San Pasqual wins finale
Manny Sanchez scored 18 points as San Pasqual topped Ajo 57-49.
The Warriors trailed 17-4 after the first quarter and by seven after three quarters. They took the lead for good with 2:30 left.
Redhawk Welch scored 15 and Andrew Lomaintewa added 11.
Parker bests Antelope
No Antelope player reached double figures as the Rams fell in Parker 54-23 on Saturday.
A.J. Cota led the Rams with nine, while Chris Weimer added eight.
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Shorthanded Rams fall
With just seven players on the bench, Antelope fell at Parker 55-15 on Saturday.
Annie Leon led the Rams with seven points.
Warriors roll Red Raiders
San Pasqual picked up a 46-20 road win at Ajo on Saturday.
Aileen Velarde had 10 points, six steals and five rebounds for the Warriors. Janequa Mills added seven points and 11 rebounds and Marissa Miller had nine points.
San Pasqual (10-8) plays at Joy on Wednesday in the first round of the regional playoffs.
PREP WRESTLING
Three Hawks medal at Holtville
Gila Ridge’s Kevin Jumbeck took first place at the Holtville Individual Invitational tournament on Saturday.
Jumbeck (160) went 4-0 over two days to be the Hawks only first-place finisher. He won his championship match by decision 7-3.
Alex Jordan (125) finished fourth going 3-2 and Jose Cazares (130) finished fifth going 4-2.
Gila Ridge had eight of 14 weight classes filled. The tournament had 28 teams field competitors.
The Hawks will wrestle at Cibola on Wednesday.
CLUB SOCCER
Tryouts Wednesday
The newly formed Western Arizona Soccer Academy will hold tryouts for its two teams at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Arizona Western soccer field.
Tryouts will be open to players born between August 1993 and August 1997.
Jay VanWassenhoven, director of coaching, said the team plans on playing in the Arizona State Cup April 2 and may compete in a tournament ahead of that.
Interested players should contact VanWassenhoven at 261-6621 or academy administrator Cynthia Kampen at (951) 970-9736.
