Gila Ridge wrestlers ahead at sectionals
The Gila Ridge wrestling team finished in first place after the first day of the state sectionals tournament on Friday.
Gila Ridge finished with a total of 112.5 points on the day, while second place Peoria finished with 64 points.
“I think the boys looked good today, they looked solid,” Hawks coach David King said. “Tomorrow will be a better determiner of what we're going to see at state.”
The Hawks have 11 wrestlers still alive in the Championship bracket, with an opportunity to get a good seed in the state tournament.
Sectionals is a double-elimination bracket, meaning that if a wrestler hasn't lost yet they stay in the championship bracket. A loss drops a wrestler to the consolation bracket — a “win or die” scenario to keep a wrestler alive in the tournament, King said.
Three Gila Ridge currently sit in the consolation bracket of the tournament, meaning all 14 Hawks wrestlers are still alive in the tournament.
Able Meija (126), Kyle Ford (138), Kevin Jumbeck (160) and Eddie Pena (heavyweight) all picked up two pins in the tournament.
JUCO SOFTBALL
AWC falls to 2-4 in Shootout
After two lopsided losses earlier Friday, the Arizona Western rebounded with an 11-2 win against Colorado Northwestern on Day 2 of the Great Western Shootout at AWC.
Trish Porter (1-0) pitched all six innings, allowing two earned runs, walking none and striking out three. Taylor Bashor hit a 3-run homer for the Matadors (7-6), who scored 10 runs in the last two innings after heading into the fifth as the road team down 2-1.
Earlier in the day, the Matadors lost to No. 2 Salt Lake 18-5 and No. 17 Southern Idaho 8-0.
In the game against Salt Lake, the pitching struggled. Ace Amber Taynton was rocked for five earned runs, eight total, in 2 1/3 innings, even though she pitched a scoreless first. The Matadors were outhit 16-4 in the five-inning contest. Against No. 17 Southern Idaho, Megan Lerno went three innings, allowing five runs, three earned. She struggled with control, hitting five batters and walking five, allowing two hits. The Matadors had just two hits in the six-inning game.
Through the first two days at the tournament, Southern Idaho (5-0), Yavapai (3-0) and Salt Lake (2-0) are perfect.
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gila Ridge tops Havasu
The Gila Ridge girls basketball team closed its season Friday with a 46-37 win over Lake Havasu.
Summer Ehrig had 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists to lead the Hawks.
Antelope falls to Parker
Amelda Maynes scored 17 points, but it wasn't enough as Antelope lost Friday to Parker.
Shanna Skousen added nine for the Rams.
ARIZONA WINTER LEAGUE
Scorps fall to Stingers
The Yuma Scorpions took the lead early, but fell to the Somerton Stingers 7-5 in Friday's season opener.
Somerton broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring four runs. Tyler Hicks and Don DiPetta scored off a Kevin Park triple. Park was able to score after Mario Flores reached off an error by the Scorps third baseman. Flores scored off an unearned run for the Stingers to give a 7-3 lead to end the top of the inning.
Yuma answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it wouldn't be enough to lift them past Somerton.The Stingers scored two unearned runs in the first inning, but the Scorps answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.Somerton scored another unearned run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 3.
Brandon Mims had two runs and two hits in four at-bats for Yuma.
Don DiPetta went also had two runs and two hits as well as a stolen base and a walk for Somerton.
In other AWL action, the San Luis Atleticos topped the San Diego Surf Dawgs 8-5. The Calexico Outlaws routed the Long Beach Armada 6-1, while the Arizona Roadrunners beat the Saskatchewan Silver Sox 6-2.
The score from the Team Canada-Blythe Heat was unavailable.
