Arizona

Rewinding the Arizona HS sports year

Published

2 years ago

May 27, 2022

The 2021-22 college 12 months is over and all that is left are reminiscences. Some good, some dangerous, some thrilling, some tragic, some magic.

And largely triumphant. It goes quick.

Quickly, it is going to be again to the grind of making an attempt to win championships for highschool sports activities groups. Or does that grind ever cease for coaches and youngsters?

Let’s look again at these storylines that outlined Arizona highschool sports activities during the last 9 months.

1. Open and shut

Scottsdale Saguaro’s rise to the highest of the Arizona highschool soccer world confirmed what a college with a 4A-size enrollment can do. The Sabercats rode the slogan, “Burn the Boats,” all the best way to their first Open Division state championship, beating the 2 largest heavyweights — Chandler Hamilton and Chandler— on the best way to the gold ball.

Saguaro has change into a magnet for expertise and it would not matter the scale of the enrollment. This system has been attracting a number of the finest expertise within the Valley and coach Jason Mohns is aware of how you can mildew them into winners.

“We simply took down the blue bloods of Arizona in back-to-back weeks, and I am fairly rattling proud,” Mohns mentioned in Solar Satan Stadium after his Sabercats ended Chandler’s five-year championship reign with a 20-15 win that December evening.

2. Shot heard ‘around the nation

Phoenix St. Mary’s dug and clawed and climbed its manner again and was able to have a good time inside its packed gymnasium a 4A semifinal boys basketball win, main 73-71 with 2.3 seconds left and inbounding the ball underneath Gilbert Mesquite’s basket.

Then, Mesquite senior guard Nate Calmese made the play of the 12 months, the second of the 12 months, possibly the play and second of the last decade, if not the century, or ever, in Arizona highschool sports activities historical past.

It wound up the No. 1 play of the day on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

He deflected Kinds Phipps’ lengthy cross down court docket. The ball bounced again to him, and past midcourt, Calmese heaved it. Time ticks off. Buzzer. Swish. Sport over, Mesquite wins 74-73. Using that emotional tidal wave, Calmese capped his profession with 34 factors and 10 rebounds in this system’s first state title, a 64-58 win over top-seeded Tucson Salpointe Catholic.

“St. Mary’s was an important sport, that was a loopy shot,” Calmese mentioned afterwards. “However we weren’t happy in any respect. We have been celebrating for somewhat bit after which we obtained over it. We simply locked in and obtained ready for Salpointe.”

3. Head of the category

Huskies senior Kiera Hall (10) celebrates Horizon High School's 4A title after beating Millennium High School in a three set sweep during the State girls volleyball championships at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in Phoenix.

Scottsdale Horizon’s 5A ladies volleyball championship in November capped a exceptional 12 months for not only a nice program however an important coach, Valorie McKenzie, who confirmed that she solely will get higher with age.

She opened the varsity some 40 years in the past and received her fourth state title with the Huskies defeating Goodyear Millennium in straight units. There have been tears of pleasure from gamers.

They made an argument for being the state’s high indoor ladies volleyball crew in any convention with Taylor Johnson and Kendal Murphy main the best way.

McKenzie notched her 1,000 profession win within the first spherical of the event, however, to McKenzie, “It is simply one other milestone.”

4. Modifications are coming

The Arizona Interscholastic Affiliation took two main steps that many coaches for a while have been clamoring to see:

• Shifting ahead with the shot clock for girls and boys basketball beginning the 2022-23 season. The Nationwide Federation of Excessive Colleges, to which the AIA belongs, lastly opened the door to the shot clock, which allowed the AIA to ask the colleges for his or her enter. The bulk wished it.

• Beginning the Open Division for girls and boys state playoffs subsequent college 12 months. The Arizona Basketball Coaches Affiliation spearheaded the blueprint for what it may appear like, and by the point the AIA Govt Board will get again collectively in August, it could possibly be a executed deal. A 32-team Open Division event for the massive conferences (4A, 5A and 6A) with a couple of twists that most coaches excited to see.

These strikes have most trying ahead to the brand new period of AIA basketball that’s doing issues to attempt to maintain the elite of the elite from leaving their AIA groups to play at prep academies and to maintain the video games thrilling.

Feb 8, 2022; Mesa, Arizona, U.S.; Mountain View head coach Gary Ernst gives the horns up sign towards fans during a ceremony before playing against Mesa at Mesa High School gym.

5. Shaking it up

What number of coaches maintain coming by means of the revolving door in all sports activities. However largely it is soccer and basketball, two of the larger sports activities, that get the notoriety. Particularly when a legend is given his strolling papers.

Gary Ernst, who has received extra boys basketball video games than any coach in Arizona highschool historical past, was informed he will not be again subsequent season by first-year Principal Mike Oliver.

Desirous to shake issues up, Oliver went into the Las Vegas to search out Ernst’s alternative, former Findlay Prep coach Andy Johnson, a high recruiter in that prep academy that led to nationwide championships.

Will Mountain View now change into the magnet in basketball the best way Saguaro is for soccer?

Ernst took delight in teaching the neighborhood children. He was one of the best at it, profitable eight state championships in his profession. However today that is not sufficient, particularly if it has been greater than a decade since the Toros final received a state championship.

Colleges wish to win now. And, for some, it is modified the mindset of how you can strategy highschool athletics for youths determining their lives between 14 and 18 years of age.

6. Baseball bruised

All was comparatively quiet this spring, till we obtained deep within the state baseball playoffs. Then, all the things obtained loopy.

There was the pitch rely controversy that led to Queen Creek forfeiting its 2-1 6A quarterfinal win that will have eradicated nationally ranked Chandler Hamilton from the double-elimination event.

Hamilton ended up profitable the state title in a five-inning, run-rule win over Chandler.

Then, there was the punch within the handshake line by a Benson participant after his crew misplaced to Scottsdale Christian 6-5 within the 2A last.

Each made individuals marvel if the AIA must make modifications. Do you get rid of handshake strains? Do you discover a certified, goal individual working for the AIA in state playoff video games to maintain monitor of pitch counts and letting each coach know the place their pitchers stand earlier than having them pitch when to verify they’re eligible?

They could possibly be underneath debate and on the desk in August, when the AIA board reconvenes.

7. Misplaced too quickly

• In early February, Alexa Cruz, 17, a volleyball participant at Laveen Cesar Chavez, was killed in a automotive crash on an icy street in Texas as she was touring to Austin to be a part of the Goodyear-based Venom Volleyball Membership that was making an attempt to qualify for a nationwide event.

As a result of flights have been canceled as a consequence of extreme climate, three households rented an SUV to drive from the Valley to Austin, Texas, so their daughters may play within the event. They hit a patch of black ice and swerved uncontrolled and struck a semi-truck head-on. Cruz died within the crash two others have been critically injured.

Laveeen Cesar Chavez volleyball player Alexa Cruz was killed in a car crash in Texas in early February on way to a tournament.

The Venom household raised greater than $200,000 to help Cruz’s household and others injured within the crash. Volleyball packages from Arizona and different states got here collectively to assist. Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh videotaped a message of affection and help to the Venom volleyball program and Cruz’s household.

“We use volleyball as a device to develop future leaders,” membership proprietor and director Jimmy Gonzalez informed The Republic in February. “That is our predominant goal. Not volleyball.”

• Earlier this month, the Lakeside-Pinetop space misplaced a giant a part of the group with the loss of life of beloved coach and former Blue Ridge soccer participant and wrestler Frank Girardi. Girardi had simply gotten a brand new motorbike and crashed and died whereas testing it round his neighborhood.

Girardi, who was 46, received three state wrestling titles within the Nineties and was a giant a part of a 19 state soccer championship crew underneath Paul Moro as a working again and linebacker. He was an assistant soccer and monitor and discipline coach at his alma mater.

To recommend human-interest story concepts and different information, attain Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Comply with him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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Arizona

ESPN FPI rankings update: Arizona State’s predicted win total is wild

Published

6 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Press Room

ESPN FPI rankings update: Arizona State’s predicted win total is wild

ESPN released its updated Football Power Index (FPI) rankings on Sunday, and it includes some head-scratching predictions for Arizona State.

ESPN claims its FPI rankings are “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.”

Arizona State (4-1) is coming off a thrilling 35-31 victory over Kansas and is one of the biggest surprises in college football after going 3-9 last season.

Consider ESPN’s algorithm unimpressed.

The Sun Devils are ranked No. 53 in the FPI, three spots behind Kansas (1-5). Their projected win total is 7.1, which means they’re expected to go 3-4 the rest of the season. They are ranked No. 12 in the Big 12, ahead of only Arizona, TCU, Baylor and Houston.

Arizona State’s remaining schedule includes No. 16 Utah (home), Cincinnati (away), Oklahoma State (away), Central Florida (home), No. 18 Kansas State (away), No. 14 BYU (home) and Arizona (away).

There is a lot riding on Friday’s matchup with Utah. If the Sun Devils can upset the Utes, it potentially sets them up for an eight or nine-win season. Road games at Cincinnati, Oklahoma State and Kansas State will be tough, but picking off at least one of them is realistic.

It stands to reason Arizona State could go into its regular season finale at Arizona – in the game formerly known as the Territorial Cup – with an 8-3 or 7-4 record.

What’s your prediction?

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Arizona

Trump and Harris have campaigned a lot in AZ. Here’s how many times

Published

13 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Press Room

Trump and Harris have campaigned a lot in AZ. Here’s how many times

Election season is heating up, and with it, candidates are ramping up campaign efforts. In swing states like Arizona, the effort is tenfold.

Arizona has been a strategic campaign stop not just because it’s a swing state but also because it borders Mexico. Border policies have been a hotbed issue during this election cycle, and candidates have made special visits to learn more about the issue.

Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance have all focused campaign efforts in Arizona, which has 11 electoral votes and could affect the outcome of this year’s election.

Here are the times each candidate has made a visit to Arizona during this 2024 election season.

When has Kamala Harris visited Arizona?

As vice president, Harris visited Arizona half a dozen times, but many of those visits were not specifically campaign opportunities.

Since becoming the Democratic nominee for president in July, Harris has visited Arizona twice.

September visit to the border: Harris visited Douglas and the Raul H. Castro Port of Entry, which was in line with her attempts to reach voters concerned about the nation’s border security. Harris met with border patrol agents and walked along a stretch of fence at the U.S.-Mexico border. She also spoke at Cochise College in Sierra Vista, where she pledged to crack down on the fentanyl crisis.
August rally in Glendale with Walz: Harris held a rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, her first appearance after becoming the Democratic party nominee for president. Walz also spoke at that rally, as well as Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and his wife Gabby Giffords. That night, Harris made her case to become president. She highlighted differences between her plans and those of Trump.

Before the Aug. 9 rally, she visited during a trip on June 24 focused on reproductive rights. She was not yet the presidential nominee at that point. During that June event, she appeared with actor Francia Raisa and Arizona Corporation Commissioner Anna Tovar to discuss abortion rights in Latino communities.

Who’s winning the presidential election? Here’s what polls, odds and historians say

When has Tim Walz visited Arizona?

Since becoming the Democratic nominee for vice president, Walz has made two campaign stops in Arizona.

September visit to metro Phoenix: Walz’s most recent campaign visit to Arizona was on Sept. 11, the same day Harris and Trump debated each other. Walz made stops in Mesa, Tempe and Phoenix. He met with party leaders and Arizona politicians like Arizona Democratic Party Chair Yolanda Bejarano, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, Gov. Katie Hobbs and multiple tribal leaders. He also met with students from ASU.
August rally in Glendale with Harris: The first was on Aug. 9, when he and Harris held a rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. At that rally, Walz made his case for vice president, and spoke on his values about gun reform and women’s rights.

When has Donald Trump visited Arizona?

During his 2016 campaign, Trump made seven visits to Arizona to campaign. He again made seven visits to the Grand Canyon State during his 2020 campaign.

So far during his 2024 campaign, Trump has made three stops in Arizona.

September visit to Tucson: Trump’s most recent stop in Arizona came on Sept. 12, when he spoke at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson. During that speech, Trump promised to bring mortgage rates down to 2% and said he will “ban all mortgages for illegal aliens,” and doubled down on false claims that immigrants are eating house pets in Ohio.
August visit to the border and rally in Glendale: Trump again visited Arizona for a two-day visit on Aug. 22-23. On the first day, Trump toured of the U.S.-Mexico border. On the second day, Trump held a rally at Desert Diamond Arena. It was a notable rally in the Trump campaign because candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his endorsement of the Trump campaign.
June town hall at Phoenix church: Trump appeared at a town hall meeting on June 6 hosted by the conservative group Turning Point Action at Dream City Church in Phoenix. That event followed closely after Trump was convicted in a ‘hush money’ scandal, and he focused largely on critiquing the case as being politically motivated. He called for his conviction to be overturned on appeal.

When has JD Vance visited Arizona?

So far during his 2024 campaign, Vance has visited Arizona three times.

September visit to metro Phoenix: Vance’s most recent was on Sept. 4, an event co-hosted by conservative group Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, at Generation Church in Mesa. He also spoke at the Arizona Biltmore on Sept. 5, an event where he made comments about late Arizona Sen. John McCain.
August rally in Glendale with Trump: Vance’s other visit to Arizona was on Aug. 23, when both Vance and Trump held a rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
August border visit: On the first day of August, Vance made a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border and spoke at an unfinished portion of the border wall in Cochise County. Vance blamed the Harris administration for having “bad” policies when it comes to the southern border.

Do the candidates have any more plans to visit Arizona before Election Day?

Walz recently announced plans to make a campaign stop in Arizona. Though his campaign didn’t specify which day he’ll be in Arizona, his campaign said the reason for his visit is to kick off early voting, which starts on Oct. 9.

Harris, Trump and Vance have yet to announce future dates for campaign stops in Arizona.

Reach the reporter at zbradshaw@gannett.com or on X at @ZachBradshaw14.

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Arizona

Arizona Jewish community remembers deadly terrorist attack one year later

Published

21 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Press Room

Arizona Jewish community remembers deadly terrorist attack one year later

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — One year ago on Monday, nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed, and over 250 others were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists.

Members of Congregation Beth Israel came together Sunday night to remember those who lost their lives on Oct. 7, 2023, and the hostages that never made it back home.

“It’s extremely important for all of us to remember each and every day, each and every hostage and ultimately take a look at the big situation, which is we have got to figure out a way to resolve the wars,” Martin Shultz, a congregation member, said.

In the year since the terrorist attack, the Anti-Defamation League says its preliminary data shows more than 10,000 recorded instances of antisemitism in the U.S., the most in a single year since the ADL started tracking in 1979.

Rabbi Stephen Kahn says that in the year since the attack, many members of his congregation have found what he calls a renewed sense of purpose and vigor.

“I really started to personalize this. If this was me or my family, I would hope that there was someone out there praying for me,” said Allison Kierman, another congregation member.

Kahn suggests the best way to help and support the Jewish community is “by understanding all of the nuances of what’s going on in Israel right now.”

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