The Arizona softball team broke the national home run record as it beat Tennessee-Martin 9-3 on Friday afternoon in an NCAA regional game in Louisville.

The Wildcats advance to play Louisville at 7 a.m. Tucson time Saturday.

The record-breaking blast came from Stacie Chambers in the third inning. That was the 127th home run of the season for UA, breaking the record held by Arizona’s 2001 team.

“I do not think they give a national championship on home runs,” said UA coach Mike Candrea in a news release. “It is games that you have to win.”

Sarah Akamine (20-6) was the winning pitcher for the Wildcats. She pitched the first three innings and then re-entered in the seventh, allowing a run and four hits in four innings. She struck out three and walked one.

The Wildcats (42-14) had 12 hits, scoring four times in the second and three times in the third.

Senior Jill Malina started in right field in place of freshman Karissa Buchanan, who did not play because of a violation of team rules.

Host Louisville advanced with a 4-1 win over Purdue.

High school sports

At Tempe Diablo Stadium, the Canyon del Oro boys baseball team beat Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor 6-5 on Friday to advance to Saturday’s Class 4A Division I state championship.

It is CDO’s 10th trip to a state title game. The Dorados have won six, most recently in 2002 with an 8-6 win over Tucson High.

• Tanque Verde will play Bagdad in the finals of the 1A state tournament at Surprise Stadium at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Hawks defeated Phoenix Valley Lutheran 2-1 on Friday to advance.

VOLLEYBALL: No. 1-seeded Sahuaro advanced to the finals of the 4A/5A Division II finals after beating No. 5 Ironwood Ridge on Friday.

The Cougars won in three games 25-16, 25-15, 25-14 and will play either No. 2 Rincon/University or No. 3 Catalina at Mountain View High School at 1 p.m. Saturday.

GEOFF GRAMMER

and RAYMOND SUAREZ

Braves top D’backs

ATLANTA – Yunel Escobar hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of ninth, giving the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night after blowing a lead in the top of the inning.

With one out in the ninth, Jordan Schafer hit a single to right off Tony Pena (3-1). Pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson walked and Omar Infante singled to center. Schafer, who hesitated between second and third to see if center fielder Chris Young would catch the ball, had to hold at third.

The Associated Press

Tisdale dies at 44

Wayman Tisdale, a three-time All-American at Oklahoma who played 12 seasons in the NBA and later became a top jazz musician, died after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 44.

Tisdale died Friday morning at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, hospital spokeswoman Joy McGill said.

After three years at Oklahoma, Tisdale played in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.

The 6-foot-9 forward, with a soft left-handed touch on the court and a wide smile off it, averaged 15.3 points for his career. He was on the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympics.

The Associated Press

Manny apologizes to team

MIAMI – An “anxious” Manny Ramirez apologized to his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Friday, the first time he was around the club since being suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance.

Ramirez used the words “I’m sorry,” said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, although many players said the apology wasn’t necessary.

“It was uncomfortable. I’ll give you that,” Torre said. “We spent some time together before we went into the meeting room and he was a little anxious. That’s the human side of this thing.

“He basically went around, shook everybody’s hand. I think guys were happy to see him. I think there was a little uneasiness on both sides.”

The brief meeting took place in a conference room at the team’s waterfront hotel in South Florida before the Dodgers arrived at the Marlins’ stadium to start a three-game series.

The Associated Press

Phelps wins in return

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Phelps still remembers how to win.

The most decorated Olympian ever won two events Friday night in his first meet since Beijing, showing he’s moved on from the embarrassment of being photographed using a marijuana pipe and serving a three-month suspension.

Phelps touched first in the 200-meter freestyle at the Charlotte UltraSwim in a time of 1 minute, 46.02 seconds. He came back less than an hour later to win the 100 butterfly in 51.72.

In both races, Phelps easily broke meet records he set three years ago, and coach Bob Bowman proclaimed him ahead of schedule as Phelps looks ahead to the world championships this summer.

The Associated Press

Preakness up for grabs

BALTIMORE – Calvin Borel has complete confidence his horse will win the Preakness, the kind of certainty expected from the Kentucky Derby-winning jockey.

Except Borel won’t be riding the Derby winner on Saturday.

He made the unprecedented decision to get off Mine That Bird and onto Rachel Alexandra, the spectacular filly who is the 8-5 early favorite for the second leg of the Triple Crown.

“It’s hard to leave a Kentucky Derby winner,” jockey Robby Albarado said. “You’re the only one with the chance of winning the Triple Crown. It’s a hard decision to make.”

Mine That Bird is the co-third choice at 6-1 with Friesan Fire, the Derby wagering favorite who staggered home next-to-last on the first Saturday in May.”

The 12 other horses are going to have to run the race of their life or me fall off or something stupid happen,” Borel said by phone Friday from Louisville, Ky., where he took a break from mowing his lawn to chat. “I just got to point her in the right direction and she’ll get me there.”

If that happens, Rachel Alexandra would become only the fifth filly to win the Preakness. Ten have tried since Nellie Morse in 1924 was the last to wear the winner’s blanket of black-eyed Susans.

The Associated Press

Favre talks to surgeon

MINNEAPOLIS – With the Minnesota Vikings eagerly waiting, Brett Favre has sought the advice of a noted surgeon about his beat-up throwing arm, according to the latest report on the quarterback’s status.

Citing an anonymous source, ESPN.com reported that Favre consulted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews about options for healing the partially torn biceps tendon that has caused pain in his right shoulder. Andrews is one of the most consulted surgeons in pro sports.

Favre declared his retirement for the second time in February because of the injury, which he blamed for his poor performance in December while the New York Jets missed the playoffs.

The Associated Press

“Aaron passes Ruth!”

“Nixon resigns!”

Those headlines helped me sell a lot of newspapers in 1974, when my journey with the Tucson Citizen began as an 11-year-old hawker. Wearing my “Citizen Charlie” smock, I pitched the paper – which cost 15 cents back then – in front of my father’s East Side liquor store.

In between begging for tips, I pored over the sports section. I studied box scores and Citizen writers such as Regis McAuley, Corky Simpson, Jack Rickard and Bruce Johnston.

The newspaper bug had bitten me.

I took journalism at Catalina High School under J.G. Carlton, and began calling in prep box scores to the Citizen for $3 a game. By the time I landed a correspondent’s job in 1980, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

Except for a five-year stint at USA TODAY, I worked many different jobs and many crazy hours at the Citizen until Gannett announced our closure.

Some of my favorite memories:

• High school: Sahuaro quarterback Rodney Peete threw for a then-state record 424 yards and five touchdowns in 1983 against Amphi. It ended in a 34-34 tie but was the greatest game I ever reported. Amphi countered with 361 yards on the ground in a contest that saw three TDs and one field goal scored in the final 3 minutes and 42 seconds.

• College: After covering Sean Elliott for three years at Cholla High, I watched him break Lew Alcindor’s Pac-10 career scoring record in 1989. Elliott needed 34 points and scored 35 – with six 3-pointers. It’s the loudest I’ve ever heard McKale Center, and we had a special section printed after UA routed UCLA.

• Pro: Curt Schilling sprayed champagne on me and other reporters in the locker room after the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees to win the 2001 World Series. When Luis Gonzalez singled in the winning run, strangers began hugging in the aisles at Bank One Ballpark.

• Embarrassing: On a hot night, I fainted in the elevator at Arizona Stadium during UA’s 1986 football home opener vs. Houston. When I came to, then-sports information director Butch Henry stood over me, asking in his Arkansas drawl, “Is he dead?”

• Initiation: Two Cleveland Indians players, who shall remain nameless, tried to stuff me in a locker when I was 19. To the locker-room attendant who saved me, thank you.

• Sadness: When I was an assistant city editor, I had to wake up Lute Olson to tell him that former UA basketball assistant Ricky Byrdsong had been gunned down in Evanston, Ill. After Olson’s wife, Bobbi, yelled, “No, God,” Lute gave me an eloquent quote.

• Proudest: Watching our sports staff pull together some of the biggest stories of the decade: UA football coach John Mackovic’s firing; the death of UA women’s basketball star Shawntinice Polk; Olson’s retirement and Sean Miller’s hiring as basketball coach.

I’m biased, but I considered my sports staff to be one of the hardest-working and professional in the nation.

The Associated Press Sports Editors agreed. It named us a top 10 daily sports section in the nation seven of the last nine years for our circulation category.

Credit goes to my second “family”: Steve Rivera, John Moredich, Anthony Gimino, Bryan Lee, Ken Brazzle, Geoff Grammer, Raymond Suarez and Michael Schmelzle. Correspondents Ash Friederich, Rodney Haas and Christopher Veck deserve high-fives, along with past staffers Dave Petruska, Paul Schwalbach, Michael Caccamise, Shelly Lewellen, David Pittman, Stephen Sharpton, Jessie Vanderson, Charles Durrenberger and Christopher Walsh.

More thanks go out to all the page designers I annoyed with my suggestions, Simpson for his inspiration and guidance, and Peter Madrid, who I succeeded as sports editor in 1999.

Finally, I’d like to pay tribute to all the coaches, players, parents and readers who helped suggest stories and make my job easier.

I’ll miss this place.

Since 1957, the Tucson Citizen has profiled more than a 1,000 of the city’s finest high school student-athletes.

Each school nominated a candidate based on academics, athletics, leadership, service to their school and an essay on who influenced them most.

In all, there were 54 winners of the Tucson Citizen Student-Athlete Award, with co-recipients named twice.

Every year, the Citizen also would revisit a past winner from a decade before. Here’s what three are doing now:

Tim Ashcraft, Sahuaro, 2004

How many AH-64D Apache attack helicopter pilots play piano, cello, drums and guitar, sing in chorus, give piano lessons and have and acted and sung with professional aplomb in musical performances?

Tim Ashcraft is one of such an elite.

A 2007 West Point grad, Ashcraft, still very much a champion of the arts, is now stationed in flight school at Fort Rucker, Ala., where he is specializing in helicopters.

Ashcraft always yearned to fly. He likes to recall when he first learned on a Cessna while at West Point and flew around the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River. It was both business and fun.

At Sahuaro, music was as much of his growing-up years as academics (22nd in his class) and sports (nine letters in football, baseball and soccer). At the academy, he minored in music and majored in mechanical engineering.

“My granddad was in the Army, so that was the military background,” Ashcraft says, “but I didn’t think about the military growing up. But in choosing West Point, it provided the best opportunity to enjoy what I do and serve my country.”

Granddad was Clarence L. “Stub” Ashcraft, a University of Arizona icon, who died in 2008 at age 89. He was a major in WWII, a former UA lineman and served as UA historian and athletic events coordinator (1962-85). Tim’s father is David Ashcraft, a retired Sahuaro music director. Tim credits his older brother, Chris, as his life’s inspiration.

For Tim Ashcraft, serving in the Army has been an uplifting experience.

“With everything going on in the world today,” he says, “I couldn’t be more amazed at the support the U.S. military is receiving.”

Philo Sanchez, Sunnyside, 2002

The official programs stretched Philo Sanchez’s height from 5 feet 6 to 5-7, but every one of his 195 pounds on the football field was felt by opponents.

Sanchez, the 2002 Student-Athlete winner, has known nothing other than to overachieve since the time parents Richard and Anna Sanchez gently informed him what life was about, around age 2.

As an athlete, Philo was Sunnyside’s all-time leading rusher under his dad, the head coach, and led the Blue Devils to two state playoff championship games, winning the second time.

Sanchez continued playing at Northern Arizona and was the Lumberjacks’ leading rusher his junior and senior years.

But there is a lot more to his life than football. He was a scholar from kindergarten on and graduated fourth in his Sunnyside class of 365 and has been constantly involved in community and church service.

“Winning the Student-Athlete Award was sort of the culmination of everything, all the hard work I did,” Sanchez said.

At NAU he pursued a biology and pre-med major intending to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Mark Donovan, an orthodontist. But over the last two years, in which he helped his father as an assistant coach, Sanchez decided law school was for him. He’s now in the process of applying.

“My mother always said I should be a lawyer,” he said, “because I was so argumentative. Then after I graduated (NAU), she sensed I was not that excited about (being an orthodontist) anymore. She always was the smartest person I ever knew.”

Brains and inspiration are part of any success story. Football stars such as Walter Payton drifted in and out of his imagination, but one was always No. 1.

“Some kids make a superhero out of Superman or Spider-Man but I always had my father,” Philo says. “He’s what every man should be – compassionate, though sometimes he doesn’t show it, and strong.”

Molly Reiling, Salpointe Catholic, 1984

Girls sports took off in the 1970s, when Title IX required schools to offer equal sports opportunities to females.

Molly Reiling watched her older sister play interscholastic softball, and she eagerly followed suit.

“I was the first female Student-Athlete winner from Salpointe,” she said. “It was sort of a new thing but I remember it made me feel very proud. I was one of the first generation after (Title IX). We were some of the first to see the full effects.”

Karen Christensen from Rincon High was the first girl’s Student-Athlete Award winner in 1976, followed by Kristine Bush (Sabino), Lisa Kay Baker (Sahuaro) and Vickie Patton (Marana) before Reiling won in 1984.

Paul Reiling had three daughters and no sons but he never lacked for kids active in sports. He helped coached his girls in softball. Molly’s expertise was softball and volleyball and she went on to play two years of college volleyball at Arizona State before transferring to concentrate on her architecture degree at UC-Santa Barbara.

Now the married Molly Dowd, lives in Verona, N.J., a suburb of New York City, with two preteen daughters. A freelance spatial planning and interior drafting professional, she started a middle school volleyball program for her daughters.

“I thought of going on in sports and it’s amazing the opportunities growing for women now in college and after – professional, overseas pros, coaching . . .

“I’m just grateful for the opportunities.”

TUCSON CITIZEN STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD WINNERS

Year Student-athlete High school

1957 D.L. Secrist Jr. Tucson High

1958 Donald Parsons Catalina

1959 Edward Brown Flowing Wells

1960 Terry DeJonghe Salpointe

1961 Robert Svob Catalina

1962 Ray Kosanke Tucson High

1963 Michael Aboud Tucson High

1964 Pat McAndrew Flowing Wells

1965 Charles Begley Sunnyside

1966 Eric Evett Catalina

1967 Ron Curry Tucson High

1968 Jeff Lovin Palo Verde

1969 Bruce Pawlowski Salpointe

1970 Dave Henry Sahuaro

1971 Tom Hagen Salpointe

1972 Bill Baechler Palo Verde

1973 Francisco Gomez Pueblo

1974 Richard Rucker Canyon del Oro

1975 Guillermo Robles Sunnyside

1976 Karen Christensen Rincon

1977 Michael Wing Rincon

1978 Craig Barker Amphitheater

1979 Ralph Gay Sunnyside

1980 Kristine Bush Sabino

1981 Lisa Kay Baker Sahuaro

1982 Vickie Patton Marana

1983 Martin Tetreault Sahuaro

1984 Molly Reiling Salpointe

1985 Timothy Roggeman Salpointe

1986 Jon Volpe Amphitheater

1987 Luis A. Padilla Pueblo

1988 Nicole Stern Catalina

1989 Robert Moen Flowing Wells

1990 Grace O’Neill Salpointe

1991 Angel Phillips Rincon

1992 Zenen Salazar Sunnyside

1993 Michelle Vielledent Sahuaro

1994 Julie Reitan Sahuaro

and Brady Bennon Sabino

1995 Kelly Yablonski University High

1996 Joe Aguirre Palo Verde

1997 Andy Viner University High

1998 Scott Beck Canyon del Oro

1999 Glenn Schatz University High

2000 Nicole Voelkel University High

2001 Ai-ris Yonekura Catalina Foothills

2002 Philo Sanchez Sunnyside

2003 Tim Ashcraft Sahuaro

2004 Joe Kay Tucson High

2005 Tiffany Hosten Tucson High

and Echo Fallon Catalina Foothills

2006 Michael Smith Sunnyside

2007 Tara Erdmann Flowing Wells

2008 James Eichberger Catalina

Citizen file photo

Sahuaro multisport star Rodney Peete.

Southern Arizona has produced a plethora of talented high school athletes through the years, some who went on to professional and Olympic careers. This list is the best of the best based on their dominance during their high school years.

BOYS

All-around

• Fred Enke, Tucson High, 1940s: Multitalented athlete was the brightest star of the Badgers’ glory years, starring in football, basketball and baseball and leading the Badgers to eight state team titles.

• Joe Batiste, Tucson High, 1930s: Track legend and football star set a hurdles record that stood for years.

• Michael Bates, Amphi, 1980s: Nationally ranked hurdler and sprinter and a Parade magazine All-American in football.

• Rodney Peete, Sahuaro, 1980s: Record-setting quarterback after being all-star wide receiver, point guard on state title basketball team, pitched and won state title game in baseball as sophomore.

• Dannie Jackson, Santa Rita, 1970s: Future world-class decathlete excelled in football, basketball and track for the Eagles.

Baseball

• Sam Khalifa, Sahuaro, 1980s: Picked No. 7 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1982, he is the highest local prep selection in the draft.

Basketball

• (tie) Sean Elliott, Cholla, 1980s: Two-time All-State pick averaged 24.8 points per game in his career.

• (tie) Lafayette Lever, Pueblo, 1970s: Two-time All-State pick led team to two state titles.

Cross country

• Kyle Cormier, Douglas, 2000s: Cormier won six state championships in cross country and distance events in track and won the 2004 Foot Locker National and West Regional championships before an All-American career running at the University of Arkansas.

Football

• Rodney Peete, Sahuaro, 1980s: Future Heisman Trophy runner-up was a record-setting quarterback as a junior, all-city receiver as a sophomore.

Golf

• Willie Wood, Sabino, 1970s: Future PGA Tour player competed here only briefly but dominated the local scene.

Soccer

• Luis Robles, Sierra Vista Buena, 1990s-2000s: Robles, who spurned the MLS after being drafted by D.C. United to play professionally for Germany’s FC Kaiserslauter, was Arizona’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior, a high school All-American and a member of the U.S. under-18 national team while at Buena.

Swimming

• Doug Northway, Sahuaro, 1970s: Won a bronze medal in the 1972 Olympics while still in high school.

Tennis

• Bill Lenoir, Tucson High, 1950s: First Tucsonan to win a national junior title. Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith were among his victims.

Track and field

• (tie) Joe Batiste, Tucson High, 1930s: Set a national hurdles record that stood for more than 40 years.

• (tie) Michael Bates, Amphi, 1980s: Top hurdler, sprinter and football star.

Wrestling

• Eric Larkin, Sunnyside, 1990s: In the galaxy of Blue Devils stars, this three-time state champ is the only one named national high school wrestler of the year.

Boys Volleyball

> Joe Kay, Tucson High, 2000s: Kay earned a volleyball scholarship to Stanford, but he suffered a stroke after being trampled by fans storming the court after a basketball game his senior year. He recovered enough to attend Stanford, although he could no longer participate in athletics.

GIRLS

All-around

• Stacy Engel, Catalina 1980s: First girl to play boys varsity baseball here as well as being a softball, track & field and volleyball standout.

• Julie Reitan, Sahuaro, 1990s: Softball all-star, state long jump champ, cross country standout.

• Tara Erdmann, Flowing Wells, 2000s: Seven time state champion in track, cross country and soccer, including pulling off the track trifecta as a senior winning 5A-II state titles in the 3,200, 1,600 and 800 meters.

Basketball

• (tie) Paula Pyers, Santa Rita, 1980s: Led unbeaten Eagles to state title in 1984 before moving on to play at the University of Southern California.

• (tie) Sybil Dosty, Salpointe Catholic, 2000s: Dosty averaged 27 points and more than 11 rebounds per game during a four-year varsity career that included multiple All-America team selections.

Cross country

• Virginia Pedersoli, Amphi, 1990s: Won three straight Class 5A state titles.

Golf

• Cindy Flom, Sahuaro, 1970s: Future LPGA star played on boys varsity team.

Soccer

• Kelly Walbert, Salpointe Catholic, 1990s: City’s first major star, went on to play at Duke.

Softball

• Kenzie Fowler, Canyon del Oro, 2000s: The 2008 Gatorade National Player of the Year and former Junior Olympian is already a three-time All-American entering her senior season in 2009. As one of the country’s best-ever high school pitchers, the fact she was also one of the state’s best hitters often gets overlooked. Including a streak of four-straight no hitters and two perfect games, Fowler closed out her senior season by leading the Dorados to their fourth-straight state championship game.

Swimming

• Caitlin Leverenz, Sahuaro, 2000s: State record holder in multiple events. Missed qualifying for 2008 U.S. Olympic team by a fraction of a second after a junior year that including winning gold medals at multiple international events.

Tennis

• (tie) Kendra Strohm, Salpointe Catholic, 1990s-2000s: Lost one set in four-year career in which she became Arizona’s first girl to win four-consecutive singles state championships.

• (tie) Kirsten and Tristany Leikem, Flowing Wells, 2000s: Twin terrors became state’s first-ever four-time state doubles champions from 2005-2008.

Track and field

• Carolyn Jackson, Salpointe Catholic, 1990s: Showed tremendous range in the sprints from the 100 to the 400.

Girls Volleyball

• Bre Ladd, Canyon del Oro, 1990s-2000s: The 2001 Gatorade National Player of the Year was also a member of U.S. Junior National team. Selected by Volleyball Magazine as the No. 1 recruit in the nation for class of 2002.

COACHES

Great coaching goes well beyond wins and losses, but trying to list all the Tucson-area coaches who have touched the lives of area youths through the years would be a futile effort. Albeit not all-inclusive, here are some of the area’s most successful coaches through the years:

(* active)

• Sue Clark, Tucson High, girls tennis: From 1959 to 1972, Clark’s teams set a national record, going 213-0 in dual matches, and won 10 state titles.

• Bobby DeBerry, Sunnyside, wrestling: From 1996 to this past winter, DeBerry oversaw 13 state wrestling championship teams, including the past 12 straight.

• Bud Doolen, Tucson High, basketball: Won four 5A boys basketball championships between 1943 and 1949 and was runner up in 1940.

• Mike Dyer, Marana, girls basketball: Dyer not only won four state titles at Marana in the 1980s, he initiating a federal lawsuit against the Arizona Interscholastic Association to have the girls basketball season moved from the spring to winter, helping, among other things, spring softball blossom in southern Arizona.

• Hal Eustice, Sahuaro, baseball: Eustice brought three state titles and two runner-up trophies back to Sahuaro in the 1970s and ’80s and also won a baseball championship at San Manuel in 1963.

• Vern Friedli, Amphi, football: Still going strong, Friedli is Arizona’s all-time wins leader with 309 career coaching victories.

• Rollin T. Gridley, Tucson High, football: From 1935-47, Gridley won five state football championships and posted an 88-29-8 record.

• Mary Hines, Catalina, girls volleyball: Her 215-27 career record in 28 years at Catalina, including her 1985 national coach of the year award, are just part of the story. Her coaching tree of former players and assistants branched out across Tucson.

• Juanita Kingston, Rincon/University, volleyball: Her 34-year coaching career, which included an undefeated girls volleyball state championship season at Rincon in 1993, included coaching boys and girls volleyball, softball, basketball and track.

• Don Klostreich, Sunnyside, wrestling: From 1979-88, Klostreich’s Blue Devils squads won nine of 10 state titles, laying the foundation of the state’s greatest wrestling dynasty.

• Roland LaVetter, Pueblo, boys basketball: Coached Pueblo’s great state championship teams in 1977 and 1978 as well as having several coaching disciples move on to coaching success.

• Jeff Lockwood, Sahuaro, cross country: Under Lockwood’s guidance, Sahuaro won four girls and one boys state title between 1980 and 1990.

• Dick McConnell, Sahuaro, boys basketball: Retired in 2007 as Arizona’s winningest boys basketball coach with 714 career victories, 670 of which came at Sahuaro.

• Richard Sanchez, Sunnyside, wrestling/football: Sanchez won five straight state wrestling titles from 1990-94 and has built Sunnyside football into one of Tucson’s best since 1993, winning two titles. He currently has a 10-year streak of at least one playoff win, unmatched by any area coach or program.

• Jeff Scurran, CDO/Sabino/Santa Rita, football: Built Sabino into a decade-long dynasty with three state championships in the 1990s. Upon his return to high school football in 2007, Santa Rita went from 0-11 in 2006 to 23-4 in two seasons with semifinal and championship game appearances.

• Hank Slagle, Tucson High, baseball: Won 10 of Tucson High’s national-record 29 state baseball championships and coached the Badgers to two more title games between 1942 and 1954. Tucson High’s 52-game win streak spanning the 1942-46 seasons still stands as Arizona’s longest.

• Andy Tolson, Tucson High, baseball: Won six of Tucson High’s national-record 29 state baseball championships and coached the Badgers to four more title games between 1930 and 1941.

• “Doc” Van Horne, Tucson High, boys track & field: Van Horne was head coach for 13 state championships form 1927-1953.

• Wolfgang Weber, Salpointe Catholic, boys soccer: The dean of boys soccer in Tucson, Weber is approaching the unprecedented 500 career wins plateau in Arizona, has four state championships, three runner-up finishes and was also one of the founders of the successful Tucson Soccer Academy.

Tucson High star Joe Batiste.

Salpointe girls basketball player Sybil Dosty.

By Geoff Grammer, Michael Schmelzle

Coach Lute Olson and the UA basketball team celebrates their 1997 national title win over Kentucky. The Wildcats made three other Final Four trips under Olson - in 1988, 1994 and 2001.

KING LUTE

Athletic director Cedric Dempsey lured Lute Olson from Iowa in 1983 to rebuild Arizona basketball. Olson did much more, putting UA on the national radar before retiring. His legacy – 589 wins, 23 straight NCAA tourneys, a national title in 1997, 4 Final Fours, 11 Pac-10 titles, 33 NBA-drafted players – will be tough for new coach Sean Miller to follow.

‘THE STREAK’

In basketball, it’s UA’s 25 straight NCAA tourneys, but football fans won’t forget the Wildcats’ 8-0-1 mark over Arizona State from 1982-90, started by the late coach Larry Smith. “The Streak” took the sting out of UA being on probation for a slush fund by ex-coach Tony Mason, and it turned around a rivalry that saw ASU go 15-2 from 1965-81.

‘FOX’ WHO BUILT McKALE

The late Fred “The Fox” Snowden, the first African-American Division 1 basketball coach, ushered in McKale Center with the “Kiddie Corps” – Coniel Norman, Eric Money, Al Fleming, Jim Rappis and Bob Elliott. They took UA to its first NCAA tourney in 1976. Story, Page 6C

SPRING TRAINING

From Hi Corbett Field to Tucson Electric Park, spring training has boosted our economy and prepared three World Series champs: Cleveland (1948), Diamondbacks (2001) and White Sox (2005) and a runner-up, Colorado (2007). In 1975, the Indians’ Frank Robinson became the first African-American to manage a big-league team. But with the White Sox now in Glendale, the future is unclear.

HIGH SCHOOL DYNASTIES

In 1999, Tucson High became the nation’s first school to earn 500 victories in football and 1,000 wins each in baseball and boys basketball. Then there’s Sunnyside wrestling: 12 straight state team titles, 28 overall. Other dynasties: Amphi football, Canyon del Oro baseball/softball, Salpointe tennis and Catalina Foothills swimming/tennis.

‘DESERT SWARM’

Coach Dick Tomey unveiled his run-stopping defense in 1992, led by Tedy Bruschi, and the Wildcats went on to upset No. 1 Washington and beat Miami 29-0 in the Fiesta Bowl and earn Sports Illustrated’s preseason No. 1 ranking in 1994. The success helped recruiting, which led to a 12-1 season in 1998 and a Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska.

PROFESSIONAL GOLF

Ray Magnum edged Byron Nelson to win the first PGA Tour event here in 1945 at El Rio. His prize: $1,000. When Tiger Woods won the 2008 Accenture Match Play title in Marana, he took home $1.35 million! The Tucson Open rose to fame in the 1970s at Tucson National, thanks to three-time winner Johnny Miller and NBC.

RISE OF SOFTBALL

No UA team has dominated more than Mike Candrea’s softball squad: eight NCAA titles since 1991 and 21 College World Series in 22 years. From pitchers Susie Parra to Jennie Finch to Taryne Mowatt, the Wildcats have made Tucson a softball hub and energized the high school scene.

JERRY’S KIDS

Coach Jerry Kindall guided UA to its first major NCAA team title in the 1976 College World Series. The Cats captured two more NCAA crowns in 1980 and 1986, led by Terry Francona and Chip Hale, respectively. Francona managed the Red Sox to two World Series titles, and ex-UA star Trevor Hoffman is baseball’s all-time saves leader.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE BASEBALL

From 1915 to 1958, Tucson boasted minor league teams like the Cowboys and Lizards. But it wasn’t until 1969, when the Triple-A Toros made their PCL debut, that fans got a chance to see future major league stars at Hi Corbett. The Toros won titles in ’91 and ’93 before the Sidewinders took over in 1997 at TEP and won the 2006 title. They left for Reno after 2008, but the independent Toros are back.

E ven without a major professional sports team, Tucson can make the case for being a sports town – thanks to success at the college and high school levels and a climate that draws major events. Some highlights:

Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez meets fans Kim Filip (left) and Tracy Toland in March 2009. The Cactus League was born in 1947, with Cleveland at Hi Corbett and the New York Giants in Casa Grande. The Rockies took over for the Indians in 1993.

A decade of Tucson Sports Photos

Citizen photographers had several sports images over the past decade to show Tucson sports.

Producer: FRANCISCO MEDINA

Slide 1 of 35.
Bullrider Ian Male is sent air mail courtesy Pudd the bull during the 81st Annual Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo Sunday Feb. 19, 2006.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 2 of 35.
Coach Richard Sanchez joins his team in a prayer before the game the Blue Devils went on to lose 6-0 to the Scottsdale Saguaro Sabercats on Nov. 19, 2004.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 3 of 35.
Isaiah Fox jumps up for the rebound with Wright State's Zach Williams in the first half of the Cats' game in the second round of the NIT.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 4 of 35.
Sunnyside's Mike Smith (right) jumps over some players and evades a tackle by Sandra Day O'Conner's Chad Duncan (33).
Source: RENEE BRACAMONTE/Tucson CitizenSlide 5 of 35.
Glendale Cactus Manny Solarez (1) dives for a pass as Rincon's Bryan Marchbanks defends in the second quarter. The pass was incomplete. Tucson, AZ.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 6 of 35.
Lionel Dotson (54) and Paul Phillip (56) celebrate after a play as Arizona was beating UCLA 31-7 st the half.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 7 of 35.
Bo Casper hangs on at the start of a bareback horse ride on Rooster Cogburn. He scored a 75 at yesterday's La Fiesta de los Vaqueros rodeo.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 8 of 35.
Arms raised in a victory salute, Robbie Ventura of Wildwood, Ill., crosses the finish line first in the 20th El Tour de Tucson in 2002.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 9 of 35.
Victorious Blue Devils from Tucson's Sunnyside High School hoist the trophy from their Class 4A state football championship of 2003.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 10 of 35.
Steam rises off the head of Mountain View's Delbert Gallego after he went to the bench and watched his teammates finish off Canyon del Oro in the final seconds of game on Oct. 29, 2004.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 11 of 35.
UA Students Ricky Garrett, 19, (blue) and Brian Blessing, 19, cheer as they are surrounded by older fans during the University of Washington game. Arizona won 91-82.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 12 of 35.
Jawaan McClellan sits on the the floor with his face covered after their 90-89 overtime loss to Illinois in Chicago at the Allstate Arena.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 13 of 35.
Tucson High School swimmer Stephanie White works out in preparation for 2004 regional state competition.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 14 of 35.
Arizona fans climb the goal post as they celebrate Arizona's win over Arizona State 34-27.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 15 of 35.
Sabino's Michael Dillon weeps as he meets with the Saguaro team after losing to them Saturday afternoon, December 9, 2006, in the Class 4A Division I state championship.
Source: VAL CANEZ/Tucson CitizenSlide 16 of 35.
Rick Wock Jr. tries to hold on to Avalanche for the full eight seconds but came up short during the bull riding event at the 80th annual Tucson Rodeo.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 17 of 35.
Hassan Adams slams the ball during a steal in the first half of their NAU game at McKale Center. UA struggled but pulled off the win 75-66 over NAU.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 18 of 35.
Arizona's Michael Thomas (10) keeps his eye on the ball as it is broken up by Washington's Roy Lewis (28) in the first quarter.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 19 of 35.
Santa Rita's Aubura Taylor (6) and his teammates came back to beat Coronado 38-37 to advance in the the 4A state play off game.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 20 of 35.
Acrobatic Wildcat catcher Jaclyn Coburn catches a foul ball and is prevented from tumbling into the dugout of opponent Lafayette by teammate Kristie Fox. The action took place during the playoffs in Tucson on May 21, 2004.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 21 of 35.
Arizona's Jennifer Klein (3) and New Mexico's Nicole Pitcock (2) fight for control.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 22 of 35.
In the return of boxing to Tucson at the Desert Diamond Casino, David Lopez lands a left hook to the face of Jerson Ravelo, knocking him out in the ninth round of a 10-round middleweight bout on March 2, 2004.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 23 of 35.
Bronco Nick Johnson (51) rallies his team during halftime in the American Youth Playoff Football game against the Redskins at Tucson High on Nov.13, 2004.
Source: RENEE BRACAMONTE/Tucson CitizenSlide 24 of 35.
Chicago's Pablo Ozuna dives to tag out Arizona's Eric Byrnes in a run down between first and second, in a spring training game at Tucson Electric Park, Thursday, March 2, 2006.
Source: RENEE BRACAMONTE/Tucson CitizenSlide 25 of 35.
Arizona State's Audree Johnson and the Utes' Kim Smith fight over a loose ball in the first half.Game action at McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson CitizenSlide 26 of 35.
Catcher Richard McCorkle goes after the ball as Art Radke makes it safely home during a baseball game at Udall Park, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2006.
Source: RENEE BRACAMONTE/Tucson CitizenSlide 27 of 35.
Johnny Bessett (22) heads off Cholla defender Eric Nava (14), in Friday's game at Sahuarita High School.
Source: RENEE BRACAMONTE/Tucson CitizenSlide 28 of 35.
Chaparral Firebirds Safety Adam Baily (2) goes after an interception after Sunnyside Blue Devil Wally Altamirano misses the pass in the Sept. 3, 2004, at Sunnyside High School.
Source: RENEE BRACAMONTE/Tucson CitizenSlide 29 of 35.
Hassan Adams goes for a slam during practice in this 2003 photo-illustration.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 30 of 35.
Diamondback Jay Bell jumps into the arms of teammate Matt Williams after crossing home plate with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the New York Yankees and clinch the 2001 World Series.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 31 of 35.
Tiger Woods shouts after sinking a putt for eagle at No. 17 hole to put him one up and give him the lead as he went on to beat J.B. Holmes.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 32 of 35.
Hundreds of fans rush Fourth Ave after Arizona lost to Duke in the 2001 NCAA Championship.
Source: VAL CANEZ/Tucson CitizenSlide 33 of 35.
UA basketball players mob freshman guard Salim Stoudamire after he led them to the Pac-10 Conference Tournament title on Saturday March 13, 2002.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 34 of 35.
UA's Jason Gardner is fired up after making a play to force ASU to take a timeout in the first half on Jan, 23, 2003.
Source: FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson CitizenSlide 35 of 35.
This cowboy got a little muddy during the 1999 Tucson Rodeo.
Source: XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson Citizen

Pitcher contributes to squad’s 16-hit burst

Catalina Foothills catcher Megan Morrison waits for the throw as Cienega's Morghan Doughty scores in the first inning of Thursday's Class 4A Division I softball semifinal game at Hillenbrand Stadium. Cienega won 11-4 to advance to Saturday's state championship at Hillenbrand.

By the time the scoreboard clock at the University of Arizona’s Hillenbrand Stadium flipped to 7:04 p.m., just 34 minutes into the Class 4A Division I softball semifinal game between Cienega and Catalina Foothills, the game appeared over.

So much so that the outfield sprinklers came on.

With top-seeded Cienega up 7-1 in the bottom of the second inning, the resulting five-minute delay in play merely put off the inevitable Thursday night.

Despite No. 12 Foothills’ scrappy effort, Cienega won 11-4 to advance to Saturday’s championship game against Canyon del Oro.

“I expected us to come out strong on offense and I know we were ready,” said junior pitcher Alexa Cash. “I know we’re ready to face anybody.”

The win sets up a highly-anticipated championship showdown at Hillenbrand between No. 1 Cienega (27-6) and No. 2 CDO (32-2) at 6 p.m.

CDO, the two-time defending state champion ranked No. 5 in nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, lost to Cienega on March 30, 1-0.

It is Cienega’s first softball title game. CDO has played in seven, winning five, including the past two.

Despite Cienega earning the tournament’s No. 1 seed, the Bobcats know that as long as the nation’s No. 1-ranked player, Kenzie Fowler, is pitching for CDO, the Dorados are the favorite.

“Everybody is an underdog with CDO,” Tatham said. “We have much respect for CDO . . . but we don’t care who the opponent is. We always talk about if we play our game, we can get the job done. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

Cash had an uncharacteristically average pitching performance, but she still did most of the damage for the Bobcats on Thursday.

Cash allowed a season-high eight hits, but didn’t walk anyone and struck out 10.

And Cash had three of her team’s 16 hits: an RBI double in the first inning, a solo home run over the left field wall in the second and an RBI single in the fourth.

Cienega led 11-1 at one stage.

“I just came out trying to do what was best for the team and get us a bigger lead,” Cash said.

Foothills put a first-inning scare into Cienega when a leadoff double by Elise Samoy-Alvarado set up Stephanie Carramusa’s RBI single to center field, giving the upset-minded Falcons a 1-0 lead.

“I wouldn’t be a coach if my heart didn’t go in my throat,” said Tatham of Foothills’ early lead, the first time Cienega had trailed this postseason.

The threat was quickly erased in the bottom of the first when Cienega batted around and took a 6-1 lead off six hits and a pair of Foothills’ errors.

Trailing 11-1 with two outs in the top of the fifth, Carramusa extended the game, and avoided the five-inning, 10-run mercy rule, with a two-RBI single. Foothills scored again later in the inning to pull within 11-4, a more respectable score than the 20-2 loss it suffered to Cienega on April 2.

“Coming off those two (playoff upset) wins to get us to this point, the girls were flying high and we just ran into a buzz saw those first couple innings,” said Foothills coach Mark Brunenkant.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

———

4A-I SOFTBALL TITLE GAME

Who: No. 1 Cienega (27-6) vs. No. 2 Canyon del Oro (32-2)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: UA’s Hillenbrand Stadium

All high school scores and statistics are as reported to the Citizen by the coaches of the designated home team. Coaches can call in scores to 573-4635, fax them to 573-4569 or e-mail them to sports@tucsoncitizen.com (sports@tucsoncitizen.com).

Softball

No. 1 Cienega 11, No. 12 Catalina Foothills 4

Class 4A Division I Semifinal (at University of Arizona Hillenbrand Stadium)

Catalina Foothills 100 030 0 — 4 8 5

Cienega 640 100 x — 11 16 4

CF – Erin Krause, Aubrey Baldwin and Megan Morrison. CIE – Alexa Cash and Emily Pohl. WP – Cash. LP – Krause. 2B – CF: Elise Samoy-Alvarado, Noelle Devlin; CIE: Cash, Morhan Doughty, Ashlee Brawley. HR – CIE: Cash.

—–

No. 2 Canyon del Oro 6, No. 3 Scottsdale Chaparral 0

Class 4A Division I Semifinal (at Phoenix Rose Mofford Park)

Scottsdale Chaparral 000 000 0 — 0 2 2

Canyon del Oro 001 005 x — 6 10 1

WP – Kenzie Fowler. LP – Rae Bell. 2B – CDO: Taylor Watkins and Valerie Mendoza.

Canyon del Oro pitcher Kenzie Fowler struck out 15 Scottsdale Chaparral hitters Thursday to advance her team to Saturday's 4A-I softball state championship game.

PHOENIX – Kenzie Fowler continued her domination of Arizona high school softball and extended her high school career one final game.

No. 2 Canyon del Oro defeated No. 3 Scottsdale Chaparral 6-0 at Rose Mofford Park on Thursday, giving the Dorados a spot in Saturday’s Class 4A Division I state championship.

Fowler allowed two hits and struck out 15 with no walks, ending a four-game no-hitter streak that earned her ESPN Rise Magazine National High School Athlete of the Week honors earlier in the day.

“As a team, we were ready from the first inning,” said Fowler, who has struck out 74 in the past five games. “When you are that focused, great things happen.”

Fowler improved to 14-1 in state playoff games, having lost in the 2006 state championship to Glendale Cactus as a freshman. Her CDO career record is 104-8.

Chaparral pitcher Rae Ball kept the Firebirds in the game, allowing four hits and one run – a third-inning RBI by Kayla Henry – until the sixth frame, when the Dorados’ offense caught up with her.

CDO (32-2) knocked in five runs off six hits. Taylor Watkins batted in two; Lindsey Weldon, Valerie Mendoza and Felicia Devine each hit in one.

“As a pitcher that’s huge,” Fowler said. “You can’t really ask for anything else when your team steps up that big.”

The run support took any possible seventh-inning pressure off of the star pitcher. Fowler promptly struck out the final three.

“We always want to slam the door on the other team as quickly as we can,” CDO head coach Amy Swiderski said. “It was not only momentum for this game, but it was momentum taking us into the next game.”

CDO will face No. 1 Cienega at University of Arizona Hillenbrand Stadium on Saturday at 6 p.m., giving Fowler, who signed to play for the Wildcats, an opportunity to pitch her final high school game where she’ll pitch for the next four years.

“There’s nothing better,” Swiderski said. “We have all these kids (who) have been growing up dreaming about playing on that field. How cool is that?”

It won’t be easy. Cienega beat CDO 1-0 at Cienega on March 30.

In the game, Fowler threw a one-hitter. The run was unearned.

High school sports editor Geoff Grammer contributed to this article.

———

4A-I SOFTBALL TITLE GAME

Who: No. 1 Cienega (27-6) vs. No. 2 Canyon del Oro (32-2)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: UA’s Hillenbrand Stadium

CHANDLER – Lee Gundy moved up from competing in the 400 meters to the 800 less than two months ago.

At the time, he was just hoping to finish races.

Thursday, the Mountain View senior surprised himself by overtaking defending champion German Jimenez of Peoria Centennial in the final 10 meters for the Class 5A Division II title at Chandler High.

Gundy didn’t even win the 5A-II Southern Region championship last week at Tucson High in the 800. That went to Ironwood Ridge’s Anthony Li, son of University of Arizona distance track coach James Li.

It was a fight to the finish between Gundy, Jimenez and Li.

Jimenez said he felt contact in the back in the last 10 meters by a flailing Gundy, but, despite a protest from Centennial coaches, Gundy’s first 800 victory was upheld by officials.

Ironwood Ridge junior Steve Magnuson, who won the boys 1,600 earlier Thursday, had the best time coming into the meet after running one minute, 55 seconds in Tucson early in the season.

But Magnuson was forced to run in the slower heat Thursday because he was ill with the flu for last week’s regional. He finished eighth.

“I didn’t know he was out of the (fast heat),” Gundy said.

Gundy won in 1:56.26 with Jimenez second (1:56.75).

“I love the race now,” Gundy said about moving from the 400 to 800. “It feels good when I finish.”

The Ironwood Ridge boys team was favored to win the state championship, but it will take a huge effort in Saturday’s finals after Magnuson’s finish and a dropped a handoff in the 4×100 preliminary-heat relay led to disqualification.

The Ironwood Ridge girls, however, have a shot at winning a title behind distance runner Sarah Miville, who won the 3,200 in 11:21, a personal best by 10 seconds. Miville will also compete in Saturday’s 1,600. She is the defending state champion in both events.

Rincon/University sprinter Tamara Pridgett had the fastest times in the preliminaries for the 100 and 200.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

Coaches

All high school scores and statistics are as reported to the Citizen by the coaches of the designated home team. Coaches can call in scores to 573-4635, fax them to 573-4569 or e-mail them to sports@tucsoncitizen.com (sports@tucsoncitizen.com).

Baseball

No. 3 Canyon del Oro 4, No. 6 Cienega 3

4A-I State – Quarterfinals @ Hi Corbett Field

Cienega 001 020 0 — 3 9 1

Canyon del Oro 120 000 1 — 4 10 1

CIE – DeGroot, Sanchez (2) Mejias-Brean (7) and Babers. CDO – Metz, Teran (5), Gutierrez (5) Retz (5) and Cota. WP – Retz. LP – Sanchez. 2B – CDO: Retz. 3B – CDO: Cota.

——-

4A-I State Tournament – Quarterfinals @ Tempe Diablo Stadium

No. 4 Scottsdale Chaparral 4, No. 5 Nogales 3

No. 1 Glendale Cactus 6, No. 8 Catalina Foothills 3

——-

4A-II State Tournament – Quarterfinals @ Phoenix Municipal Stadium

No. 6 Phoenix Greenway 7, No. 3 Sahuarita 1

Boys Volleyball

No. 4 Salpointe 3, No. 5 Gilbert Mesquite 2

(27-25, 21-25, 25-23, 23-25, 16-14)

4A/5A Division I State – Quarterfinals

GM – no statsd available.

SAL – Kills: Alex Chavez 16, Chris Winters 13, Bryan LaFrese 13, David Charles 12, Pat Tunnell 12, Dan Smith 5, Mikey Smith 2. Assists: Pat Tunnell 54, LaFrese 1, Aaron Esparza 1, Chavez 1. Digs: Charles 17, Franc Smith 15, Chavez 8, Esparza 8, LaFrese 8, Tunnell 7, Winters 4, D. Smith 2, M. Smith 1. Blocks: Winters 8, Tunnell 7, D. Smith 2, Chavez 2, Charles 1. Aces: Tunnell 1, Charles 1.

——-

No. 3 Catalina 3, No. 6 Tempe McClintock 0

(25-14, 25-10, 25-20)

4A/5A Division II State – Quarterfinals

TM – no stats available.

CAT – Kills: Ryan Graham 9, Mikhail Plot 7, Josh DeYoung 6, Cooper Kowalski 4, Jared Simte 2, Kevin Rountree 1, Marcellious Gibbs 1. Assists: Simte 26, Kowalski 1. Digs: Plot 7, Oybeq Kholiqov 7, Kowalski 6, Simte 4, Graham 4, DeYoung 2, Rountree 1, Gibbs 1. Blocks: DeYoung 4, Kowalski 2, Plot 2, Simte 1, Rountree 1, Gibbs 1. Aces: Rountree 3, Kowalski 2, Graham 1.

——-

No. 2 Rincon/University 3, No. 7 Phx. Sandra Day O’Connor 0

(25-20, 25-18, 25-22)

4A/5A Division II State – Quarterfinals

SDO – no stats available.

RIN – Kills: David Berens 11, Joel Antista 11, Logan Mauney 6, Nick Mata 6, Brice Nzeukou 3, Matt McDaniel 1. Assists: McDaniel 29, Mata 1, Lorenzo Portugal 1. Digs: Portugal 7, Alfred Jimenez 5, Berens 5, McDaniel 5, Antista 4, Nzeukou 1, Mauney 1. Blocks: Nzeukou 3, Mauney 2, Mata 2, Berens 1, Antista 1. Aces: Antista 2, Mata 1.

——-

No. 1 Sahuaro 3, No. 8 Cienega 1

(25-19, 18-25, 25-14, 25-14)

4A/5A Division II State – Quarterfinals

CIE – Kills: Andrew Christ 21, Trent Simon 10, Taylo King 6, Dante Gonzales 2, Kimo Rand 1, Jordan Kramer 1. Assists: Rand 39, Christ 1. Digs: Simon 11, Andrew Horton 6, Christ 5, Charlie De La Vara 5. Blocks: Christ 5, Gonzales 2, King 2, Simon 1, Rand 1. Aces: Christ 1, Horton 1.

SAH – Kills: Colin Kennedy 13, Josh Harner 5, Scott Salerno 5, Dillon Kennedy 3, Kyle Tatum 2, Bryce Brucker 1. Assists: Tatum 21, Mitchell Toone 9. Digs: Harner 3, Josh Callen 3, Toone 2, C. Kennedy 2, Tatum 1. Blocks: Tatum 9, Harner 6, C. Kennedy 3, Salerno 3, D. Kennedy 2, Brucker 1. Aces: Tatum 2, C. Kennedy 1, Salerno 1, Toone 1.

——-

No. 5 Ironwood Ridge 3, No. 4 Catalina Foothills 1

(25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 25-16)

4A/5A Division II State – Quarterfinals

IR – Kills: Spencer Griffin 18, Scott Assante 16, Zakary Kelly 9, Sean O’Keefe 7, Sean Ham 2, Craig Covington 1. Assists: Ham 39, Kelly 2, Assnate 1. Digs: Austin Carey 25, Griffin 13, O’Keefe 11, Ham 8, Kelly 3, Justin Laszczak 2, Assante 2. Blocks: Griffin 2, Laszczak 2, Assante 2, Covington 1, O’Keefe 1. Aces: Ham 2, Laszczak 2, Kelly 1.

CF – no stats available.

CDO players congratulate Ryan Cota after he scores a run against Cienega.

Ryan Retz gets an A-plus recalling his history batting against Cienega pitcher Seth Mejias-Brean.

Retz singled to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning on Wednesday night at Hi Corbett Field, driving home the winning run to lift Canyon del Oro to a 4-3 victory over Cienega in a Class 4A Division I quarterfinal game.

“I know Seth from history and he’s a fastball pitcher,” Retz said. “I have a lot of history with Seth. I’ve played with him and against him ever since my sophomore year.”

Retz connected on the second pitch from Mejias-Brean, who came in earlier in the inning to relieve Mario Sanchez, and lined the ball into right field to score Griffin Ronstadt from second base.

“I got a first-pitch fastball inside and the next pitch I was looking fastball away,” Retz said. “. . . I felt good with Griffin running. I knew he was going to score.”

The dramatic win was set up when Ronstadt reached base on a one-out infield hit. David Metz reached on a bunt single off Sanchez, bringing up Retz.

“The tougher the situation, the better (Retz) is,” CDO coach Len Anderson said.

The difference between winning and losing came down to one play for Cienega coach Todd Welch.

“Not making the play on Metz’s bunt was huge,” Welch said. “It allowed (Ronstadt) to get to second and in scoring position. That was the kicker.

“I went to Seth because I believed he would get the job done. I went with my best against their best and ended up on the short end of the stick.”

Cienega fought back from a 3-0 deficit with a run in the third and two in the fifth to tie the score 3-3. Michael Bregante accounted for two of the runs and Sanchez added an RBI.

CDO plays No. 10 Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor at 4 p.m. Friday at Tempe Diablo Stadium in the 4A-I semifinals.

Saturday’s 4A-I title game starts at 3 p.m. in Tempe Diablo Stadium and will be televised on Cox cable Channel 7.

No. 4 Scottsdale Chaparral 4, No. 5 Nogales 3: At Scottsdale, Nogales’ season came to an end at the hands of perennial power Chaparral.

The Apaches finish their season at 23-9-2.

No. 1 Glendale Cactus 6, No. 8 Catalina Foothills 3: At Glendale, Cactus senior right-hander James Fajardo was solid in picking up the win in the complete-game six-hitter.

The transfer from Phoenix Sunnyslope allowed six hits, struck out 12 and walked one.

Foothills had its chances, especially in the fourth inning when the first three hitters reached base, but the Falcons managed just one run off of Fajardo.

“I threw a lot of cutters, and my curveball wasn’t sharp (at the end of the season), but it was right on today,” Fajardo said. “I hadn’t thrown in a little over a week so I was fresh.”

Class 4A Division II

Sahuarita’s season ended at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Wednesday.

No. 6 Phoenix Greenway beat the No. 3 Mustangs 7-1 as Sahuarita finished the season with an 18-7 record.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

Canyon del Oro's Ruben Rivera (right) is congratulated by Dorados teammate Doug Steele after Rivera scored during Wednesday night's game against Cienega. CDO won 4-3 to advance to Friday's 4A-I semifinal game against No. 10 Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

University of Arizona football signee Ryan Milus tied a 31-year-old state record in the boys 100 meters on Wednesday in a preliminary heat on Day 1 of the Class 5A Division I track championship at Chandler High School

Milus, a senior at Chandler Hamilton who will play cornerback for the Wildcats, finished in 10.33 seconds, the sixth fastest high school time in the country this year, according to the track and field Web site Dyestat.com.

He tied the record set in 1978 by El Mirage Dysart High School sprinter LaNoris Marshall.

The championship heats for most events, including the 100 meters, are Saturday at Chandler High School.

In the five events that crowned state champions Wednesday, the best southern Arizona result was by Sierra Vista Buena’s Jeremy Tuttle, whose discus toss of 169 feet, 7 inches was good for second place.

Class 4A Division I and II

Sabino’s Alex Evans won 4A-I state championships in the boys 1,600 meters (4:19.61) and the 800 meters (1:54.72) at Mesa Community College, giving his team 20 points in the meet’s first of two days.

Daniel McIver’s high jump of 6-feet, 6-inches was good for the 4A-II title for the Catalina senior.

In girls competition, Canyon del Oro senior hurdler Kala Stepter posted the top preliminary times in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

After needing to make several scoring runs to win the first two games, the Rincon/University boys volleyball team had to stop one in the third game to advance the final four of the Class 4A/5A Division II state playoffs.

Seniors Brice Nzeukou and Matt McDaniel clinched the quarterfinal win by blocking Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor’s Zach Neilson’s kill attempt, giving Rincon the win 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-22).

“It was mostly Brice on that block, but it got me right here,” said McDaniel pointing to his forearm.

McDaniel finished with 29 assists to go with his block for the No. 2 seed Rincon.

Teammate David Berens gave his team a 24-22 lead when his kill from the back row landed between three diving O’Connor players.

“Something we’ve gotten really good at is playing our game until the end,” said Berens, who finished with 11 kills and five digs. “We turn it on and take the game in the end and we don’t get nervous about it. . . . We don’t care what the score is, we push through it.”

O’Connor, the No. 7 seed, always seemed to have an answer for the Rangers as they erased several leads throughout the three games.

Neilson, O’Connor’s outside hitter, led the team down the stretch with three straight kills toward the end of the third game that tied the game at 22-22.

Rincon plays No. 3 Catalina at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mountain View High School in the 4A/5A-II semifinals.

No. 3 Catalina 3, No. 6 Tempe McClintock 0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-20): At Catalina, Jared Simte had 26 assists for the Trojans in the win.

No. 1 Sahuaro 3, No. 8 Cienega 1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-14, 25-14): At Sahuaro, Kyle Tatum had nine blocks for the Cougars and Colin Kennedy finished with 13 kills.

Sahuaro plays No. 5 Ironwood Ridge at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Mountain View High School in the semifinals.

No. 5 Ironwood Ridge 3, No. 4 Catalina Foothills 1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 25-16): At Foothills, the three-time defending state champs will not repeat.

The Nighthawks were led by Spencer Griffin’s 18 kills.

Class 4A/5A Division I

The Gilbert Mesquite boys volleyball team pushed host-Salpointe to the limit Wednesday.

In the end, however, the Lancers pulled out a hard-fought win 3-2 (27-25, 21-25, 25-23, 23-25, 16-14) to advance to the 4A/5A-I semifinals.

“I really thought we were going to win in three, but then we lost that second game and we had to fight back,” said Salpointe’s Chris Winters, who had 13 kills and eight blocks. “It was hard. It was probably one of the hardest games we’ve ever played.”

Salpointe returns to the semifinals for the second straight year where it plays No. 1 Phoenix Mountain Pointe at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Glendale Ironwood High.

Salpointe coach Amy Johnson thinks the close games will only help her team as the tournament moves on.

“I think it’s huge,” said Johnson. “It’s huge to know you can win a five-game match. I don’t think anybody was up three or four or five points. So it’s good to know we can play a tight match.”

Setter Pat Tunnell led Salpointe with 54 assists, 12 kills, seven blocks and seven kills. He also had the match clinching kill in the fifth game.

“We kind of let it go in the second and fourth games,” Tunnell said. “It could’ve been a little quicker but we were expecting it to be a battle and that’s what it was. I don’t know we’re pretty lucky to get out the way we did.”

RODNEY HAAS

sports@tucsoncitizen.com (sports@tucsoncitizen.com)

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Semifinals

Class 4A/5A Division I

Friday at Glendale Ironwood HS

• No. 1 Phoenix Mountain Pointe vs. No. 4 Salpointe, 5:30 p.m.

• No. 6 Gilbert vs. No. 10 Glendale Deer Valley, 7:30 p.m.

Class 4A/5A Division II

Friday at Marana Mountain View HS

No. 1 Sahuaro vs. No. 5 Ironwood Ridge, 5:30 p.m.

• No. 2 Rincon/University vs. No. 3 Catalina, 7:30 p.m.

– CLICK HERE to view team-by-team schedules –

As the state’s all-time winningest high school football coach, Amphi’s Vern Friedli has plenty of victories he can look back on fondly.

To be precise, he has 309.

“But there isn’t a sweeter feeling we ever had than those bus rides down Oracle Road after upsetting CDO,” said Friedli, whose Panthers beat Canyon del Oro 22 times in Friedli’s 33 seasons of coaching at Amphi.

CDO has won the last five games between the two schools, including the past three in lopsided fashion, but it was still one of Tucson’s longest standing football rivalries.

That ended Tuesday when the 2009 football schedule was released. For the first time since 1968, Amphi and CDO won’t play football against each other.

“It’s a shame,” Friedli said.

While Amphi’s enrollment, and in turn student participation in football, has plummeted since Ironwood Ridge High opened earlier this decade, CDO has developed into one of the state’s top Class 4A programs.

“It was pretty heated my first couple years and Amphi just completely dominated the rivalry,” said former CDO coach Pat Nugent, who now coaches Pima Community College.

“I know that Ironwood Ridge opening really hurt Amphi and the fact of the matter is it just hasn’t been that much of a rivalry recently.”

Friedli acknowledges his program’s drop in numbers in recent years has hurt the program, pointing out there were eight starters on either Ironwood Ridge or CDO who attended middle school within Amphi High’s boundaries. That was before open enrollment allowed students to go to any one of the three schools in the Amphi district.

“You give us back eight starters last year and we’re a hell of a lot more competitive,” said Friedli, whose team went 6-5 and qualified for the 4A Division II playoffs. “But that’s not how it is anymore. Now, like we’ve always done, we’ll play the hand we’re dealt.”

Amphi returned to the playoffs in 2008, but its less-than-typical record in previous years began hurting CDO’s power ranking points, the system used to seed the state tournament that rewards teams for playing tough opponents.

The more wins your opponents have, the higher your power ranking.

In place of the annual CDO/Amphi game, CDO will play Ironwood Ridge. The two teams have only played three times, but it is one of the area’s best budding rivalries.

“Getting them to open things up, I can tell you the kids are already excited about that game,” CDO first-year coach Dustin Peace said.

While CDO/Amphi is no more for the season, that doesn’t mean there will be a shortage of strong matchups for the 2009 season among Tucson-area teams.

Here is a look at 15 games with intriguing storylines this fall:

Sabino at Sahuaro (Aug. 27)

Scott McKee’s first game as Sahuaro head coach will be tough. He faces a powerful Sabino team he starred for in the 1990s. Of course, that was long before Sabino beat Sahuaro by a combined 143-19 the past three seasons.

Ironwood Ridge at CDO (Aug. 28)

Ironwood Ridge and CDO are two of the best teams in Tucson and will be breaking in new head coaches in the season opener with Matt Johnson (Ironwood Ridge) and Dustin Peace (CDO). The teams have only played three times, but it’s hard not to call this one of the area’s best rivalries and the Dorados are still looking for payback for the Nighthawks beating them twice in 2006, including in the state playoffs.

CDO at Santa Rita (Sept. 4)

Two of Tucson’s best teams over the past two years go at it. Santa Rita coach Jeff Scurran coached at CDO from 1984-86.

Santa Rita at Sabino (Sept. 11)

Scurran returns as opposing coach at Sabino, where he was one of the state’s most dominant coaches in the 1990s, winning three state championships.

Salpointe at Ironwood Ridge (Sept. 25)

Salpointe took a perfect record into the Ironwood Ridge game in 2008 before the Nighthawks thumped the Lancers 41-14.

Scottsdale Saguaro at CDO (Oct. 2)

A rematch of the 2007 4A-I state title thriller. Saguaro has been as dominant as anyone in Arizona for three years, going 41-1 with three state titles. In its current 33-game win streak, nobody put a scare into Saguaro quite like CDO did at University of Phoenix Stadium in 2007, when Saguaro hit a game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining.

Salpointe at Chandler Hamilton (Oct. 9)

Salpointe trades in a series with one 5A-I powerhouse, Phoenix Brophy, for one with Chandler Hamilton, the state’s top college recruiting factory.

Amphi at Santa Rita (Oct. 16)

Anytime Friedli and Scurran go at it, it’s fun to watch. Amphi put one heck of a scare into the Eagles in 2008 and, short of a win, it’s hard to imagine anything that makes Friedli more happy than making Scurran sweat.

Cholla at Rio Rico (Oct. 16)

Both teams struggled through 0-10 seasons in 2008. While I don’t think it will happen again, it’s nice to know winless seasons for both won’t happen again in 2009.

Ironwood Ridge at Sunnyside (Oct. 23)

The two teams have played four times the past two seasons, splitting 2-2 and not having a game determined by more than a touchdown in the span. Sunnyside ended the Nighthawks’ season in the 2007 5A-II playoffs. Ironwood Ridge returned the favor in 2008.

Flowing Wells at Catalina Foothills (Oct. 23)

First-year Flowing Wells coach Mark Brunenkant returns to Foothills, where he coached the Falcons for nine of the program’s 15 seasons.

Sunnyside at Salpointe (Nov. 6)

With Salpointe slapped with a postseason ban next year because of recruiting violations, this will be the Lancers’ final game of the season, but it isn’t as if added motivation is needed.

Cienega at Sahuaro (Nov. 6)

Former Sahuaro coaches Nemer Hassey, the head coach at Cienega, and Chuck McCollum, an offensive line coach at Cienega, return to play the Cougars.

Palo Verde at Santa Rita (Nov. 6)

This game has determined the 4A Gila Region title the past two seasons. Even without Adam Hall at Palo Verde, it could be a big test for Santa Rita.

Sabino at CDO (Nov. 6)

In its first year in the 4A Sonoran Region, the Sabercats could be playing CDO for the region title. Aside from the region implications, sought-after college recruits Sabino’s Keanu Nelson and CDO’s Josh Robbins will be winding down their senior seasons.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

PEORIA – Anthem Boulder Creek mounted a sixth- inning rally Tuesday, coming from behind to beat Sunnyside 4-3 in the Class 5A Division II softball tournament.

“It’s the old cliche,” Sunnyside coach Pete Palomarez said. “Somebody’s got to win, somebody’s got to lose. It just didn’t happen. The better team won today.”

Sunnyside was one of three southern Arizona teams to end their seasons in Class 5A tournaments in the Phoenix-area Tuesday. Salpointe and Sierra Vista Buena were eliminated from the 5A-I tournament.

Going into the fifth with a 3-1 lead, Blue Devil pitcher Mari Contreras loaded the bases but got out of the mess, allowing just one Boulder Creek run.

In the sixth, Boulder Creek’s Tara Wright, who had three hits and three RBIs in the game, tied the score 3-3 with an RBI. With, with the bases loaded again, Contreras hit Boulder Creek’s Melissa Dewitt, bringing in the game-winning run.

Boulder Creek pitcher Michelle Orr kept the Devils’ hitters in check the rest of the afternoon.

“We were off balance all game,” Palomarez said. “We couldn’t figure her out.”

Contreras started the game strong, but Boulder Creek’s patient bats were able to overcome solid pitching. Contreras struck out nine and walked three.

Sunnyside took a 2-1 lead in the second inning off a two-RBI single from Jenessa Martinez.

Sunnyside catcher Desaray Akins hit the game’s lone extra-base hit, a double to right-centerfield, driving in the Blue Devils’ final run.

“We didn’t play well the last couple of games, but that’s not going to take away from the great season we had,” Palomarez said.

Class 5A Division I

No. 6 Salpointe fell to No. 2 Phoenix St. Mary’s 3-0 on Tuesday at Tempe Marcos de Niza High School, ending the year with a 26-10 record. No. 4 Sierra Vista Buena lost 2-0 to No. 1 Mesa Red Mountain, ending the year with a 25-9 record.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.