GLENDALE – After nearly three-and-a-half hours of tennis Saturday, Abby Cochran was so delighted to join her celebrating teammates that she left her racket on the court.

All the while her coach, Kristie Stevens, was fighting back tears.

That’s because Cochran won her team’s deciding singles match as second-seeded Catalina Foothills won the Class 4A Division I state team title 5-4 over No. 4 Scottsdale Chaparral, securing the team’s ninth championship at the school this decade.

With the match tied 4-4, the No. 5 singles pairing competed under the watch of all in attendance. Cochran topped Chaparral’s Lauren Harrison 6-2, 6-3.

“It feels good to pull it out for my team,” she said.

Catalina Foothills had won the team portion of the state championship every year since 2000 – until last season when Chaparral ended the streak.

After losing two of three doubles matches, Catalina Foothills needed to dominate singles play.

It did.

“That was a lot of pressure on the girls, and they all came through.” Stevens said.

Fourth-seeded Chaparral’s attempt at a clean sweep of the postseason’s singles, doubles and team titles was derailed as its top three players were defeated in crucial matches.

State champs in doubles, Molly Ruby and Elizabeth Hammond couldn’t hold onto a 5-4 lead and lost 8-6 to Catalina Foothills’ Zaina Sufi and Sam Ruth.

Sufi also beat rival Nikki Parker 6-1, 6-2 one week after the reverse occurred in the state singles final.

“It’s great coming back and winning after a loss to her and especially because she’s such a great player,” Sufi said.

GLENDALE – A dehydrated Anthony Monestero pulled out a victory on Friday to send No. 3 Palo Verde High School to the Class 4A Division II boys state tennis team finals.

On Saturday at Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale, he was called on again.

With his team tied at 4 with fourth-ranked Chandler Seton Catholic, Monestero faced Vincent Lenzi with the state championship on the line.

Lenzi, playing with shin splints in both legs and suffering through several muscle cramps, took the first set 6-2. Monestero then took advantage of Lenzi’s injuries, capturing the next two sets 6-3 and 6-2, giving Palo Verde the 5-4 win and the state crown.

“It just feels really good,” Monestero said. “This is my senior year, and I feel like I’m on top of the world right now.”

The championship is the first boys tennis state title for Palo Verde, which opened in 1963.

“It’s really been nice to play against high-caliber players like that,” Titans coach Dan Ireland said. “Coming in every match, we knew it would be close, so it makes it exciting that way.”

Palo Verde’s Carlos Bermudez, the 4A-II boys state singles champion, had a big day. He helped give his team an early 2-1 lead after he and Matthew Berger won their doubles matches, and Bermudez won his singles match over Dennis Rodgers 6-1, 6-1.

GLENDALE – One program was seeking its fifth straight Class 4A Division I championship, while the other is in the fifth year of building its program.

Tradition won out.

Catalina Foothills High School finished its blitz through the Class 4A-I state boys tennis tournament Saturday as it hammered upstart Goodyear Millennium 5-0 at Glendale’s Paseo Racquet Center to capture its fifth straight boys title.

“We are better than I thought we were,” Foothills coach Robb Salant said. “We’re just too deep. You can’t see a weak spot in our lineup. Compared to our last five championship teams, I’d say this team ranks somewhere between two and three. I say that because we’re solid 1-6, but we don’t have much beyond that. But those six are pretty darned good.”

Foothills got off to a strong start, winning all three doubles matches. The third doubles victory came when juniors Zach Hoffor and Dan Hyman upset freshmen brothers and recently crowned 4A-I state champions Hunter and Yates Johnson 8-4.

“To show what I know, I didn’t think we’d win that match,” Salant said. “But my two kids were too big and strong for them. Going 3-0 in the doubles was huge. How can you come back from that? You’d have to win five of the six singles matches and that’s never been done.”

Foothills quickly sewed up the match when sophomore Wade Heerboth downed Millennium senior Billy Mlsek 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles, and senior No. 4 Mike Tringali topped Nate Kobylinski 6-2, 6-1.

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

Tanque Verde 10, Flagstaff Northland Prep 1

1A state tournament – First Round

Northland Prep 000 001 0 — 1 4 4

Tanque Verde 150 121 x — 10 9 1

NP – Connolly and Childers. TV – King and Novak. WP – King (11-2). LP – Connolly. 2B – TV: Rogers, Hearne.

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1A state tournament -First Round

Heber Mogollon 6, St. Augustine 2

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Pusch Ridge 11, Tombstone 1

2A state tournament – First Round

Tombstone 000 01 — 1 1 2

Pusch Ridge 019 1x — 11 0 0

WP – Vaughn. 2B – PR: Haines. 3B – PR: Vavrusa.

Softball

1A state tournament – First Round

St. Augustine 13, Fredonia 0

2A state tournament – First Round

Pusch Ridge 3, Morenci 1

Boys Tennis

2A/3A State Individuals

@ Phoenix Tennis Center

SINGLES (First Round) – Josh Gleason, Desert Christian, def. Chance Bogart, Estrella Foothills, 6-1, 6-1; Alex Niemuth, Florence, def. Tomas Montano, Pusch Ridge, 6-3, 6-3; Michael Killion, Desert Christian, def. Sergio Perez, Antelope, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; Nico Schell, Estrella Foothills, def. Caleb Tvrdy, Pusch Ridge, 6-0, 6-0.

SINGLES (Quarterfinals) – Luke Dumuhan, Sedona Red Rock, def. Josh Gleason, Desert Christian, 6-0, 6-1; Patrick Taylor, Phoenix Country Day, def. Michael Killion, Desert Christian, 6-0, 6-0.

DOUBLES (First Round) – Scott Waller/Caleb Steele, Desert Christian, def. Leonard Bulos/Matt Parsons, Estrella Foothills, 6-0, 6-1; Jesus Leon/Aaron Skousen, Antelope, def. Cameron Nichols/Connor Vick, Pusch Ridge, 6-4, 6-3.

DOUBLES (Quarterfinals) – Andy Swartwout/Graham Greenfield, Sedona Red Rock, def. Scott Waller/Caleb Steele, Desert Christian, 6-0, 6-2.

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4A-I state team – Semifinals @ Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale

No. 2 Catalina Foothills 5, No. 3 Prescott 0

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4A-II state team – Semifinals @ Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale

No. 3 Palo Verde 5, No. 2 Scottsdale Notre Dame 4

Girls Tennis

2A/3A State Individuals

@ Phoenix Tennis Center

SINGLES (First Round) – Tanya Hetlinger, Pusch Ridge def. Sierra Wisener, Estrella Foothills, (won by forfeit); Sam Towne, Pusch Ridge, def. Andie Gurerrero, Antelope, 6-4, 7-5.

SINGLES (Quarterfinals) – Tanya Hetlinger, Pusch Ridge, def. Megan Illsley, Scottsdale Christian, 6-0, 6-1; Allison Evans, Safford, def. Sami Towne, Pusch Ridge, 6-1, 6-0.

DOUBLES (First Round) – Maddy Cooney/Mara Batinica, Pusch Ridge, def. Briahna Preston/Diana De La Cruz, Antelope, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; Kelsey Andres/Laurelinda Larkins, Pusch Ridge, def. Krista Knaggs/Taylor McQuad, Estrella Foothills, 6-0, 6-0.

DOUBLES (Quarterfinals) – Brinlee Goodman/Demi Kempton, Thatcher, def. Maddy Cooney/Mara Batinica, Pusch Ridge, 6-1, 6-1; Arianna Rose/Kelsey Rose, Phoenix Country Day, def. Kelsey Andres/Laurelinda Larkins, Pusch Ridge, 6-1, 6-0

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4A-I state team – Semifinals @ Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale

No. 2 Catalina Foothills 5, No. 6 Phoenix Sunnyslope 1

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4A-II state team – Semifinals @ Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale

No. 1 Buckeye 5, No. 4 Sahuarita 2

Girls Track and Field

4A Kino Regionals

Day 2 of 2

TEAM SCORES – 1. Sahuaro 211.83, 2. Sabino 102.33, 3. Nogales 74, 4. Desert View 66, 5. Cienega 65.83.

4×800 relay – SAH (Gast, Hill, Chevalier, Slocum) 9:56.55. 100 Hurdles – Anaiz Zamorano, DV, 17.42. Triple Jump – Lily Haspert, SAH, 35-9 1/4. Shot Put – Olivia Valencia, NOG, 34-4 1/2. 100 meter – Lilian Martinez, DV, 12.91. 1600 meter – Haley Stenquist, SAB, 5:25.14. 4×100 relay – DV (Rosas, Smith, Martinez, Zamorano) 51.01. 400 meter – Lily Haspert, SAH, 58.75. 800 meter – Shelby Slocum, SAH, 2:23.89. Long Jump – Lily Haspert, SAH, 17-10 1/2. Discus – Olivia Valencia, NOG, 113-2. 300 Int. Hurdles – Kathy Fisher, SAH, 44.84.

Pole Vault – Christine Corrao, SAH, 9-3. High Jump – Tiana Ross, SAH, 5-0. 200 meter – Lilian Martinez, DV, 26.67. 3200 meter – Zahira Jimenez, NOG, 11:41.62. 4×400 relay – SAH (Stephens, Fisher, Martin, Slocum) 4:06.19.

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4A Sonoran Regionals

Day 2 of 2

TEAM SCORES – 1. Canyon del Oro 241, 2. Catalina Foothills 130, 3. Marana 100, 4. Pueblo 27, 5. Cholla 8.

4×800 relay – CF (McCaleb, Behnajad, Green, Diamond) 10:25. 100 Hurdles – Kala Stepter, CDO, 15.51. Triple Jump – Adriana Chrite, CF, 35-1/2. Shot Put – Sarah Batterton, CDO, 33-2. 100 meter – Lindsay Honea, MAR, 12.77. 1600 meter – April Steward, CDO, 5:35.55. 4×100 relay – CDO (Jones, Sonnefeld, J. Stepter, Humphrey) 51.34. 400 meter – Kala Stepter, CDO, 59.50. 800 meter – April Steward, CDO, 2:28. Long Jump – Lindsay Honea, MAR, 17-3 1/2. Discus – Alkyrie Wellington, CDO, 107-10. 300 Int. Hurdles – Jaide Stepter, CDO, 44.27.

Pole Vault – Lora Batterton, CDO, 8-3. High Jump – Shakayla McEaddy, CF, 5-4. 200 meter – Lindsay Honea, MAR, 25.83. 3200 meter – Taylor Stewart, CDO, 12:27.23. 4×400 relay – CF (Carroll, Baker, Williamson, Chronister) 4:28.41.

Boys Track and Field

4A Kino Regionals

Day 2 of 2

TEAM SCORES – 1. Sabino 179, 2. Sahuaro 121, 3. Cienega 107, 4. Flowing Wells 66, 5. Nogales 43, 6. Desert View 8.

4×800 relay – FW (Bravo, Claridge, Maxwell, Bondy) 8:02.09. 110 Hurdles – Kevan Howe, SAH, 14.91. Triple Jump – Pat SanteCruz, SAH, 43-5. Shot Put – Kyle Walker, SAB, 49-7 3/4. 100 meter – Derrick Coker, CIE, 11.24. 1600 meter – Alex Evans, SAB, 4:26.24. 4×100 relay – SAB (Yonas, Fraser, Nelson, Harshman) 43.41. 400 meter – Victor Mendoza, NOG, 49.40. 800 meter – Alex Evans, SAB, 1:57.17. Long Jump – Bryce Harshman, SAB, 21-5. Discus – Jose Rojas, NOG, 140-4. 300 Int. Hurdles – Taylor Smyth, SAB, 40.30.

Pole Vault – Travis Burkel, SAH, 14-4. High Jump – Fredrick Scarber, CIE, 6-4. 200 meter – Derrick Coker, CIE, 22.29. 3200 meter – Humberto Bravo, FW, 9:55.86. 4×400 relay – SAB (W. Smyth, T. Smyth, Cords, Evans) 3:23.79.

——-

4A Sonoran Regionals

Day 2 of 2

TEAM SCORES – 1. Canyon del Oro 184, 2. Catalina Foothills 156, 3. Marana 85, 4. Pueblo 56, 5. Cholla 35

4×800 relay – CF (Lacy, Souza, Lin, Woodbury) 8:27.34. 110 Hurdles – Kane Punt, MAR, 15.23. Triple Jump – Mike Kivi, MAR, 44-3. Shot Put – Brett Finuf, CDO, 42-0. 100 meter – Kaimon Scott, CHO, 11.39. 1600 meter – Rafael Gomez, CF, 4:40.19. 4×100 relay – CDO (Kocan, Finuf, Zimmer, Urreiztieta) 43.96. 400 meter – Ian Palmer, CF, 49.61. 800 meter – Rex Woodbury, CF, 1:58.92. Long Jump – Nathan Millyard, CDO, 21-2 1/2. Discus – Brett Finuf, CDO, 139-10. 300 Int. Hurdles – Mike Kivi, MAR, 39.97.

Pole Vault – Clay Pierce, CDO, 12-6. High Jump – Siraaj Ghori, CF, 6-2. 200 meter – Ian Palmer, CF, 22.93. 3200 meter – Rex Woodbury, CF, 10:12.52. 4×400 relay – CF (Ghori, Souza, Woodbury, Palmer) 3:25.69.

The 2008-09 wrestling season has been over for awhile, but the awards keep rolling in for Tucson Citizen Wrestler of the Year Kory DeBerry.

Wrestling USA Magazine this week named DeBerry the No. 1-ranked sophomore/freshman wrestler in the nation at 140 pounds.

DeBerry, who won the Class 5A Division II state championship this past season to help lead Sunnyside to its 12th-straight state team title and 28th overall, was one of five southern Arizona wrestlers to find their way into the magazine’s national rankings.

Those wrestlers include (wrestlers were ranked in one of three classes – freshman/sophomore, junior or senior):

• DeBerry, Sunnyside, 140 pounds – No. 1 (freshman/sophomore)

• Ryak Finch, Safford, 112 pounds – No. 3 (junior)

• Scott Filbert, Ironwood Ridge, 119 pounds – No. 24 (junior)

• Diego Bravo, Sunnyside, 215 pounds – No. 20 (junior)

• Anthony Pike, Sunnyside, 189 pounds – No. 15 (senior)

> For more blogs, go to www.tucsoncitizen.com/blog.

CLICK HERE for all scores and results for Tucson-area schools participating Saturday in state playoff action.

GLENDALE – A dehydrated Anthony Monestero pulled out a victory on Friday to send No. 3 Palo Verde to the Class 4A Division II boys state tennis team finals.

On Saturday at Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale, he was called on again.

With his team tied 4-4 with fourth-ranked Chandler Seton Catholic, Monestero faced Vincent Lenzi with the state championship on the line.

Lenzi, playing with shin splints in both legs and suffering through several muscle cramps, took the first set 6-2. Monestero then took advantage of Lenzi’s injuries, capturing the next two sets 6-3 and 6-2, giving Palo Verde the 5-4 win and the state crown.

“It just feels really good,” Monestero said. “This is my senior year, and I feel like I’m on top of the world right now.”

The championship is the first boys tennis title for Palo Verde.

“It’s really been nice to play against high-caliber players like that,” coach Dan Ireland said. “Coming in every match, we knew it would be close, so it makes it exciting that way.”

Palo Verde’s Carlos Bermudez, the 4A-II boys state singles champion, had a big day. His powerful left-handed serve helped give his team an early 2-1 lead after the doubles matches, and he won his singles match over Dennis Rodgers 6-1, 6-1.

– JONATHAN FRANKEL, The Arizona Republic

Foothills boys win fifth straight

GLENDALE – One program was seeking its fifth straight Class 4A Division I championship, while the other is in the fifth year of building its program.

Tradition won out.

Catalina Foothills finished its blitz through the 4A-I state boys tennis tournament Saturday as it hammered upstart Goodyear Millennium 5-0 at Glendale’s Paseo Racquet Center to capture its fifth straight boys championship.

“We are better than I thought we were,” Foothills Coach Robb Salant said. “We’re just too deep. You can’t see a weak spot in our lineup. Compared to our last five championship teams, I’d say this team ranks somewhere between two and three. I say that because we’re solid 1-6, but we don’t have much beyond that. But those six are pretty darned good.”

Foothills got off to a strong start, winning all three doubles matches. The third doubles victory came when juniors Zach Hoffor and Dan Hyman upset freshmen brothers and recently crowned 4A-I state champions Hunter and Yates Johnson 8-4.

“To show what I know, I didn’t think we’d win that match,” Salant said. “But my two kids were too big and strong for them. Going 3-0 in the doubles was huge. How can you come back from that? You’d have to win five of the six singles matches and that’s never been done.”

Foothills quickly sewed up the match when sophomore Wade Heerboth downed Millennium senior Billy Mlsek 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles, and senior No. 4 Mike Tringali topped Nate Kobylinski 6-2, 6-1.

– TIM TYERS, The Arizona Republic

Foothills girls knock off Chaparral for title

GLENDALE – After nearly three-and-a-half hours of tennis Saturday, Abby Cochran was so delighted to join her celebrating teammates that she left her racket on the court.

All the while her coach, Kristie Stevens, was fighting back tears.

That’s because Cochran won her team’s deciding singles match as second-seeded Catalina Foothills won the Class 4A Division I state team title 5-4 over No. 4 Scottsdale Chaparral, securing the team’s ninth championship at the school this decade.