First round of AIA changes due this year

Corona del Sol’s athletic teams playing such “individual” sports as golf, swimming and tennis will fall under the new AIA regional and state tournament changes this season. The rest of the teams will not be affected until a year later.

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Aztec athletic teams that did not finish as state champions or runners-up in 2009-10 gained valuable experience that should help them be competitive during the 2010-11 season regardless of the changes.

Football  — The Aztec football program bid its farewell to Gary Venturo, who retired this year after 22 seasons as head coach. Zane Zamenski takes the reins starting in August.

The Aztecs, 4-6, had some high points in a relatively lackluster season, coming off one of their best performances in school history in 2008 with a 9-3 record and a spot in the second round of the state tournament.

Season highlights included $20,000 raised to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and the recognition of those who lost their lives on 9/11. The team wore commemorative camouflage jerseys in their home game Sept. 11 against Desert Ridge.

Several players were recognized in the post-season, including leading rusher Michael Lange, named to both the offensive and defensive teams in the All-5A-I Central Region Football Team. Lange was named as running back on offense and in the secondary on defense.

Also named to the defense secondary team was Sione Letio. Todd Peat was selected for the team’s defensive line. Kyle Benson was named as a defensive linebacker.

In the offensive category, Billy Johnson was named as a receiver while Kyle Homewood, won a spot on the offensive line team and Chase Cartwright, quarterback. Honorable mention went to Tre Chambers and Grant Shidawara.

Named to the special teams were kicker Dylan Harris, returner Billy Johnson and long-snapper Allen Stitt.

Two Corona players played in the 4A/5A All-Star Football game June 19 at Glendale Community College. Playing on the North team, which won 30-14, were Cartwright, who scored one touchdown, and defensive linebacker Zach Jubie.

Seniors accepting athletic scholarships from Corona’s football team included three-year starting quarterback Cartwright, who committed to Northern Arizona University; 6-3 Benson, who chose the University of Arizona after being recruited by Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Brigham Young; and Jubie, who committed to play defensive linebacker at Western New Mexico. Lange is still undecided.

Two players creating quite a recruiting buzz are brothers Todd and Andrus Peat, sons of former NFL player Todd Peat. Todd Jr., a senior, has received numerous Division I scholarship offers from colleges including ASU and Nebraska.

Andrus, only a junior, has numerous college coaches waiting to formally give him written offers when NCAA rules allows it in September.

The Varsity and JV football program will begin Aug. 2, with the first game scheduled Aug. 27 at Desert Mountain.

Badminton — Corona’s badminton program (8-6) experienced a rebuilding year after winning the state 5A-I championship in 2008 but still made it into the state tournament as the No. 10 seed before losing to Mesa Red Mountain in the first round.

Senior Brittany Messer was the only returning player from the championship team of 2008 but did a great job of leading underclassman players Rikki Gurule, Christine Tang, Alexis Emerson, Rachel Gur-Arie and Nicole Schwalbe into the state tournament.

Expect Corona’s team to be more experienced this fall with five returning varsity players.

Swim and Dive Team — Corona’s swim team had 10 girls and nine boys compete in the 5A-I state championship meet. The girls team finished 10th while the boys finished 6th.

Heading up the girls team was Taylor Thorn with a fifth place finish in the 100 Yard Backstroke and as part of the Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay that took seventh place with teammates Emily Lewandowski,  Julie Vande Berg and Elizabeth Stuart. Junior Lewandowski was also eighth in the 100 Yard Breaststroke.

Corona’s team of Heidi Liou, Thorn, Amy Foster and Vande Berg finished 10th in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay. Caroline Kennedy, Aubry Stitt, Brittany White and Elizabeth Stuart finished 14th in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay.

The boys team was lead by Bryan Liu who finished third at the state meet in the 100 Yard Backstroke and fourth in the 100 Yard Butterfly and Ryan Telep who took fourth place in the 200 Yard IM and seventh in the 100 Yard Backstroke. Lui and Telep joined Gavin Haws and Matthew Hayhurst to come in fifth in the Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay race at state.

The 200 Yard Medley Relay team of Liu, Telep, Haws and Hayhurst came in fifth while of Preston Long, Connor Rawls, Telep and Liu finished tenth in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay. Haws, Scott Kvavle, Long and Hayhurst were 13th in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay.

Girls Golf  — Corona’s girls golf team expected to have a rebuilding year after taking third place in 2008 state tournament and having Coach Pat Reed named Central Region Coach of the Year. Instead the team rallied around returning golfers Dana Finkelstein and Alex Haun to end the season with a 12-8 record. The team, also represented by Marlee Johnson, Mary Spiel and Victoria Haun took first place at the City Tournament and the Super Regionals and come in fifth at the 5A-I state tournament.

Girls Cross Country  — Corona’s girls cross country team had one of the school’s best seasons in 2009 as evidenced by their fourth place finish at the State 5A-I meet, a second place finish in the Central region meet and a second place finish at the Tempe City Cross Country Championship meet.

The team was led by seniors Danica Ganje, Sydney Buck, Christina Freeman, Katie Huch and Tori Papp complimented by junior Ellen Dunn and sophomore Dani Lemieux.

The bad news for the 2010 team may be the loss of head coach Jon Drury to budget cuts. The good news is that the team should return experienced runners Dunn and Lemieux and promising runners Hallie Swenson, Kate Halligan, Cyndia Yu, Hanna Snyder, Kristin Stroble, Hanna Lewis, Alyssa Ramsland, Allison Mundine, Tyler Foggatt, Christy Garrison, and Kierstynn Wile

Boys Basketball  — Corona’s boys basketball team finished the season under seven-year head coach Sammie Duane with a 19-10 record making it into the second round of the state 5A-I tournament by defeating Mesquite and then losing to eventual state champions North.

“Probably our best win all season was defeating Mesquite 66-49 in the first round of state after losing to Mesquite twice in the regular season,” said Duane.

The team lost seniors David Whitmore, first team all region, Kyle Noon, second team, and Marcel Towns, honorable mention. Duane is optimistic about next season’s team with the return of starters Calaen Robinson and Avery Moss and Nick Siefker who gave the team significant minutes off the bench last season.

“These three players will need to provide good leadership for our young guys on the varsity team,” said Duane. “But I think once the young guys learn and understand what it takes to compete in our region, we will be very competitive and have a solid team.”

Girl’s Basketball  — Corona’s girls basketball team was in a rebuilding year but had one standout senior, Sydney Vanda, who led the team in scoring and rebounding. Vanda was recognized at the Tempe All-City Association Winter Banquet for girls basketball and selected to give the invocation.

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