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Sports Notebook...with Brian Gomez
Loss of only one starter could make for better team

By Brian Gomez

Eliminated from the state quarterfinals last week by Gilbert Highland, the Corona del Sol High School girls basketball team loses only one senior starter this season, giving head coach Pat Reed reason to believe that the Lady Aztecs can return to the promise land.

Junior guards Amy Rosenkrantz and Sy Janousek will be back next year, along with sophomore forward Lisa Helmers and junior forward Shannon Smith. Freshman guard Bonnie Barbee likely will assume the spot held by senior Sarah Upstill, and junior forward Rachel Stroop also will work her way into the mix.

“They’ll all be back next year, and we’ll go from there and regroup, and make it a better team than where we’re at,” said Reed, whose team finished 25-9, a considerable improvement from the 17-13 record it posted last season.

The No. 9-ranked Aztecs would have faced No. 1 Phoenix St. Mary’s in the semifinals had they gotten past No. 4 Highland, but the Hawks were simply too much.

Highland opened an 11-2 lead in the first quarter against a zone defense that struggled to find the open shooters on the perimeter. Corona cut the deficit to nine points at the end of the third quarter on Rosenkrantz’s three-point shot at the buzzer, but never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.

“They came back and had an answer for us, and we couldn’t get it (the lead) down,” Reed said. “By that time, those girls were tired enough that they could only do so much, and their shots kept hitting short with their legs being tired.”

Softball

Senior pitcher Michelle Farrell recorded 14 strikeouts, leading the Corona softball team to a 5-1 win over Phoenix Xavier in this week’s season opener.

The No. 2 Aztecs (1-0) led 2-1 after four innings, before pulling away on the strength of two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. Senior first baseman Christine Medrano went 2 for 3 from the plate with one RBI and two runs scored, and sophomore second baseman Caylyn Carlson was 3 for 4 in her varsity debut.

“We’re evaluating everybody’s skill level – who’s going to play where and when,” said Corona head coach Jennifer-Mendes Ray, whose team travels to No. 9 Glendale Deer Valley at 3:45 p.m. March 5. “All the players play more than one position. I just want to make sure we’re playing in the right spots.”

Boys volleyball

Despite starting three sophomores and playing without one of its top outside hitters, the Corona boys volleyball team topped Chandler Hamilton 3-1 this past week in its season opener.

Sophomore Matt Althoff replaced injured senior Josh Book (right thumb) at outside hitter and sophomores Ethan Holly and Matt Fargotstein also started, along with junior setter Jay Swirtz, senior outside hitter Steven Bartelt and senior middle blocker Craig Borengasser.

Senior right hitter Charlie Jones and senior defensive specialist Stephen Berney came off the bench, as the Aztecs (1-0) were even after two games, but sealed the deal by winning by identical scores of 25-22 in the third and fourth games.

“Our hitting could always be improved, but I’m very impressed with their higher percentages this year, and our setting is very solid,” said Corona head coach Ben Maxfield, whose team returns to action at 8 a.m. March 6 in the Wolf Howl Invitational at Chandler High.

Track and field

Senior David Fero and junior Blaise Johnson will join senior Jonathan Kaufman and junior Jared Mosley in the 4-by-100-meter relay on March 6 in the first annual Aztec Track & Field Invitational, Corona head coach Jeff Griffin said.

The same group also will run in the 4-by-400-meter relay, with the exception of Mosley, who will be replaced by junior Daniel McClendon. Fero was an alternate on the 4-by-100-meter relay team last season.

“It will be awhile before we have things set and we’re up and running, just due to the nature of the carryover between winter and spring sports,” said Griffin, whose team starts field events at 9 a.m. and running events at 10 a.m. at Hascall Henshaw Stadium. “After Saturday, I’ll have a pretty good idea of how we’re going to be.”

Girls tennis

Junior Lynley Wasson ran the table in singles and doubles partners Andrea Schams and Beth Lyons won the silver division, lifting the Corona girls tennis team to a first-place finish in last week’s Metro Kiwanis Invitational.

The Aztecs (4-1, 1-0 Central Region) captured the team title by edging Xavier, the four-time defending state champions. It marked the third straight season in which Wasson won the singles crown.

“Right now, we’re still learning,” said Corona head coach Carol Sandvig, whose team hosts Marcos de Niza at 3:30 p.m. March 9. “I do think we’re making progress. Just getting a little better every day will help us.”

Boys tennis

Senior Dillon Valenzuela is undefeated in singles and freshman Greg Werner has only one loss, as the Corona boys tennis team heads into the heart of the Central Region season with a full head of steam.

Valenzuela has been playing fifth and Werner is sixth at the bottom of a lineup that also includes seniors Eric Loring, Kyle Steinke and David Bryce and junior Jorin Larsen, the top singles player. The Aztecs (4-1, 1-0) remain uncertain about their doubles combinations, mainly because Larsen has an outside chance of qualifying for state in singles.

“That’s where our strength is going to have to come from – lower in the lineup,” said Corona head coach Rick Wanta, whose team travels to Marcos at 3:30 p.m. March 9. “That’s where we’re going to have to be successful.”

Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@wranglernews.com.

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