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Sports Notebook...with Brian Gomez
Hope looms for Lady Aztecs to end 6-loss record

Heading into this weekend’s prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions, Corona del Sol High School girls basketball head coach Pat Reed wants to jumpstart her team into high gear instead of again sputtering into the loser’s bracket.

The Lady Aztecs are winless in six games in the national event over the past two seasons, despite fielding talented teams that have included the likes of Lindsay McClellan, Amy Rosenkrantz and Sy Janousek.

McClellan has graduated, but Rosenkrantz and Janousek return for the 96-team tournament, which showcases schools from 22 different states and the top five teams in the USA Today preseason poll.

“Amy and Sy claim they’re 0-6, and we’re trying to get past the zero stage,” Reed said. “It would be nice if all five cylinders were working because I only have a five-cylinder car.”

Positioned in the 16-team black division, Corona (8-3) opened play Dec. 18 against La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day School, and will face either the winner or loser of the Sylmar (Calif.) High-Berkeley (Calif.) High game on Dec. 19 at Chandler.

The Aztecs are guaranteed a minimum of three games in the four-day tournament. Other Valley teams in Corona’s pool include Chandler, No. 7-ranked Mountain Pointe and No. 9 Mesa Dobson.

Girls soccer

Fresh off its second straight Fiesta Bowl Tournament title, Corona’s girls soccer team continued its winning ways this past week in the Central Region opener.

Freshman midfielder Chelsea Bednarz scored four goals and senior captain Blaine Dugan tallied twice, as No. 2 Corona cruised to an 8-0 win over Yuma High. Senior goalkeeper Lauren Haynes made three saves, and had a rare assist.

“We’re getting better each day in terms of understanding each other and understanding what we need to do,” said Corona head coach Matt Smith, whose team returns to action Dec. 29-31 and Jan. 2-3 in the Mustang Soccer Classic at Dobson. “We’re trying to come out in those first 15 to 20 minutes and set the tone right away, and make the game ours.”

Bednarz leads Corona (8-1, 1-0 Central Region) with 10 goals through nine games. Dugan ranks second with eight.

Boys soccer

Four days removed from a 1-0 loss to No. 10 Gilbert in the Fiesta Bowl Tournament semifinals, Corona’s boys soccer team got back on the right track this past week in time for the Central Region season.

Buoyed by goals from senior midfielder Drew Oberholtzer and senior forward Dan Peck, No. 3 Corona downed No. 7 Yuma 2-1 this past week in the Central Region opener at Hascall Henshaw Stadium.

“We’re creating more scoring opportunities,” said Corona head coach Fran Bader, whose team will also participate in the Mustang Soccer Classic. “The problem is we haven’t finished them, but it’s good to see that we’re getting opportunities.”

The Aztecs (7-1, 1-0) have allowed only five goals in eight games thanks to a feisty defense that’s anchored by senior sweeper Keegan Thompson. Senior goalkeeper Ryan Kennedy has played well, as have senior outside backs Steve Pilson and Pat Todd.

“We have to play a ground game and utilize our skills,” Bader said. “Early on, we were forcing the ball, but now we seem to be spreading out and passing the ball much better. We’re starting to put it together.”

Wrestling

After beating Chandler Hamilton in the championship round of last week’s Mesa Westwood Invitational, Corona’s wrestling team has turned its attention toward another high-profile tournament.

This weekend, the Aztecs (12-3) will compete in the Phoenix Moon Valley Invitational, an annual event that features four pools of eight grapplers. Corona will be represented by 103-pounder Sean Otteson (11-4), 112-pounder Johnny Nguyen (14-1) and 189-pounder Scott Heward (13-2), among others.

“It’s tougher (than last week) just in shear numbers, and the number of kids in the weight class, and the number of times you wrestle in the tournament,” Corona head coach Dave Vibber said. “You have a better chance of seeing a great wrestler in your weight class.”

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

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