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PHXFan is the leading sports blog for Arizona High School and College sports. It is the next generation of SportZine Magazine, which hit high school campuses throughout the Valley in 2003. More About PHXFan...
Arizona Sports (AZCentral)
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Determination is often key to athletic achievement
Persistence is one of the most important life skills, whether on the athletic field or off. Quinton Watson learned that early.
Watson is the most recent Play It Smart National Student-Athlete of the Month selected by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame (NFF). He's an honor roll student and three-sport star in football, basketball, and track.
But it took overcoming a serious setback for Watson, who just finished his junior year at Huguenot High School in Richmond, Va., to get where he is today. And he wants other high school athletes to learn from his experiences.
As a freshman, Watson had better than a 3.0 grade average, was an honorable mention athlete, and a budding football star for Huguenot. Then he broke his left femur in his sophomore year and was sidelined from sports. "When I broke my leg, I was really upset, and completely shut down. I didn't know how to deal with the injuries," he says now.
Watson says Play It Smart, an eductional program developed by NFF and targeted at high school football players from economincally disadvantaged environmens, helped him realize that things don't always work out with sports, and it's important to have a back-up plan. So he began working with his academic coach (provided by Play It Smart) and teachers to improve his time management and study skills, which enabled him to renew his focus and raise his GPA back to a 3.4 this past year. He also got back on the football field and racked up three touchdowns and 230 yards. (continued next page...) -
Hard to believe a 1-2 pitching punch like this!
Imagine being able to build a softball team around two pitchers that are arguably the best in the state - and one hits home runs for you in her spare time!
That was the case when Hayley Temple and Kenzie Fowler played on the same club team. And now, in their final year of high school ball, each earn the coveted 'Player of the Year' honor at different schools. Fowler was named the Arizona Republic's Big Schools Player of the Year for an outstanding senior year at Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, and Temple snagged the Small Schools Player of the Year playing her last year at Valley Christian High School.
Fowler, who has decided she will play for the University of Arizona, had an unbelievable 0.048 ERA, which means she allowed just one earned run the whole season! Temple, who signed with Wichita State, notched three no-hitters as she compiled a O.60 ERA - and also contributed to the offense with five home runs and a .624 batting average!
Joining Fowler on the All-Arizona team is the complete battery from Basha High School: Sam Parlich, pitcher, and Desiree Meija, catcher. Also: Dallas Escobedo, pitcher, St. Mary's HS; Katie Asher, infield, Canyon del Oro HS; Brigette DelPonte, infield, Sunrise Mtn HS; Sierra Rodriguez, infield, Basha HS; Kelsey Rodriguez, infield, Seton Catholic HS; Mel Aphayrath, outfield, Xavier Prep; Lisa Tarnowski, outfield, Mountain View HS; Kayla Ensminger, outfield, Red Mtn HS; MacKenzie Popescue, DP, Chaparral; Jamie LaBovick, UT, Sunrise Mtn HS.
First-team and Second-team selections... (continued next page) -
Desert Ridge gets lion's share of All-Arizona picks
Desert Ridge HS not only won the 5A-II state baseball title this year, but the was the only team to place more than one player on the All-Arizona Team. The Big Schools Player of the Year Jake Barrett, Desert Ridge's senior pitching sensation, joined with teammate, Alex Villar, a senior outfielder who hit .505 in his final season, on this year's All-Arizona roster.
Barrett had 96 strike-outs this season - but also contributed big-time at the plate, with a .510 batting average and 20 home runs (highest in the state). And add to that 66 RBIs in 104 trips to the plate!
It was a different story in the 'small school' division, where Jay Baumgardner, the Small Schools Player of the Year, was the only representative of Scottsdale Christian Academy on either the first or second team All-State rosters. The outfielder racked up 11 home runs and 60 RBIs (10 of those in one game).
While the All-State teams are made up of the best players from each conference, the All-Arizona team represents those considered the best, regardless of the conference in which they play. Sports writers at the Arizona Republic make the selections for both squads.
In addition to Barrett and Villar, the All-Arizona roster includes: Joey DeMichele, Arcadia HS, infield; Mike Felton, Corona del Sol HS, infield; Trey Ford, Chaparral HS, infield; Taylor Lindsey, Desert Mtn HS, infield; Jaycob Brugman, Desert Vista, outfield; Tony Vocca, Mingus HS, outfield; James Pazos, Highland HS, pitcher; Andrew Walter, Cactus HS, pitcher; Tom Joseph, Horizon HS, catcher; Sergio Burruel, Trevor Browne HS, DH; and Jordan Luvisi, Notre Dame Prep, UT.
Selections to the All-State teams included... (continued next page) -
All-Arizona track and field teams announced
Desert Vista's Spencer Chase and Xavier Prep's Jessica Tonn took top honors as the selections were announced for this year's All-Arizona Track & Field teams. Chase, who was named boys Track Athlete of the Year, broke a state record in the 400 meters (46.47) that had stood since 1977 and Tonn, the girls Track Athlete of the Year, had the fastest times in the state in two events, the 1600m (4:57.67) and the 3200m (10:25.85). She is ranked second in the state for all-time in both events.
Named to the All-Arizona Girls Track & Field Team: (100m) Serene Williams, Peoria HS, 12.03 sec. and Tamara Pridgett, Rincon HS (Tucson), 12:12. (200m) Serene Williams, 24.78, and Mackenzie Flannigan, Chandler HS, 24.79. (400m) Mackenzie Flannigan, 56.36, and Bianca Lewis, Xavier Prep, 56.47. (800m) Chloe Phillips, Flagstaff HS, 2:11.76, and Jessica Tonn, 2:14.84. (1600m) Jessica Tonn, 4:57.67, and Jessica Rydberg, Lakeside HS (Blue Ridge), 4:58.34. (3200m) Jessica Tonn, 10:25.85, and Jessica Rydberg, 10:32.23. (100 hurdles) Larissa Matthews, Chandler HS, 13.97, and Callie Davis, Gilbert HS, 14.60. (300 hurdles) Kala Stepter, Canyon del Oro (Tucson), 43.64, and Kathy Fisher, Sahuaro HS (Tucson), 43.84.
In the field events: (High jump) Rachel Orr, Thatcher HS, 5'8", and Samantha Collins, Westwood HS, 5'8". (Long jump) Samantha Collins, 18-8 3/4, and Alexis Clay, Chandler HS, 18-7. (Triple jump) Jasmine Todd, Chandler HS, 37-11, and Essence Johnson, Amphitheater HS (Tucson), 37-9. (Pole vault) Shaylah Simpson, Desert Vista HS, 12-9 3/4, and Lacey Palmer, Westwood HS, 12-6. (Shot put) Omotayo Talabi, Chandler HS, 42-0 1/2, and Hannah Carson, Chandler HS 40-8. (Discus) Hannah Carson, 138-1, and Leah Graziano, Deer Valley HS, 134-6.
Boys All-Arizona Team... (continued next page) -
Mountain Pointe senior key to state volleyball title
Jared Morrison wrapped up his senior season on the Mountain Pointe boys volleyball team with a hitting percentage of 50 per cent, something few players ever achieve, and then capped off a great team season by being named Boys Volleyball Player of the Year.
His outstanding play this year also resulted in a second straight 5A-I state title for The Pride.
Morrison, who is normally an outside hitter, found himself also playing setter this year. He had 161 kills and 38 aces on the season. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player and also earned MVP honors in two tournaments during the course of the season, and then ran the table by being selected Player of the Year for the Div. I Central Region.
Joining Morrison on the All-Arizona first team: Colin Kennedy, senior, Sahuaro HS; Pat Tunnell, senior, Salpointe Catholic HS; Parker Del Re, senior, Highland HS; Jordan Sunderhaus, senior, Red Mountain HS; and Garrett Voge, senior, Catalina Foothills HS. Second team honors: Kevin Villela, junior, Deer Valley HS; Alex Hamill, senior, Mountain Pointe HS; Jeff Dumbrell, senior, Boulder Creek HS; Kyle Webb, junior, Gilbert HS; Nate Usevitch, senior, Mesquite HS; and Kyle Tatum, senior, Sahuaro HS.
Honorable mentions... (continued next page) -
Holy 'Hoosiers'! It's old-school basketball championships!
Hey, if your high school didn't win a basketball championship this year... you get another chance this summer!
The Grand Canyon State Games (GCSG) and Arizona Basketball Coaches Association (ABCA) have put together the first annual Arizona State Summer High School Basketball Championships for boys and girls teams. And it's not just for varsity teams; JV and freshmen will also compete for the trophy and bragging rights.
Teams will qualify by finishing first or second in any one of 33 different summer leagues, summer tournaments, or team camp events. A list of participating events is included on page 2 of this article - check to see if you're going to a qualifier.
The three divisions of boys and girls teams will run concurrently, beginning June 29 and will crown the winners on July 2. Skyline High School in Mesa will host the boys events, and Maricopa High School's new 3-gym facility will be the site for the girls' championship.
Organizers have decided to use the "Indiana Old-School" (shades of the movie, "Hoosiers"!) single-elimination tournament because they feel it will allow teams from all regular high school divisions to compete for one champion. That way, they say only the best varsity, JV, and freshman teams will be crowned the summer state champions.
Qualifying events on next page; more info at gcsg.org or azbbcoaches.com.
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High School basketball tips off on the big stage
Sixty-five high school basketball players showcased their game over the weekend, as the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association and the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury hosted the second annual Boys All Star Games at US Airways Arena in downtown Phoenix. A crowd estimated at 800-900 was on hand for the match-up between the East and West squads in the senior compeition, which was followed by a sophomore/junior All Star game.
Suns coach, Alvin Gentry, played a big part in the program, addressing the teams before the game and then greeting each player individually as they went on the floor. ASU center and All Pac 10 selection, Jeff Pendergraph, made a guest appearance.
Dan Davignon from ArizonaVarsity.com provided a follow-up summary to Valley coaches. Here's a portion of that report:
The closest game of the evening was the 4A-5A Senior contest. The North team was led by Nick Markovich with 19 (Basha), Booker T Washington with 14 (Chavez), Eric Hunt with 11 (MVT), and Marques Edwards with 11 (Chavez). Hunt and Edwards led the team on defense and shut down the middle on the South. Aaron Anderson led the South with 16 (Marana Mt. View), Danny Maman had 14 (Desert Mtn.), Tyler Miller with 13 (Basha), Marcus Ayala with 11 (Maryvale), and Jon Hawkins with 9 and a fistful of assists (Greenway). Brandon Duliakis (Ironwood Ridge) was a force in the middle on both ends on the glass and defense. It was a seesaw battle near the end but the North pulled it out 90-89. The story of the game was Washington who had a tremendous slam that brought the crowd up, excelled in all facets of the game, and won the overall state shooting. (Continued...) -
If you get your bell rung, sit it out for awhile
A new study is telling athletes at all levels that it's just plain stupid to return to play too quickly after suffering a concussion on the field.
The study was done by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. It adds to the growing concern in the sports community about the long-term effects of concussions, and whether schools have adequately-trained personnel on the sidelines to make sound decisions about these injuries.
An article by Janice Lloyd in USA Today points out the latest research indicates as many as 40.5% of the athletes that suffer concussions return to play too soon, and that concussions account for almost one in 10 of sports injuries. And, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3.5 million sports-related concussions occur each year in the U.S.
In fact, one set of statistics claims that 16 per cent of football players said they returned to the field on the same day the concussion occurred. The majority of concussions apparently occur in football and girls soccer.
One state, Washington, has even enacted a law that regulates when a high school athlete can return to games after sustaining a concussion. It's call Zackery Lystedt's Law, named after a 16-year-old football player who suffered a brain injury in 2006 after returning to play after suffering a concussion.
The law, which is the first of its kind in the country, stipulates that a youth athlete who suffers a concussion cannot return to the activity until he/she has written consent from a health provider. (continued next page)
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Texas running back tops SN 100 list
Marcus Lattimore (photo left), a powerful 207 lb. running back from Byrnes High School in Duncan, SC, was named the No. 1 player in the 2010 class as Sporting News Today released it's Top 100 list of recruits.
The list of players was selected based on discussions with 300 players in the 2010 class. In addition to the usual talent factor, SN also worked character and maturity into the criteria for inclusion in this inaugural list. Lattimore has not committed to a college yet, but made a visit to Auburn.
Here's who made the top 20 on the list:
2) Lache Seastrunk, 5'10" runnng back from Temple HS in Texas 3) Seantrel Henderson, 301 lb. offensive lineman from Cretin-Durham Hall HS in Saint Paul, Minn. 4) Lamarcus Joyner, 5'9" RB from St. Thomas Aquinas HS in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 5) Matt Elam, 205 lb. DB from Dwyer HS in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 6) Justin McCay, 6'4" WR from Bishop Miege HS in Shawnee Mission, Kan. 7) Jamel Turner, 205 lb. defensive lineman from Ursuline HS in Youngstown, OH 8) Corey Nelson, 200 lb. LB from Skyline HS in Dallas, TX 9) Gabe King, 230 lb. defensive lineman from Page HS in Greensboro, NC 10) DeMarco Cobbs, 6'2" WR from Central HS in Tulsa, OK (continued)
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Confidence is a key to top athletic performance
Prior to Super Bowl III, New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath made one of the boldest statements in the history of sports when he guaranteed victory against the powerful and heavily-favored Baltimore Colts. Namath and the Jets made good on his claim, however, and defeated the Colts in what many consider to be one of the greatest upsets of all time. Broadway Joe (as Namath was called) certainly wasn’t short on believing in his ability to achieve his goals – and neither should you.
Former NBA great Michael Jordan once said that you have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. What MJ is really talking about is confidence, or your overall belief in your ability to be successful in your sport. Keep in mind that ultimately your performance will be determined by how you think, feel, and act during a competition. You need to realize that your confidence plays a very important role in how you think, feel, and act. More specifically, research in sport psychology suggests that confident athletes:
· think more productively,
· feel more positive emotions and less negative emotions,
· and act in ways that lead to greater achievement.
To get a better idea of how your confidence level might affect the way you think, feel, and act while you play, let’s look at William, a very confident pitcher for his high school baseball team. (Continued)
