48 FEBRUARY 2020 By Rachael Bouley Two Xavier Prep student athletes have been named to The Arizona Republic’s All-Arizona volleyball team and were also nominated for Player of the Year for the 2019 high school season. Jasmine Knight and Briana McKnight, both seniors and varsity volleyball players for Xavier, have been recognized for their accomplishments as strong athletes. AZCentral’s high school sports reporters use statistics and rankings to make these nominations, and both Knight and McKnight have some impressive numbers that are a testament to their skills on the court. As senior captain and middle blocker, Knight led her team this season with 130 blocks, earning a No. 2 ranking in the state for solo blocks. She also had a 51.1 attack percentage for the Gators and made the top ten for hitters in Arizona. McKnight’s contributions on the court also helped Xavier advance to quarters in the 6A premier conference before narrowly missing out on a spot in the semifinals. The outside hitter finished fifth in the state with 500 kills. Another highlight for McKnight this year was earning a full-ride scholarship to continue her volleyball career at the University of California Santa Barbara. Both Knight and McKnight say making the All-Arizona team was an exciting achievement, especially as they’ve grown and ultimately thrived with Xavier over the past few seasons. “Being nominated is such an honor because there are so many great athletes in the state,” Knight said. “I am proud of the hard work that I put in during the last four high school seasons.” Knight, who started playing volleyball when she was 12, is amazed at her progress since she first hit the court. “Being nominated for the Player of the Year Award is something that I still can’t wrap my head around,” she added. McKnight, who has played volleyball for eight years, shares the sentiment about the All-Arizona team and the Player of the Year Award. “I’m so blessed to have been able to be named to this team filled with amazing players,” McKnight said. “Plus, the Player of the Year Award is something that I had wanted since I was in 8th grade, so seeing that I was nominated for that was insane and made me so happy.” Knight and McKnight credit their success to the team environment at Xavier, where they have been surrounded by coaches and teammates who share their determination and dedication to the sport. “The culture and traditions at Xavier are one of a kind. We all put in the hard work at practice and spend so much time together even outside of volleyball, just because we love being around each other,” Knight said. “The chemistry on the court is perfect when everyone is working toward the goal of winning, wanting to get better each game, and going crazy for every single point.” With lots of memories from her time at Xavier, Knight is preparing for the next step as she plans to play Division 1 volleyball at Virginia Commonwealth University. McKnight is confident they will both go far, thanks to the opportunities they’ve had at Xavier. “The best part of playing for a team like Xavier is most definitely the teammates,” McKnight said. “I have met some of my best friends through the program and have learned a lot throughout my four years playing at Xavier. The team truly is a sisterhood.” Xavier volleyball stars named to All-Arizona Team Jasmine Knight PHOTO: DUKE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO: MICHELLE PRASKINS PHOTO: DUKE PHOTOGRAPHY Briana McKnight By Madison Van Nortwick Baseball fans from all over the country will come to Arizona this month to see their favorite teams in this year’s Cactus League spring training games. The first game of the 2020 Cactus League spring training is on February 21 between the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals at the Surprise Stadium. Catch any number of the 200 games at 10 different stadiums around Maricopa County. WHO: The Cactus League has gained 15 teams since its start in 1947. From the San Francisco Giants to the Colorado Rockies, everyone has a team to cheer on. WHERE: Arizona has 10 stadiums throughout Maricopa County. The closest is Scottsdale Stadium located at 7408 E. Osborn Road, which is only about three miles away from Arcadia. This facility just finished an extensive construction and is now complete and ready for fans. Renovations include a new clubhouse and event center, bigger concourses for better traffic flow and bleachers and standing space for the right-field concourse. The home team at Scottsdale Stadium is the San Francisco Giants. The furthest stadium from Arcadia is the Surprise Stadium, located at 15930 N. Bullard Ave., which is around 41 miles away. This stadium was built in 2002 and hosts the Kansas City Royals as the home team. Camelback Ranch-Glendale, located at 10710 W. Camelback Road in Phoenix covers 141 acres, making it the largest complex in the Cactus League. This stadium is home to the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at Salt River Fields at 7555 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale. Salt River Fields was the first Major League Baseball property built on an Indian reservation. Throughout the park, folks can find information about the teams and the history of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. THE FOOD: Each stadium has its own menu of great ballpark and not-so-ballpark food. The Scottsdale Stadium offers Wok Fried Soba Noodles. Salt River Fields has the Talking Stick Dog: a giant kosher dog with pulled pork and mac and cheese on top. Restaurants include Streets of New York, Chick-fil-A, Salty Señorita and Sonoran BBQ, if fans are looking for something other than the classic ballgame hot dog and peanuts. Salt River Fields also has the Cold Stone Kids Fun Field that opens one hour before the first pitch, where kids can play whiffle ball and enjoy a scoop of ice cream. THE TICKETS: Tickets run as low as $8 per person for lawn seats. They are almost half the price of any other ticket, and as long as folks don’t forget their umbrellas and sunscreen, there’s plenty of space to get comfortable for the game. Plus, most lawn seats are near the outfield, so people have a better chance of catching a home run or a fly ball. However, make sure to bring a blanket, because chairs are not allowed. For more: cactusleague.com. Cactus League spring training overview 1. Camelback Ranch 2. Goodyear Ballpark 3. Sloan Park 4. Maryvale Stadium 5. Peoria Sports Complex STADIUMS 6. HoHoKam Stadium 7. Scottsdale Stadium 8. Surprise Stadium 9. Tempe Diablo Stadium 10. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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