44 MARCH 2024 By Tiffany Gonzalez Arcadia, Brophy, Veritas, and Xavier set off this year’s soccer season in November. Read on to see how our 2023-24 high school soccer teams did this year.   This being Coach Andrew Petrucelli’s second year, the team and the coach were still establishing the lay of the land when the season began. However, they quickly found their footing with a 4-2 record in late December. “Those two losses were at Flagstaff, who was ranked second in the state, and at Chaparral, a division higher than us,” Petrucelli said. “It opened our eyes that we can be successful, but we have to stay the course and improve every day.” The final regular season games against Seton Catholic Prep and Mesquite High pushed Arcadia to a 9-3-1 record, ranked first in the 4A Desert Sky Division. “We have faced a substantial amount of challenges this year, overcoming a great deal of adversity, but as a team, I know that we can win it all,” Captain Jack Buchanan said. The boys have established strong connections, communications, and a firm player-led team with each other. Their only weakness, according to Coach Petrucelli, is how much they enjoy being around each other – which is not necessarily a bad thing! The Titans lost their final game against the Pueblo Warriors, 1-3 – but they didn’t let the loss get them down. “Usually, we will all take about a month off to fully recoup with the demand and stress of the season,” Petrucelli said. “We start thinking about what new things we can add to enhance our program, and our new summer program will hopefully get the guys playing more.”  The Lady Titans finished the regular season ranked first in the 4A Desert Sky Region, with their first game win against the Eastmark Firebirds in November. “We were hampered at the beginning with some injuries to key players on our defense, which led to a slow start as new players were asked to play new roles,” Coach William Christenson said. They entered the holiday break with a regular season record of 2-2 and then played in the Desert Ridge Cactus Cup, finishing with two wins and two losses. Those games helped propel them to the State Championships in February. The first match was a success: 2-0 against Paradise Honors High School. Their next opponent was Walden Grove, where the Titans lost 1-5 against the Red Wolves. “Every year, my priority is to create positive experiences where the girls can bond and create lasting memories,” Christenson said. “Last year, we made it to the quarterfinals, and we expect to improve upon that next season. We truly feel we can compete with any team in the conference.”  The varsity squad began the season with the Washington High School Rams Invitational, going 2-1 over three games with wins over Washington and Glendale. The team went on to play in the Freedom Tournament and Premier Region play, where they finished fifth. One highlight of the season was making it to the postseason AIA Play-In Game in double overtime, which resulted in a No. 19 rank in the AIA at the end of the season. “Our boys didn’t quit, and it was the best performance of the year in terms of heart,” Head Coach Marc Kelly said. “They got a goal at the very end, which is how these things are decided in a tournament game. It is difficult for the team. They worked hard.” Their final game started with a 1-0 lead from senior Lucas Roland, which lasted midway into the second quarter when Hamilton High tied the game, eventually forcing the overtime periods. In the end, the Broncos were eliminated with a 2-3 loss. The 2023-24 team said farewell to 14 seniors and student manager Sam Kerkhove, who were able to represent Brophy for a final time. “The group is made up of so many amazing guys,” Kelly said. “They were all fantastic this season. They were great leaders and so much fun to coach.”   With a No. 1 ranking in the 3A Metro Division, the Veritas boys varsity soccer team was riding high as they won their first playoff game versus Yuma Catholic and headed to Tucson to play Pusch Ridge Christian Academy in early February. Unfortunately, the Lions took the win 3-1. The regular season started with a 1-0 loss against Northwest Christian School but the boys finished strong with six wins and just that one loss. “We won the state championship in 2020 and have made it into the semifinals of the State Cup since then,” Coach Richard Cardenas said. “Our style has not changed, and our tactics will always be to start with a strong defense and build from there.” After playing 14 games against five teams ranked in the top 10, explicitly playing the No. 1 and No. 3 ranked teams – and making it to the quarterfinals – Coach Cardenas says his only plans and changes for next season are “lots of weight training and running!” “We have many talents on this team and are excited that we won the region,” Captain Noah Zook said. “The team’s confidence was very high going into the playoffs, and we played at our highest level in competing for the State Championship.”  The Lady Falcons made strides in the beginning, but unfortunately, it didn’t carry through the playoffs. The team finished the season with a 2-4 playoff loss on February 7 against Safford High and a record nine wins, five losses – ranked first in the 3A Metro Division. The girls said they couldn’t wait to get back on the field. “The team worked hard throughout preseason to be ready for the start,” Coach Cesar Mexia said. “We were 1-2 in the first three games, having just a few players returning from the previous season and others that had never played competitive soccer. We knew it would take time before the team started clicking.” “We might not have made it as far as we hoped, but we developed so much as a team from the beginning to the end,” Team Captain Maddie Lucas said. “We had a lot of new players and a new coach, plus our existing core team, all of whom made my senior year a positive, special experience that I will always remember.”  The Xavier Gators went to the State Championships in February, thanks to regular season that resulted in nine wins and three ties. The first game against the Liberty High School Lions was a blowout with a 6-0 win for the Gators. At their next game against Mountain View in Mesa, Xavier continued their streak with a 4-1 win against the Toros, a 3-1 Game three was against Desert Vista, where the Gators beat the Thunder 3-1. At press time, the team was headed to a championship game against Mesa’s Hamilton High. “We play a real possession-oriented style that most players have adjusted to. Our only weakness would be losing ten seniors from last year and the question mark of how we’d modify this year,” Coach Barb Chura said. “It’s been a process, but we’ve gotten better, and it’s just an adjustment period along the way.” “We have excellent players, from the back to the front of the field, who all had some great performances,” senior goalkeeper Kate Willmering said. “I think I have also had a good season, and a lot of this is due to my defenders, as each has played incredibly well.” High school soccer season round-up Arcadia High’s girls varsity soccer team. Veritas Prep’s girls varsity soccer team. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL PHOTO COURTESY OF VERITAS PREP

45 MARCH 2024 By Shi Bradley The winter sports season has wrapped, and high school basketball teams are reflecting on their achievements while looking ahead to next season.   The Titans capped off their season by tripling their win total from the 2022-23 season – although they didn’t make it to the playoffs, they were happy with the successes they did have. Junior Braylen Rooney averaged 2.5 blocks per game and was third in blocks in all 4A. Sophomore Mason Kendrick grabbed 22 rebounds during the Maryvale game, where the Titans won 60-47. “We made it to the championship round in the Thanksgiving Tournament, where we lost to Mica Mountain. We also made it to the championships at the Winter Hoops Invitational, where we lost to the host team, Cactus High,” Coach Kyle Diemer said. Despite a final record of 4-6, Diemer said he is proud of every player – some of whom finished the season with honors: Junior Jamison Fox made Second Team All-Region and sophomore Mason Kendrick and junior Braylen Rooney were awarded Honorable Mentions. “We improved as the season went on, even though the team dealt with adversity throughout because of injuries,” Braylen said. “We finished just below a .500 record and that is a huge improvement. We are looking forward to next season and are going to put in the work!”  Some of the most noteworthy victories from the Lady Titans include winning 54- 26 and 52-26 against Marcos de Niza High, gaining a No. 5 standing in the 4A Desert Sky Region, and ranking top 40 in the state. Coach Gavin Tolan expressed that the team was solid, continuously worked, and grew to be even better and fiercer players. “Our goal is to be known for our hard work and competitiveness,” Tolan said. “I expect us to have a great offseason together and be ready to battle in November!” They also celebrated their point guard, Tianna Knighton, who broke a record with 1400 points scored across her three-year high school athletic career. Knighton has a free throw record of 93/100 and made All- District three years in a row. She was also named 4A Desert Sky Offensive Player of the Year. “I play basketball because I love the grind,” Knighton said. “It’s true poetry. There’s no better feeling than being out on the court.” “We are in the middle of building the program back up,” Coach Tolan said. “The team played heavyweights Seton Catholic, Mesquite, and Saguaro and missed the playoffs this season. With the hard work the girls put in over the past year and some promising eighth graders coming in, we hope to return next year!”  The Gators accomplished several feats during the regular season over 25 games – just shy of undefeated, with one mid-season loss against Hamilton High. Despite that, Xavier basketball maintained a No. 2 rank in the 6A Premier region. Coach Jennifer Gillom said she was proud of the team’s success and hopes to continue watching their growth. Thanks to strong offense and defensive plays from the team, the Gators headed to the State Championships in February, playing – and winning – their first three games against Horizon High (69-12), Sahuaro (83-45) and Sunnyslope (60-39). At press time, the Gators were getting ready for game four against the Pinnacle Pioneers.  Brophy finished the season with a spot in the AIA Open Division Championships after an 83-70 win over Desert Vista in the second round. Ninth-seeded Brophy advanced to the quarterfinal round against top-seeded Perry. “I am proud of the way the guys responded throughout the game,” Head Coach Matt Hooten said. “They put us on our heels a little bit. But we came back after it, staying together and responding well during moments of adversity. We pulled each other together. I think that is what it takes to win a playoff game against a really good and well-coached team. We are excited about moving on and getting a chance to extend our season.” The run toward the State Championships was built on a difficult schedule that prepared the team to face the best in the state. Brophy finished in a tie for first in the 6A Premier Region to earn a No. 9 seed in the open playoffs. “We follow the idea of ‘ cura personalis or ‘care for the whole person’,” Hooten said. “Our coaching staff approaches basketball as an opportunity to help the young men grow on and off the court.” Brophy was led by senior Braeden Speed, who averaged over 15 points per game this season. “Braeden is such a great competitor,” said Hooten. “He is elite with his competitive spirit. When we were looking for leadership in the first half, he stepped up in a big way. He gave his teammates – who each have their own advantages – confidence.” Braeden surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career back in December. He scored 33 points in a recent win, propelling his team to the next round. “It has been a really fun year, and we have just continued to focus on getting better every day,” Braeden said.  Both the girls and boys varsity basketball teams made the Arizona State Tournament this year, but before that, they played a rousing 18 regular season games – one of which was against Chandler Prep in the Footprint Arena in Phoenix. “This is the first time our girls have made an appearance in the state tournament, and we were excited for the opportunity to play amongst the best 16 schools in 2A basketball,” Athletic Director Chase Beebe said. The boys received the #13 seed, and the girls are in the #16 seed, with the boys team finishing the regular season with an 10-7 record and the girls finishing 11-7. “My coaching style is all about fundamentals. If we can’t do the small things consistently, we have no business doing the fancy things, simple wins games. Defense, defense, defense!” Girls Coach Rebecca Lane said. She added that one of the biggest accomplishments from this year’s team was figuring out how to overcome mental battles in the game. “Basketball is a lot like a rollercoaster – you must expect to have ups and downs. Either buckle in or don’t get on the ride,” she said. “As a team, we have started to get to a maturity state of understanding that every game is not a blowout in one direction or another.” “The details are so important in basketball,” Boys Coach Brooks Dockter said. “We focus on playing great man-to- man defense with a lot of ball pressure, rebounding and getting out in transition offensively. One season highlight was the Hoopcoming games, where the boys beat Scottsdale Prep 56-37, and the girls had a big upset win over Scottsdale Prep 33-27. The boys team also participated in and won the Epic Tourneys New Year’s Basketball Classic “Blackhawk” Division. They battled through some tough competition to go undefeated in the tournament and receive the title. Ten Veritas players were also voted as region award winners: Carter Perry, Casen Lentz and Valeria Castaneda are All-Region 1st Team; Mason Twist, Jared Barrett, Jaz Cobb and Dorothy Maafu are All-Region 2nd Team; Miles Perry and Natalia Ortiz are Honorable Mentions, and the Region Defensive Player of the Year is McKenzie Perrault. “My girls and I made history this year, but not for the first time but for the second time in Veritas history for women’s basketball,” senior Dorothy Maafu said. “Back in 2022, we went to our first game for State, and this year, we are competing in the first round of State. I am so proud of how far we have come to achieve this goal!” The 2A State Finals ended after the first round for the Falcons this year. The girls lost to the #1 seed, Phoenix Country Day (who is in the semi-finals as of press time), and the boys dropped a heartbreaker against Leading Edge Academy, 43-45. High school basketball ends season on a high note Arcadia High’s girls varsity basketball team. Brophy Prep’s varsity basketball team. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCADIA HIGH PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SHAFF