Raymundo Frasquiero
DUNCAN – Coach Kasi Mortensen’s Duncan Wildcats will travel to Superior for non-region play on Tuesday, Sept. 24, before hosting Scottsdale Cicero Prep (5-3 seeded, 1-0 region) for region play on Thursday, Sept. 26.
So far, Duncan (6-5 overall, 4-3 seeded, 1-0 in region) has recorded wins over San Manuel (Sept. 5) 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 25-10), Carny Ray (Sept. 10) 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-20), Elfrieda Valley Union (Sept. 12) 3-1 and Valley Lutheran (Sept. 14) 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-19). Losses have been 0-3 (11-25, 19-25, 20-25) to Pima (Aug. 28), 0-3 (15-25, 11-25, 23-25) to San Simon (Sept. 5) and 0-3 to Fort Thomas (Sept. 17).
Photo by Raymundo Frasquillo/Gila Herald: Emily Kempton (14) kicks the ball over the outstretched hands of a Valley Lutheran defender as area referee Troy Tigerson keeps a close eye on the net play during the match.
Additionally, the Wildcats went 2-2 in the Phoenix Horizon Honors Tournament on Sept. 7. Duncan lost 1-2 to Chandler Lincoln Prep, beat Glendale Prep 2-0, beat Eagar Round Valley 2-1 (25-23, 15-25, 16-14) and lost 0-2 to Ash Fork (17-25, 20-25).
1A Eastern Region
The regional standings after four weeks of competition are: Scottsdale Cicero Prep (seed 5-3, region 1-0), Duncan (4-3, 1-0), Fort Thomas (5-2, 0-1), Carny Ray (4-3, 0-0), Superior (2-2, 0-0), Phoenix Valley Lutheran (1-2, 0-1), San Manuel (1-5) and Winkelman Hayden (1-6, 0-0).
Cicero Prep’s seeded wins include 3-0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-13) over Chandler Lincoln Prep (Aug. 28), 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-8, 25-11) over Salome (Aug. 30), 3-0 (25-10, 25-14, 25-19) over Anthem Prep (Sept. 6), 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-9) over Joseph City (Sept. 14) and 3-0 (27-25, 25-8, 25-13) over Fort Thomas (Sept. 19). The losses are 0-3 (19-25, 22-25, 20-25) to Phoenix Veritas Prep (Sept. 3), 2-3 (21-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 9-15) to Phoenix Horizon Honors (Sept. 9) and 0-3 (13-25, 24-26, 23-25) to Phoenix Country Day (Sept. 11).
Duncan’s wins include 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 25-10) over San Manuel (Sept. 5), 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-20) over Carny Ray (Sept. 10), 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-20) over Elfrieda Valley Union (Sept. 12) and 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-19) over Phoenix Valley Lutheran (Sept. 14). Losses include 0-3 (11-25, 19-25, 20-25) to Pima (Aug. 28), 0-3 (15-25, 11-25, 23-25) to San Simon (Sept. 5) and 0-3 to Fort Thomas (Sept. 17).
Photo by Raymundo Frasquillo/Hila Herald: Lara Elmer (3) waits to be waved in to replace Sierra Chamberlin (12). The Duncan High School student-athlete in the Class of 2025 is fifth on the 11-player roster.
Fort Thomas has won 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-15) over San Carlos (Sept. 3), 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 14-25, 25-15) over Valley Lutheran (Sept. 5), 3-1 (25-13, 14-25, 25-16, 25-13) over Superior (Sept. 10), 3-1 (25-8, 20-25, 25-20, 25-14) over San Manuel (Sept. 12) and 3-0 over Duncan (Sept. 17). Losses include 1-3 to Pima (Sept. 11) and 0-3 to Fort Thomas (Sept. 19) (25-27, 8-25, 13-25).
Ray has won 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-20) over DiCichibico (Aug. 29), 3-2 (15-25, 25-20, 25-15, 17-25, 15-12) over San Tan Valley-Santa Foothills (Sept. 5), 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-20) over San Manuel (Sept. 17) and 3-1 over Hayden (Sept. 19). Losses include 0-3 to Grove (Sept. 3), 1-3 to Duncan (Sept. 10) (25-23, 12-25, 18-25, 20-25) and 0-3 to Heber-Mogorrion (Sept. 12) (16-25, 13-25, 5-25).
Photo by Raymundo Frasquillo/Gila Herald: Senior Elizabeth Bastine (1) prepares to serve during her rotation turn.
Superior won 3-1 (25-12, 20-25, 25-11, 25-23) over Hayden (Sept. 12), 2-1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-18) over San Manuel (Sept. 19), lost 1-3 (13-25, 25-14, 16-25, 13-25) to Fort Thomas (Sept. 10) and lost 0-3 (21-25, 12-25, 25-27) to Valley Lutheran (Sept. 17).
Valley Lutheran College won 3-0 (25-21, 25-12, 27-25) against Superior University (Sept. 17), but lost 1-3 (22-25, 21-25, 25-14, 15-25) to Fort Thomas College (Sept. 5) and 0-3 (17-25, 12-25, 19-25) to Duncan College (Sept. 14).
San Manuel won 3-1 (25-21, 25-11, 16-25, 25-16) against the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind in Tucson (Sept. 10). Losses include 0-3 (13-25, 18-25, 14-25) to Patagonia (Sept. 4), 0-3 (23-25, 10-25, 10-25) to Duncan (Sept. 5), 1-3 (8-25, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25) to Fort Thomas (Sept. 12), 0-3 (19-25, 21-25, 20-25) to Ray (Sept. 17) and 1-2 (15-25, 25-22, 18-25) to Superior (Sept. 19).
Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Duncan head coach Cassi Mortensen makes an adjustment during a timeout.
Hayden won 3-0 against Miami (September 10). Losses include 0-3 against Dishchibiko (August 28), 2-3 against Baghdad (September 6), 0-3 against Patagonia (September 7), 1-3 against Superior (12-25, 25-20, 11-25, 23-25) (September 12), 0-3 against Dishchibiko (18-25, 14-25, 16-25) (September 17), and 1-3 against Ray (September 19).
This week (Sept. 23-28), Ray will host San Simon and Valley Lutheran will visit Hayden on Monday, Sept. 23. Duncan will visit Superior, Fort Thomas will host Hayden and Ray will visit Glendale Desert Heights Prep on September 24. Valley Lutheran will host Phoenix NFL Yett on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Cicero Prep will visit Duncan and Ray will visit Superior on September 26. Cicero Prep will visit North Phoenix Prep on Friday, Sept. 27.
