2015-16 Arizona Daily Star High School Winter Athletes of the Year
- Updated
These high school students were chosen as the Star's athletes of the year for the 2015-16 winter sports.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
What he did: Inclan capped off a stellar four-year career by leading the Blue Devils to the Division II, Section I championship and a trip to the state quarterfinals for the second year in row. The 6-foot-3-inch forward stepped up to fill in for injured center Santino Duarte and didn’t disappoint. Inlcan averaged 19.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 assists per game. Sunnyside earned the No. 6 seed in the state tournament and was on the verge of a trip to the semifinal round of the state playoffs before suffering an 80-77 double-overtime loss to Peoria Sunrise Mountain.
Top performance: The four-year starter scored a career-high 38 points with 16 rebounds in a 71-64 win over Cholla to start out the season but it was another double-double Inlcan might best be remembered for, in his final home game. Coming off a first-round bye, Inclan scored 23 points and pulled in 15 rebounds to power Sunnyside past Chandler Seton Catholic for a 68-55 win in the second round of the state playoffs.
What’s next: Inclan will play for South Mountain Community College for the next two years and hopes to move on to a four-year school from there. The Cougars are coming off a trip to the NJCAA nationals.
Runner-up: Brendan Rumel, Rincon/University. The Portland State-bound big man averaged a whopping 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and helped the Rangers earn the No. 17 seed in the Division II state tournament. Rumel scored 17 points, snagged 20 rebounds and accounted for five blocks in a 70-68 first-round loss at Avondale La Joya to close out his high school career.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
What she did: The senior wing and four-year starter was one of the most prolific scorers in the state, averaging 26.4 points per game on 45 percent shooting. Cortez also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 1.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game as she paced Tucson High to the Division II, Section IV championship, helping it earn the No. 4 seed in the state tournament. Following a first-round bye, the Badgers fell victim to a 65-60 upset against 13th-seeded Sahuaro, despite a game-high 21 points from Cortez. It put an unexpected end to a promising season and a storied career that saw Cortez score 2,479 points, putting her fifth among Arizona’s all-time scoring leaders.
Top performance: Cortez surpassed 40 points in four games and scored at least 30 in seven others but one of her biggest games came when she scored just 12 points. Cortez showed off her versatility with a team-high eight rebounds and six blocks as Tucson topped Ironwood Ridge 52-50 in the championship game of the Division II, Section IV tournament.
What’s next: Cortez signed to play for East Carolina University, where she hopes to make an immediate impact. The Pirates posted a 13-19 record in 2015-16 and graduate their top two scorers.
Runner-up: Lexy Ram, Ironwood Ridge. The 5-foot-11-inch senior wing averaged 15.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game and helped the Nighthawks reach the second round of the Division II state playoffs. Ram, who is signed with Cal Baptist, scored at least 20 points in eight games; she finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 60-42 early-season win against Phoenix South Mountain, the eventual Division III state champion.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
What he did: The striker danced his way through opposing defenses to score 33 goals and dish out 15 assists this season. Gaona helped Tucson High win both the Brandon Bean Kickoff Classic and the Chris Maier Invitational and powered the Badgers back to the state tournament, two years after leading them to their first state championship. Gaona, the Star’s 2013-14 player of the year, scored multiple goals in nine matches and accounted for the lone goal in Tucson High’s second-round loss in the Division II state tournament against Phoenix South Mountain, which went on to win the state title.
Top performance: Gaona scored six goals in a 7-2 win over Sierra Vista Buena in the final week of the season but it was another hat trick a month earlier that proved to be much more important. His three goals in a 3-3 draw at Canyon del Oro on a rainy, chilly night helped the Badgers finish the regular season unbeaten. Gaona scored a go-ahead goal with less than 90 seconds remaining but the Dorardos managed to tie the match in the final minute.
What’s next: Gaona will play for coach Dave Cosgrove’s Pima College team the next two years before trying to move on to a Division I program. The Aztecs posted a school-record 21 wins in 2015 and reached the NJCAA nationals for the second year in a row.
Runner-up: Christopher Cooper, Rincon/University. Like Gaona, Cooper haunted opposing defenses on his way to scoring 25 goals and assisting on 12 others. The senior captain also helped the Rangers earn the No. 1 seed in the Division II state tournament and post an 18-5 record. Cooper will also be playing at Pima College next season, along with Gaona.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
What she did: Igulu scored a state-record 62 goals this season to help lead Palo Verde to its first state championship match since 2012. The junior striker, who also accounted for eight assists, scored a career-high five goals in an early-season win over Flowing Wells. Igulu scored four goals in four matches and tallied three goals in another seven matches. Palo Verde scored 127 goals as a team and posted a 23-3 record, with the lone regular-season loss coming at Walden Grove, the defending state champion. Igulu scored twice in that game but was held without a goal in the Division III state championship match as Fountain Hills won 4-2.
Top performance: With a trip to the state semifinals on the line, Igulu posted a hat trick to power fourth-seeded Palo Verde past Glendale Independence for a 5-0 victory. She also broke the previous state record of 59 goals — held by Sahuarita’s Taylor McClelland — with her first score of the match.
What’s next: Igulu will be back at Palo Verde next season with a chance to break her scoring record and lead the Titans back to the state finals.
Runner-up: Olivia Lai, Catalina Foothills. The junior midfielder scored 13 goals and logged 14 assists to lead a young Foothills team to a 14-6-1 record and a trip to the Division II state quarterfinals.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
What he did: Vega capped off his storied career by winning his third straight championship while helping the Nighthawks capture their first Division I team title. The 113-pound Vega posted a 39-0 record as a senior and finished his high school career with 116 straight wins, a streak that dates back to his sophomore season when he won his first state crown. In addition to winning his third straight state title, Vega collected victories at the Flowing Wells Invitational and the Reno Tournament of Champions. Vega also became Arizona’s first selection in 21 years to the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, which is tabbed “The Rose Bowl of Wrestling.”
Top performance: Vega saved the best for last, when he cruised to the 113-pound title with two pins and two tech fall victories. His championship bout lasted just 2 minutes, 12 seconds before Vega won 15-0 to set the tone on a night Ironwood Ridge went on to capture its first team championship since 2013, when the Nighthawks were in Division II.
What’s next: Vega was signed with Grand Canyon University but the school announced last month that it was going to discontinue its wrestling program. He has since re-opened his recruitment and is looking at Arizona State, Iowa State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon State and Utah Valley. Vega says all his options remain open and he isn’t going to rush his decision.
Runner-up: Roman Bravo-Young, Sunnyside. The sophomore had a very strong argument to earn this honor once again, after he plowed his way through another perfect season, despite jumping up two weight classes. Bravo-Young, the Division I 106-pound champ as a freshman, won the 120-pound title with a tech fall and is a favorite to win again in each of the next two seasons.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
What he did: Inclan capped off a stellar four-year career by leading the Blue Devils to the Division II, Section I championship and a trip to the state quarterfinals for the second year in row. The 6-foot-3-inch forward stepped up to fill in for injured center Santino Duarte and didn’t disappoint. Inlcan averaged 19.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 assists per game. Sunnyside earned the No. 6 seed in the state tournament and was on the verge of a trip to the semifinal round of the state playoffs before suffering an 80-77 double-overtime loss to Peoria Sunrise Mountain.
Top performance: The four-year starter scored a career-high 38 points with 16 rebounds in a 71-64 win over Cholla to start out the season but it was another double-double Inlcan might best be remembered for, in his final home game. Coming off a first-round bye, Inclan scored 23 points and pulled in 15 rebounds to power Sunnyside past Chandler Seton Catholic for a 68-55 win in the second round of the state playoffs.
What’s next: Inclan will play for South Mountain Community College for the next two years and hopes to move on to a four-year school from there. The Cougars are coming off a trip to the NJCAA nationals.
Runner-up: Brendan Rumel, Rincon/University. The Portland State-bound big man averaged a whopping 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and helped the Rangers earn the No. 17 seed in the Division II state tournament. Rumel scored 17 points, snagged 20 rebounds and accounted for five blocks in a 70-68 first-round loss at Avondale La Joya to close out his high school career.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
What she did: The senior wing and four-year starter was one of the most prolific scorers in the state, averaging 26.4 points per game on 45 percent shooting. Cortez also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 1.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game as she paced Tucson High to the Division II, Section IV championship, helping it earn the No. 4 seed in the state tournament. Following a first-round bye, the Badgers fell victim to a 65-60 upset against 13th-seeded Sahuaro, despite a game-high 21 points from Cortez. It put an unexpected end to a promising season and a storied career that saw Cortez score 2,479 points, putting her fifth among Arizona’s all-time scoring leaders.
Top performance: Cortez surpassed 40 points in four games and scored at least 30 in seven others but one of her biggest games came when she scored just 12 points. Cortez showed off her versatility with a team-high eight rebounds and six blocks as Tucson topped Ironwood Ridge 52-50 in the championship game of the Division II, Section IV tournament.
What’s next: Cortez signed to play for East Carolina University, where she hopes to make an immediate impact. The Pirates posted a 13-19 record in 2015-16 and graduate their top two scorers.
Runner-up: Lexy Ram, Ironwood Ridge. The 5-foot-11-inch senior wing averaged 15.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game and helped the Nighthawks reach the second round of the Division II state playoffs. Ram, who is signed with Cal Baptist, scored at least 20 points in eight games; she finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 60-42 early-season win against Phoenix South Mountain, the eventual Division III state champion.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
What he did: The striker danced his way through opposing defenses to score 33 goals and dish out 15 assists this season. Gaona helped Tucson High win both the Brandon Bean Kickoff Classic and the Chris Maier Invitational and powered the Badgers back to the state tournament, two years after leading them to their first state championship. Gaona, the Star’s 2013-14 player of the year, scored multiple goals in nine matches and accounted for the lone goal in Tucson High’s second-round loss in the Division II state tournament against Phoenix South Mountain, which went on to win the state title.
Top performance: Gaona scored six goals in a 7-2 win over Sierra Vista Buena in the final week of the season but it was another hat trick a month earlier that proved to be much more important. His three goals in a 3-3 draw at Canyon del Oro on a rainy, chilly night helped the Badgers finish the regular season unbeaten. Gaona scored a go-ahead goal with less than 90 seconds remaining but the Dorardos managed to tie the match in the final minute.
What’s next: Gaona will play for coach Dave Cosgrove’s Pima College team the next two years before trying to move on to a Division I program. The Aztecs posted a school-record 21 wins in 2015 and reached the NJCAA nationals for the second year in a row.
Runner-up: Christopher Cooper, Rincon/University. Like Gaona, Cooper haunted opposing defenses on his way to scoring 25 goals and assisting on 12 others. The senior captain also helped the Rangers earn the No. 1 seed in the Division II state tournament and post an 18-5 record. Cooper will also be playing at Pima College next season, along with Gaona.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
What she did: Igulu scored a state-record 62 goals this season to help lead Palo Verde to its first state championship match since 2012. The junior striker, who also accounted for eight assists, scored a career-high five goals in an early-season win over Flowing Wells. Igulu scored four goals in four matches and tallied three goals in another seven matches. Palo Verde scored 127 goals as a team and posted a 23-3 record, with the lone regular-season loss coming at Walden Grove, the defending state champion. Igulu scored twice in that game but was held without a goal in the Division III state championship match as Fountain Hills won 4-2.
Top performance: With a trip to the state semifinals on the line, Igulu posted a hat trick to power fourth-seeded Palo Verde past Glendale Independence for a 5-0 victory. She also broke the previous state record of 59 goals — held by Sahuarita’s Taylor McClelland — with her first score of the match.
What’s next: Igulu will be back at Palo Verde next season with a chance to break her scoring record and lead the Titans back to the state finals.
Runner-up: Olivia Lai, Catalina Foothills. The junior midfielder scored 13 goals and logged 14 assists to lead a young Foothills team to a 14-6-1 record and a trip to the Division II state quarterfinals.
- Daniel Gaona Arizona Daily Star
What he did: Vega capped off his storied career by winning his third straight championship while helping the Nighthawks capture their first Division I team title. The 113-pound Vega posted a 39-0 record as a senior and finished his high school career with 116 straight wins, a streak that dates back to his sophomore season when he won his first state crown. In addition to winning his third straight state title, Vega collected victories at the Flowing Wells Invitational and the Reno Tournament of Champions. Vega also became Arizona’s first selection in 21 years to the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, which is tabbed “The Rose Bowl of Wrestling.”
Top performance: Vega saved the best for last, when he cruised to the 113-pound title with two pins and two tech fall victories. His championship bout lasted just 2 minutes, 12 seconds before Vega won 15-0 to set the tone on a night Ironwood Ridge went on to capture its first team championship since 2013, when the Nighthawks were in Division II.
What’s next: Vega was signed with Grand Canyon University but the school announced last month that it was going to discontinue its wrestling program. He has since re-opened his recruitment and is looking at Arizona State, Iowa State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon State and Utah Valley. Vega says all his options remain open and he isn’t going to rush his decision.
Runner-up: Roman Bravo-Young, Sunnyside. The sophomore had a very strong argument to earn this honor once again, after he plowed his way through another perfect season, despite jumping up two weight classes. Bravo-Young, the Division I 106-pound champ as a freshman, won the 120-pound title with a tech fall and is a favorite to win again in each of the next two seasons.
View this profile on Instagram#ThisIsTucson 🌵 (@this_is_tucson) • Instagram photos and videos
Most viewed stories
-
This Tucson chef has been named a semifinalist for prestigious James Beard Award 🎉
-
A saber tooth tiger fossil, gemstone paintings, and more: Here's the low-down on 4 Tucson gem shows! 💎
-
Sparkle City: Gem shows season has started — here's what to know
-
Check out these 23 exciting Tucson events, January 30 - February 1! ✨
-
Horchata lattes and breakfast burritos: Tucson's Barista del Barrio opens 2nd location
-
30 fun events happening in Tucson January 23-25! 🪩
-
Get ready to eat all the spicy tuna rolls you can at this viral sushi spot 🍣
-
Nearly 50 fun events happening in the month of January! ✨
-
27 exciting events to check out this weekend, January 16-18 💎
-
Community determined to regroup after loss of Tucson Pride