Greg Hansen's Top 100 Sports Figures of 2017: 60-41
Star columnist Greg Hansen counts down the most prominent sports figures in Southern Arizona from 2017. Find out who makes the cut!
By Greg Hansen / Arizona Daily Star
60. Allonzo Trier
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Arizona guard Allonzo Trier (35) draws back for an over head two-hand slam against Connecticut in the second half of their game at McKale Center on December 21, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Returning from a long suspension, Trier averaged 17.2 points to help lead Arizona to the Pac-12 conference and tournament championships.
59. Mo Mercado
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Arizona's Mo Mercado (11) doinks a blooper into the infield that ended up falling between three South Carolina players for a hit in the seventh inning of their NCAA Regional championship game at Hillenbrand Stadium in 2017.
Hit .396 and played shortstop for the Pac-12 champions. Mercado was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection.
58. P.J. Ponce
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P.J. Ponce (far right) poses with the Mountain View state championship wrestling team.Β
Mountain Viewβs wrestling coach led the Mountain Lions to the big-schools state championship.
57. Levi Wallace
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Auburn running back Kamryn Pettway (36) is tackled by Alabama defensive back Levi Wallace (39) as he carries the ball during the second half of the Iron Bowl NCAA college football game, Nov. 26, 2016, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Breaking into the starting lineup for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Tucson High grad was 10th on the team with 39 tackles. He also intercepted three passes and had 4 Β½ quarterback sacks.
56. Krystal Quihuis
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Krystal Quihuis of Salpointe in 2012.
Arizonaβs senior golfer from Salpointe was chosen to the All-Pac-12 team after finishing in the top five in 10 tournaments.
55. Maddie Pothoff
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Maddie Pothoff. Photo courtesy of Alabama athleticsΒ
One of Tucsonβs finest tennis players ever, Pothoff became an All-American as a freshman at Alabama, reaching the finals of the NCAA tournament and winning 16 doubles matches in the season. Pothoff has since transferred to Santa Clara.Β
54. Annette Gutierrez
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From left, assistant coach Felicia Greenhouse, head coach Annette Gutierrez and assistant coach Greta Naranjo watch at the Tucson High School girl's basketball varsity team practice in 2015.
Tucson Highβs girls basketball coach produced a 25-3 record and a No. 4 finish in Class 6A, the stateβs highest classification.
53. Tori Brown
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Cienega's Tori Brown scores as the Mountain View catcher bobbles a bad throw during 4th inng action action in round 2 of the Class 5A state softball playoffs at Cienega High in 2017.
In her final softball season at Cienega, Brown led the Bobcats to the state championship, hitting 10 home runs, batting .396 with 50 RBI.
52. Alfonso Cabrera
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Salpointeβs soccer standout scored 24 goals as a sophomore, leading the Lancers to the boys state championship game and a 20-4-1 record.
51. Danny Preble
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Salpointeβs baseball team made its closest bid ever to win the state title, finishing second at 26-8 under Prebleβs leadership.
50. Trenton Bourguet
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Marana's Trenton Bourguet (5) throws on the run during the second quarter of the No. 1 Cienega vs. No. 9 Marana high school 5A quarterfinal football game at Cienega High School in 2017.
Leading Marana High to a 9-3 football season, the junior quarterback passed for 2,984 yards and 38 touchdowns.
49. Pat Darcy
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Pat Darcy in 2014.
In his first year as chairman of the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame, the former World Series pitcher from Rincon High School, has spear-headed one of the top classes in 27 years of the PCSHF.
48. Dennis Bene
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Salpointe's head coach Dennis Bene gestures to his offensive unit after they failed to get the play off against Cactus in the first quarter of their state quarterfinal game, Friday November 10, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Salpointeβs accomplished football coach again reached the state championship game, finishing 12-2.
47. Jessie Harper
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Arizona's watches Jessie Harper (19) her second home run of the first inning clear the fences against Stanford at Hillenbrand Stadium in 2017.
Possibly the top freshman in college softball, Harper was chosen to the NFCA All-American first team, hitting .333 with 19 home runs for Arizona.
46. Dan Slania
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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Dan Slania throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game, Friday, June 30, 2017, in Pittsburgh.
Making his major-league pitching debut for the San Francisco Giants, Slania, of Salpointe Catholic and Notre Dame, also pitched 141 innings in Triple-A and Double-A appearances.
45. Brian Holstrom
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Salpointe head coach Brian Holstrom makes a point to his bench players during the Salpointe vs. Sahuaro boys high school basketball game at the MLK Basketball Classic in 2014.
In his final season as Salpointe Catholicβs boys basketball coach, Holstrom reached the state championship game, guiding the Lancers to 21 victories.
44. Todd Holthaus
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Pima Community College coach Todd Holthaus doesn't agree with a call against his Aztecs during their game with Gillette College at the Native American Classic being held at Pima Community College in 2016.
Pima Collegeβs womenβs basketball coach, whose team was ranked No. 1 part of last season and won 23 games, enters winter break this year at No. 4 nationally.
43. Kelly Fowler
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Canyon del Oro's head coach Kelly Fowler sends Hope Banales (26) home for the Dorado's first score of the night in the bottom of the first inning against Sunrise Mountain in the 4A state championship game in 2017.
Winning 30 games again at Canyon del Oro High School, Fowler coached the Dorados to her third state championship, finishing 30-4.
42. Alfonso Rivas
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Arizona's Alfonso Rivas runs around the bases after hitting the game-winning home run during an NCAA college baseball tournament regional game against Delaware, Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Lubbock, Texas.
As a UA junior outfielder, Rivas hit .371 with 63 RBI. He returns as one of the top players in college baseball.
41. Gabi Stoian
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FC Tucson forward Gabi Stoian (6) makes a kick during FC Tucson Women's 0-0 draw against the San Diego Sea Lions at Kino North Stadium on July 10, 2015.
Arizonaβs stellar soccer player scored two game-winning goals in her senior season for an NCAA Tournament team.
