Gaona: Pueblo's magical year capped with first softball title since 1990

TEMPE

Pueblo senior Vanessa Molina hit the nail on the head following Monday’s Division IV state championship game at ASU’s Farrington Stadium.

This “has been the year for us,” she told me.

No kidding.

Of course, Molina was mostly talking about Pueblo’s softball team, which won its first state crown since 1990. But how about this school year for the Warriors as a whole?

Take a look at these five highlights:

1. Pueblo’s football team qualified for the state playoffs, also for the first time since 1990, well before its current players were born. Second-year coach Brandon Sanders still hadn’t arrived to play football for the Arizona Wildcats back then.

2. First-year coach Francisco Urtuzuastegui led the boys soccer team to a 10-2 regular season and the Division IV state title. The Warriors played fun-to-watch and technically-sound soccer as they finished the year with 12 straight victories.

3. The girls basketball team earned the No. 6 seed in the Division III state tournament and reached the state quarterfinals, where it lost to Phoenix South Mountain, the eventual champion. The Warriors finished 25-5 under fourth-year coach Ismael Galindo for their second straight 20-win season.

4. Second-year coach Kelvin Eafon had his boys basketball team in the postseason for the second straight season. This time, the 11th-seeded Warriors hosted — and won — a first-round game before a one-point road loss in the second round.

5. Senior pitcher Nickole Robles and the Pueblo softball team rolled to the Division IV state championship, behind first-year coach Curtis Ruiz. The Warriors used an aggressive style to outscore opponents 37-5 in four playoff games.

Pueblo's girls soccer team also qualified for the second straight season while the baseball program won a section championship and reached the Division IV state quarterfinals under first-year coach Ray Camacho.

You see the trend? Sanders, also the athletic director, has done a great job of changing the culture at Pueblo.

As Ruiz and the softball team celebrated with the trophy on Monday night, Sanders stood near home plate and took it all in.

“When you see their faces, that’s what it’s about,” Sanders said. “It’s huge, it’s a blessing when you see it. I keep saying it means more because it’s Pueblo — it really does.”

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Some might argue that Pueblo’s success this year was because of the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s unique alignment process, which placed schools according to several factors including their socioeconomic standing. (Don’t worry, we’re going back to enrollment figures next year.)

But, if the alignment was the reason, there would have been a much bigger shakeup across the state. Instead, the perennial powers stayed mostly the same.

Give the credit where it’s due: Pueblo’s coaches and athletes put it all together.

Sahuarita boys track earns state runner-up trophy

One of the highlights of the track and field state championship meet in Mesa last weekend came late Saturday night, when Sahuarita’s boys team was handed the Division III state runner-up trophy.

The Mustangs finished 23.5 points behind Snowflake’s 89.5, after failing to post a score in 2015. Senior Allyn Williams placed first in the long jump, becoming the program’s first boys champion. Williams, a senior, was the lone winner for Sahuarita, which also captured four silver medals.

Sabino grad Jenkins lands first-team Big Ten honors

Wisconsin sophomore Kelsey Jenkins was named to the All-Big Ten softball first team for the second year in a row earlier this week.

Jenkins became the third two-time honoree in program history. She has a team-high .411 batting average and a .571 on-base percentage to go along with 49 runs scored, 49 walks, 15 stolen bases and seven home runs.

Canyon del Oro product Mattie Fowler, a Nebraska senior, was named to the All-Big Ten second team in addition to its all-defensive team as the first baseman.

Salpointe Catholic grad Allie Curtis, now at Central Michigan, was named a to the All-MAC first-team and all-freshman team.

TUSD athletes can receive $10 physicals Saturday

Physicians from Banner-University Medicine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine will be offering comprehensive sports physicals for $10 at Catalina High School on Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

The event is exclusively for student athletes within the Tucson Unified School District. Proceeds go back to each school’s athletic department. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and students should check with their athletic director to obtain a permission slip.

Physicals will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.