There are still six months left in the 2024-25 school year, but a trio of Marana High Tigers are pouncing on their athletic futures.
Seniors Bella Corona, Peyton Sharp and Owen Proper made it official Wednesday, on early signing day, linking themselves to schools in California, Utah and North Dakota, respectively.
From left, Marana signees Bella Corona (softball, Fresno State University); Owen Proper (wrestling, Utah Valley University); and Peyton Sharp (women’s soccer, Jamestown University) pose for a photo on signing day, Nov. 12, 2025.
“Oh my gosh, it’s such a breath of fresh air,” Corona said, having signed with Fresno State softball. “It’s the most amazing feeling, I’m so excited to play at the next level, it feels like such an accomplishment.”
Sharp, who is headed to the University of Jamestown to play soccer, said she was glad to be done with the process.
“Relieved, really relieved, because the recruiting process is not the best, but after signing everything feels so real,” Sharp said. “I’m just so excited to go up and play the sport, I love to play.”
Proper will wrestle for Utah Valley.
“It feels great, looking forward to the future a lot,” Proper said. “I’m really looking forward to going to Utah Valley.”
Finding a piece of
home in Jamestown
Courtney Sharp, left, watches her daughter Peyton Sharp sign to play women’s soccer for Jamestown University during a ceremony at Marana High School, 12000 W. Emigh Road on Wednesday.
Sharp is the latest in the Marana-to-Jamestown pipeline. The Jimmies’ football team features freshman offensive lineman Tyler Evans, freshman defensive back Dermain Linen, freshman defensive back Moses Miller and junior tight end Marcus Flores from Marana High School.
“It’s nice going so far, but knowing so many people at the same time because going far, you know, you’re scared, but knowing I have friends up there is gonna be nice, too,” Sharp said.
It’s not just friends Sharp is leaving behind on the Marana campus, her father, Jay Sharp, is the tackle football assistant coach there.
The University of Jamestown is an NCAA Division II school in North Dakota. The Jimmies went 2-13-2 this season.
At Jamestown, Sharp, who plays forward, will also catch up with freshman midfielder Isabella Martinez, who went to Tucson High. Sharp called her a rival because she was a Badger, but they did play club soccer together for the Pima County Surf for a couple seasons.
“My older cousins went there and they both said they loved it and the soccer program was amazing,” Sharp said about Jamestown. “And I want to study nursing and they have one of the best nursing programs.”
But before Sharp is North Dakota-bound, she has some business to attend to. Marana opens the season Dec. 1 against Mica Mountain in the Kelly Pierce Soccer Tournament at Salpointe Catholic.
“We’re looking pretty good,” said Sharp, who was first team All-6A South last season. “I have high hopes for winning our region and going to playoffs this year. We’re a very young team, but I have high hopes for us.”
Family feel in Fresno
Bella Corona, right, embraces her mother Meaghan Corona after signing to play softball for Fresno State University during a ceremony at Marana High School, 12000 W. Emigh Road on Wednesday.
Corona opted to further her softball career at Fresno State, a soon to be Pac-12 school.
“It was a tough decision for me, but they’re really all about me, they really are all about community and like being like family,” Corona said. “It’s a lot like being at home in Fresno — I love the staff, I love the players and really I just fell in love right when I went over there.”
Corona, who was the 6A South Region Offensive Player of the Year last season, played travel ball for the AZ Thundercats under former UA star Laura Espinoza-Watson.
In high school, she’s a third baseman and pitcher. The Bulldogs listed her as a second baseman/infielder in their announcement of the signing.
“I am probably gonna major in liberal studies to become a teacher, but I also am juggling between that and business and marketing,” Corona said.
Fresh start, fresh staff
Owen Proper signs to wrestle for Utah Valley University during a ceremony at Marana High School on Wednesday.
When Proper steps foot on the Utah Valley campus, he won’t be the only one jumping into something new.
“As soon as I went there, the coaches just felt like a perfect fit, coaches were great, it’s a new program,” Proper said. “They’re just starting, not a new program, but they’re new coaches and they’re really starting to up the game at Utah Valley.”
UVU is in Orem, Utah, and is in the WAC.
For his athletic and academic accomplishments, Proper was selected to the 2025 Academic All-American Team by the National High School Coaches Association. There was a record number of applicants across 22 sports.
“It’s great, academics always come first for me,” Proper said. “I’ve always had to have good grades in my house.”
Proper finished in third place at 138 pounds in Division I at the state championships last year. His sophomore year, he was second at 132 pounds.
On Nov. 25, Marana boys wrestling opens the season by hosting ALA — Gilbert North, Gilbert, Sahuarita and Queen Creek.
“This year we have a few young guys, but I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Proper said. “We got a lot of our guys from last year still coming back and I think we’ll have a good turnout at state.”
More signees
Other Arizona high school athletes expected to sign during the November early signing period include the following seniors. This list, compiled by the Arizona Daily Star and the Arizona Republic, is not complete, as some schools did not respond, but represents both Tucson-area athletes expected to sign and others from throughout the state who will be making their way to the Old Pueblo.
Basketball– Cameron Holmes, Millennium, Arizona
Baseball– Ben Ball, Hamilton, OF, Arizona
– Peyton Carson, Canyon del Oro, 3B/C, RHP, UT, Pima CC
– Ruben Celaya, Tucson, P, New Mexico State
– Michael Chopp, Canyon del Oro, MIF, Pima CC
– Nathan Coutts, Centennial, C, Pima CC
– Regen Mazura, Canyon del Oro, LHP, Utah Tech
– Anthony Milo, Salpointe Catholic, 1B, Trinity University (Texas)
– Tommy Pascanu, Sandra Day O’Connor, LHP, Arizona
– Orlando Pinedo, Desert View, INF, Cochise CC
– Colton Raetzman, Salpointe Catholic, OF, Utah Tech
– Francisco Rivero Jr., Canyon del Oro, C/3B, Arizona
– Raydon Rocha, Mica Mountain, MIF, Wallace CC-Dothan
– Abram Sherrin, Liberty, MIF, Arizona
– Landen Walker, Tanque Verde, MIF, Pima CC
Softball– Addie Angell, Marana, Scottsdale CC
– Hayden Bores, Ironwood Ridge, Western New Mexico University
– Amelia DeAnda, Canyon del Oro, OF, Cornell College
– Julia Donnelly, Mountain View, Nelson University
– Maddie Holzer, Walden Grove, RHP, Utah State
– Natalie Holzer, Walden Grove, C, Utah State
– Violet Mitchell, Liberty, Arizona
– Alyssa Montano, Salpointe, Benedictine University
– Kelsey Rolls, Canyon del Oro, C, San Diego
– Rilynn Sanchez, Flowing Wells, Park University
Volleyball– Caitlin Hurley, Salpointe, New Mexico Highlands
– Kate Mobley, Salpointe, OH, Wichita State
– Natalie Mobley, Salpointe, OH, Colorado State-Pueblo
– Nicole Monge, Salpointe, L, Colorado State-Pueblo
Soccer– Zoey Gist, Canyon del Oro, outside midfielder, New Mexico State
– Mariely Jimenez, Tucson High, goalkeeper, Adams State
Golf– Joseph Nelson, Hamilton, Arizona
Track and field– Karsten Lewis, Canyon del Oro, women’s hurdles, Utah
