Baseball transfers don’t get the same publicity that football or basketball ones do, but they can still have big impacts on the competitive landscape.
Take what has happened in Scottsdale since the start of the season, for example.
First baseman Dylan Cozens was kicked off the team at Desert Mountain a week and a half ago, and promptly transferred to Chaparral. The Wolves lost a considerable talent, while the talented Firebirds only seemed to get better.
However, Cozens was ruled ineligible on Tuesday by the Arizona Interscholastic Association because a player can’t join …

With the way the power point standings work in boys basketball, it’s not only how many games a team wins, but when they do so.
Tournament games don’t count in the postseason race, and as we have seen this year, it can be a blessing or a curse.
Take Basha, for instance. The Bears went 5-3 in tournament games this year, including wins over 5A-II No. 1 Pinnacle and Hamilton. However, Basha has gone just 5-8 in power point games — including six losses by five points or less — and would …

Chandler had three individual champions, led by Dalton Brady, the outstanding wrestler in the lower weight classes, and came away with the team championship at the Payson Invitational on Saturday in Payson.
The Wolves edged Highland, which had four individual champions, scoring 399 points to the Hawks’ 381.5. Camp Verde was the third-place team (307) and Williams Field was fourth (254) in the 21-team event.
Brady cruised to the 112-pound title, pinning Rudy Peterson of Durango (Colo.) in 3:42 to take the title. Chandler’s Daniel Savage won the 160-pound division and Jose …

Matt Lewis confirmed a few minutes ago that he has been hired as the next football coach at McClintock.
Saguaro’s former offensive coordinator met with the Chargers players about an hour ago and said it was a productive meeting.
He will be bringing former Saguaro assistant Brandon Larson along as his offensive coordinator, and will also talk to other Saguaro assistants about their interest in joining his staff. Lewis may also keep some of the current McClintock coaches.
McClintock would like him to teach on-campus, although it must find an open spot for …

McClintock has offered its head football coaching position to Saguaro offensive coordinator Matt Lewis and he has accepted, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Lewis is the architect of Saguaro’s lethal spread offense, which has helped lead the Sabercats to three titles in his four years with the team. Saguaro is 50-5 with Lewis running the offense.
Lewis was a finalist for the Red Mountain vacancy last year and applied for the Corona del Sol, Higley and Mountain View openings this season. Lewis was someone Higley strongly considered, and …

A few thoughts as the first week of boys basketball action wraps up:
• Mesa point guard Jahii Carson had all of Gilbert’s defensive attention on Tuesday, and it’s going to be a recurring theme. He has talent around him. If Carson is willing to be a distributor, the team will be better than if he forces contested shots.
• Cameron Forte scored 38 points for McClintock in the team’s season opener, but no one else on the squad had more than seven points in a loss to Desert Vista. Does Forte have enough …

The Desert Sky Region is already taking its knocks, and the teams have yet to hit each other.
Both McClintock and Saguaro are dealing with injuries to key players as the football season looms.
The Chargers likely won’t have nose tackle Jabril Gipson for the season, as he continues to rehabilitate a torn anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus injury suffered in last year’s opening-round playoff loss to Tucson Canyon del Oro. Gipson had 41 tackles and six sacks last season, and played running back in short yardage situations.
Saguaro defensive …

McClintock nose tackle Jabril Gipson will likely miss his senior season as he recovers from the devastating knee injury he suffered in the first round of the 4A-I state tournament last year against Tucson Canyon del Oro.
In that game, Gipson tore his anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and his meniscus. The recovery time is 12 months, so McClintock coach Mike Gibbons doesn’t think Gipson will see the field this year.
Gipson played in the middle of McClintock’s three down linemen defense last year, regularly commanding double teams. He was also …

Mesa point guard Jahii Carson has separated himself as the best East Valley prospect in the 2011 boys basketball class, but there is a sleeper just a city over.
Tempe’s Jordan Baker missed much of last season after fracturing his wrist in December, so he was under the radar heading into this year’s club ball circuit.
However, on a team that featured St. Mary’s George Matthews, Mountain View’s Asaad Woods and Tribune Player of the Year Cameron Forte of McClintock among others, Baker was the player that stood out when I saw …