This is it:  The last of the regular season matchups. All teams vying for playoff positions, “bubble teams” trying to get into the top-24, and jostling for one of those top 8 seeds (especially in Div. I and Div. II) have until Wednesday evening to determine whether summer vacation begins early.
The top 4 teams in each Section (based on power points) are automatic entrants, with the remaining 12 spots based solely on power points.
We’ll update the state tournament brackets as soon as they’re posted late this week.
Let’s get to it.
(All …

And then there were two. As in, two weeks of regular season action left before the softball state tournaments begin in earnest on April 28.
The playoff push begins now, because teams who wait until next week to try and make a move could easily be left on the lurch.
(All games are 4 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All records are power point games as of Monday morning):
Xavier at Basha (Tuesday):  The Gators took last week off for their (late) spring break, and are No. 1 in power points at 13-0. The …

In the midst of the April softball power point race with two weeks of games left, let’s get to it:
(All games at 4 p.m. unless noted. All records are power point games only as of Monday afternoon):
Chandler at Basha (Tuesday):  The Wolves (9-2) continue to be one of the nicer stories in EV softball this season, but one of those losses came big against Basha in early March (a 12-2 defeat) and the Bears, despite losing to big to Gilbert recently, are playing well. Are the Wolves a better team?  …

Firmly entrenched in the power point season again, let’s cut to the chase with plenty of really good softball matchups this week (of course that’s easy to come by when it’s 3 or 4 games per week for most schools).
(All games at 4 p.m. unless noted; All records are power point as of Monday, April 2):
Red Mountain at Gilbert (Tuesday):  Probably the biggest game of the week and another preview of Div. I state tournament semifinals or even championship game the way these two schools have been playing. Gilbert won …

Spring Break and big-time tournaments highlighted most of the past two weeks. That’s especially true for those who played in the Desert Mountain tournament, with Mountain View beating Paradise Valley for the championship.  Practically everyone there Saturday felt their team was significantly better having gone through that week’s worth of competition.
Now, however, the party is over. With most schools dealing with three- and four-games per week this week and through the month of April, it’s back to power point contests in-full.
Here we go (all records are power point games only …

From the better-late-than-never file, Williams Field won the Krysten Diehl softball tournament last weekend in Maricopa.
The Black Hawks went 7-0 in the three-day tournament (including three games on day one of the tournament) and beat Casa Grande Vista Grande for a second time in the tournament to win the title. The 8-4 championship victory was aided by an 8-2 lead after three innings. Jessica Delawder went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in the win.  Tara O’Dell, Trinity Watts and Dakota Keipert also led the way offensively, while …

Here is the schedule for the seventh annual Highland Triple Play Classic baseball tournament, which runs from March 12-15:
Monday, March 12:
Dobson at Perry, 9 a.m
Highland at Mesa, 9 a.m.
Williams Field at Dobson, 12 p.m.
Cesar Chavez at Mesa, 12 p.m.
Apache Junction at Cesar Chavez, 3 p.m.
Williams Field at Perry, 3 p.m.
Highland at Apache Junction, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 13:
John Paul II at Dobson, 9 a.m.
Mesa at Apache Junction, 9 a.m.
John Paul II at Williams Field, 12 p.m.
Cesar Chavez at Highland, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 14:
Four pool play games at higher seed depending on …

It’s the final week of the regular season as all final matches take place Thursday night. With the new division/section alignment, 9 automatic qualifying spots for the state tournament (top 3 in each section based on power points) and seven other at-large bids based on PP, it’s going to be a wild finish with many schools playing 2-3 matches this week, and a lot of really good teams will be left out to dry.
(All records are power point matches only as of Monday afternoon):
Perry vs. Mesquite  (Monday); at Mountain Pointe …

A day late (and more than a dollar short these days), so apologies for being late with this Week in (Pre-)view of top girls basketball games this week as we hit the stretch run before sectional tournaments.  So without further ado let’s get to some jam-packed schedules……..
(All records are for power point games only through  Monday. All games at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise):
Red Mountain at Hamilton (Tuesday):  It’s the No. 2 Lions (9-4) against No. 4 Hamilton (9-1) in a hecukva “freedom” game matchup. Backcourts will rule the show …

Williams Field wide receiver Sean Schweichler aggravated his knee injury in the second half of a 22-20 loss to Queen Creek on Friday and will not play against Thunderbird in the first round of the Division III state tournament, coach Steve Campbell said.
Schweichler has 42 carries for 499 yards and 10 touchdowns this season and seven catches for 163 yards and two more scores. He is also a dangerous punt and kick returner.
Schweichler went up to catch a pass and came down on the knee to tweak the injury. Campbell …