Red Mountain Sports Recap 2012 - 2013

Boys Golf:

     Boys golf began as a young team with little experience, however, by the end of the season, they were transformed into a more mature and skilled group of golfers. Coach Hamilton put the boys in a variety of situations and they gained invaluable experience by playing better and older teams. They ended their season with 14 wins and seven losses.

     “My personal highlight of the season was watching the boys really mature and get better over the course of the season,” said Coach Hamilton. “It’s everything that a coach wants for his team.”

Girls Golf:

     Ending the season with 13 wins and seven losses, the girls golf team finished triumphantly. Kaitlyn Saum and Katelyn Hicks qualified for the State Tournament and veteran players improved their score averages from last year. Coach Smith will continue the strategy of continuing the fellowship between old and new players, strengthening knowledge of the rules of golf, developing strong course management skills and participating in school wide programs to improve the community.

     “The team has grown,” said Coach Smith. “Our practices were meaningful and focused. When we played either for practice or for competition, the girls gave it 100 percent.”

Swim and Dive:

     Swim and dive ended their season with five wins and eight losses and received first place at the Coyote Classic out of 30 teams. With many students qualifying for State, Coach Peterson was pleased with the outcome of the season. The team trained hard during the early part of the season, and the difficulty of the workouts greatly increased by the end of the season.

     “I was very happy with the season,” said Coach Peterson. “I feel like we had the most improvement of any team.”

Cross Country:

     The cross country team ran to victory this season. Both the girls and boys teams qualified for State, which had not been accomplished the year before. Coach Krieg pushed both teams to win, run fast and work to excel.

     “The season went well by all accounts,” said Coach Krieg. “They have gotten faster, more dedicated and have become more of a team.”

Football:

     With a well-adjusting defense and a strong offense, the football team had a season of achievement. Senior and quarterback Mason Thorman threw effectively, while seniors Drake Pierre, Aeron Carr and Ethan Cortazzo proved to be capable receivers. The boys had nine wins and two losses, but the highlight of the season was beating Brophy Prep 33-31 and taking one step closer to the Division 1 title.

     “Overall we had a good season,” said Coach Wisniewski. “We began young and with no returning defense players, but the team greatly improved their defense.”

Spiritline:

     Cheer and Pom ended their season triumphantly. Pom qualified for AIA State and USA Nationals in their first two competitions of the season. They went on to win fifth place at the AIA State Competition in Prescott, first place at State and10th place at USA Nationals at Disneyland.

     “I am proud of the way their skills and talents advanced individually and the way they melded together to become a championship team,” said pom coach, Coach Guthrie.

     Five man won first place at the AIA regional competition and qualified for the AIA championship. Five man placed third out of 48 teams and cheer placed fourth in the nation. This was the first time five man and cheer qualified for nationals.

Badminton:

     Badminton captured victory by finishing the season undefeated with 35 wins and zero losses. Dr. Gillen adopted the strategy of anticipating the movement of the defense and exploiting the opponents’ weaknesses, which will be continued to be used in future seasons.

     “This season was one of the most successful seasons my team has had,” said Dr. Gillen. “The highlight of the season was during the state tourney when we defeated Chandler to go to the Final Four.”

Boys Basketball:

     Boys basketball ended the season with 46 wins and 19 losses. Players qualified for the All-Region, All-Section and All-State teams both for their play on the court and their efforts in the classroom. Previous Desert Mountain High School basketball coach, Coach Fazio, will be taking over as new head coach next season.

     “The highlight of the season was winning the Salpointe Tip-Off Classic over Thanksgiving weekend,” said Coach Krieg. “We played well and did a great job of working together.”

Girls Basketball:

     The varsity girls basketball team experienced a season of growth. Despite having only one returning senior, the girls worked to improve their skills and gained a better understanding of how to compete against high level teams. They won the Goldwater Classic, played in the championship game at the So Cal Classic and ended the season with seven wins and 12 losses.

     “This year we implemented a new offense, which we will be better adapted to going forward,” said Coach Appel.

Baseball:

     The baseball team is fine tuning their skills with each game and practice. Coach Pagel is having every team member contribute by using all the players in the games. The team had the exciting experience of beating Mountain View 8-4 at Chase Field on March 30.

     “We’ve had our ups and downs, but I am confident that we have even better days ahead,” said Coach Pagel.

Softball:

     Currently ranked seventh in Arizona, the softball team is working to win the State title. Coach Hamilton is putting the girls in as many situations as possible and is working on bettering their defensive strategy.

      “We are analyzing every situation during practice, so we know how to react during games,” said Coach Hamilton.

Boys Soccer:

     The boys soccer team had 11 wins, five losses and two ties, while reaching the Semi-finals of the Tempe Diablo Tournament for the first time. Additionally, they won the Mesa City League Title and senior Carson Frost was placed on the All-State team.

      “We developed confidence and belief,” said Coach Presnell. “The boys soccer team has developed a culture, an attitude of winning. We hope that it continues.”

Boys Volleyball:

     With a new lineup, boys volleyball is working to make it to the playoffs. The team played well in the Chandler Tournament, receiving third in the Silver Division. Coach Peebles’ strategy is minimizing mistakes and utilizing their defense, which is their key asset. 

     “The boys understand that they are only as good as the team,” said Coach Peebles. “We are one unit, and they play best when they work together.”

Track and Field:

   New head coach, Coach Barge implemented a new program to produce a quicker and more versatile boys track team. Athletes attend morning sessions and lifting sessions along with practice during sixth hour and after school.

      “We want to push athletes to their maximum potential, and we have built a great base in which future teams can now build on,” said Coach Barge.

     Thirteen girls track members qualified to participate at the nationally recognized track meet at Arcadia, Calif., and they have taken two invites, which has not happened in a number of years.

     “My players have understood that the team is the important part of track,” said Coach Krieg. “They work hard together, so that their individual success is shared by all.”

Boys Tennis:

     Boys tennis is taking their season one match at a time. Coach Graves’ strategy is learning the fundamentals and technique of the game first, and then focusing on tactics, mentality and physical conditioning.

     “You have to believe you can do it,” said Coach Graves. “You have to faith in yourself, fight for each point, focus on the game and finish strong.”