Baseball

After a sizzling regular season, the Aztec baseball team was looking for that same fire to ignite a long playoff run. However, after the first two games of the state tournament, the team witnessed a cooling trend.

Losing its first game to Desert Vista 13-0 and its second game to Highland High School 8-5, the Aztecs’ season was quickly burnt to ash.

“We had a great season, we shocked a lot of teams,” senior Justin Cooper said. “We just came up short in state.”

All season long, the Aztecs relied on timely hitting and strong defense to reach their 21- 10 record.

But the playoffs were a different story. Scoring only five runs in two games and giving up multiple errors left the team in holes from which it could not dig itself out.

“We played nervous and had a lack of experience in the playoffs,” Cooper said. “Our hitting was not as strong as it was all season.”

With the abrupt conclusion of this season, looking to next year, the team will not be short on ability and now will have more experience.

“They will have a great season (next year),” Cooper said.

“A lot of talented players are returning. They will be very exciting to watch. They will go deep in the state tournament.”

Track & Field

More than 30 Corona athletes have qualified to participate in state prelimins, due May 9 and 12, with favorite Phil Feinberg hoping to repeat his previous championship.

Ryan Kelly and Samia Stokes remained strong contenders for state championship honors in the discus event.

Other seniors who were expected to do well at state were Ian Caracciolo (100-meter hurdles), Kory Jackson (200 meters) and Landon Winters and Brandon Tunstall (pole vault).

Softball

In the middle of its state tournament, the team went 2-1 in its first three games. In the double elimination format, it will be facing a tough opponent, Basha High School in its next game to stay in the tournament.

The Lady Aztecs are a top contender for the title. Games are held at Rose Mofford Field.

Volleyball

With its tournament starting this previous week the Aztecs hope to get passed the first round and revenge its regular season losses to top-seeded Mountain Pointe who have only lost one match during the season.

Seton Catholic

Seton Catholic High School has named Ernie Pintor as its new head boys basketball coach. Pintor has been a member of the coaching staff since 1997, when he was hired to coach the freshman boys team. 

He also has served as junior varsity, assistant varsity head coach and interim varsity head coach.  He compiled a 79-14 record in five seasons as junior varsity coach and a 20-10 record last season as varsity coach. 

Pintor’s varsity team won the 3A South Region Championship and made it to the quarter final round of the 3A State Basketball tournament in the 2006-2007 season.