(back)

Sports Notebook
Spring break ends, athletes renew determination

With the arrival of spring break, athletes got some much-needed rest before continuing their quest to bring state championships to Corona del Sol High School.

For the past two years, the most feared girls tennis player in the state has resided at Corona. Lynley Wasson won the state singles championship during her sophomore and junior years, and will defend her title as a senior this season.

Wasson has seen her eminence grow nationwide, including a cover story on School Sports magazine this April.

After opening the season with losses to Mesa Mountain View and Red Mountain, the team has won five consecutive matches, renewing their hopes for a title.

Boys Tennis also retained their number one player, with senior Jorin Larsen returning to the team’s leadership role. Larsen is one of many returning lettermen, a list that includes juniors Richie Raun and Daniel Petrenco, and sophomore Greg Werner.

Werner combined with senior Mike Glindeman to take second place in the silver division at the Kiwanis Tennis Tournament.

The Aztecs hope to improve on their 3-2 record as the season progresses.

As always, one of Corona’s biggest rivals this season will Marcos de Niza, led by junior Tony Niccum.

The Padres will be without their star in the early part of this year, with Niccum opting to participate in the school’s theatrical rendition of Annie Get Your Gun. Niccum will return to the team after the break.

The Boys Volleyball team’s confidence is soaring after it placed second in the Chandler Wolf Howl Invitational.

In the absence of captain Jay Swirtz, who was resting an injured shoulder, senior Andrew Parady and junior Aram Asadi  stepped up.

Asadi tallied 19 aces through 16 games, including one stretch of seven consecutive aces, with Parady being named to the All-Tournament team. Junior Matt Fargotstein was forced into the starting setter position.

“It was really tiring, ” Fargotstein said.  “By the end of the tournament I’d lost two pounds but it was worth it to make it all the way to the finals.”

Softball at Corona is relying on a youth movement to perpetuate its winning ways.

Juniors Kelsey Starr and Caylyn Carlson were both named to the East Valley Tribune’s “Players to Watch” list.

A new addition to the softball squad is star freshman Ashley Hansen.  The team was riding a four-game winning streak into spring break.

The Boys Baseball team is struggling to prepare for a tough region schedule. Seniors T. J. Stapp and Gabe Sandersius have combined to give up only one earned run and four hits in their past two starts.

Unfortunately, the Aztecs have lacked offensive punch and lost both games. Because the team struggled to an 0-3 record early in the season, the coaching staff used the week off to work on hitting fundamentals.

The Corona Competition Cheer Squad, which consisted of members from the Varsity, JV, and Freshman squads, traveled to Nationals to test their skills against the best in the country.

The team did well enough the first day to be invited back for the final day of competition.

The squad finished off its season by placing ninth in the nation.

This was the first year that the competition squad has been in existence at Corona, and its success at Nationals will only help them become focused on garnering top honors next year.

“Everyone on the team feeds off each other’s energy,” sophomore Danielle Dicesare said. “All of our practice has definitely paid off.”

(back)