January 7, 2006

Although winter break has started for most students at Corona del Sol High School, varsity athletes continue their work.

Aztec Varsity Basketball remained undefeated by winning the McClintock Holiday Shootout. Corona defeated Central Region rival Desert Vista High School 75-60 to improve its record to 14-0.

Along the way to the championship game, the Aztecs narrowly defeated 4A Sahuaro in overtime 70-69, McClintock 70-67, and Desert Mountain High School. 

Corona turned up the intensity in the championship game against a tough Desert Vista team that had defeated the highly regarded Mountain View Toros.

Senior Sean Imadiyi led the way for the Aztecs with 20 points, along with 6 blocked shots. 

“Desert Vista is really good at putting the ball on the floor and getting to the hoop,” Senior Clayton Bates said. 

“However, Sean in the middle forced them to alter their shots and he had six blocks. On offense, no one could match up with him.”

The Aztecs will now be preparing for the always-tough Central Region. Although Desert Vista was defeated in the championship game, they won’t be easy for the Aztecs to beat again.

“Desert Vista is a young team, but they’re also very athletic,” Bates said.  “They will go far this year in state, just hopefully not as far as us.”

With at least two more meetings between these teams, the Aztecs will have to continue their stellar play to become Central Region Champions.

Girls Varsity Soccer continues its near perfect season with a 2-0 win over Mountain View in the championship game of the holiday tournament.

“It feels really good to win the Dobson Mustang Invitational,” sophomore Courtney Mayers said.  “We had a rocky start to our season, but now we are getting our chemistry back.”

Mayers helped the Aztecs break an 0-0 stalemate in the championship game with a key goal.  Despite the loss of senior captain Ashley Allen to an ACL injury, Corona continues to find ways to win. 

The Aztecs continue to have another strong season with 13 wins, one defeat and one tie. The only loss for this year’s squad was against Horizon High School.

Sophomore Brittany Cole and junior Alexa Daiutolo have helped carry the offensive load for the Aztecs so far this season.

“We work really well together and we all get along,” Mayers said.  “That’s the reason we do so well.”

Boys Varsity Soccer struggled early in the season, but two big victories have helped the team turn its season around.

“We had two big wins against Brophy and Hamilton,” junior Paul Schauwecker said. “We are pretty solid this year, we are definitely better than a .500 team.”

Although the Aztecs currently have a 5-6-1 record, there remains a lot of optimism about their season.  New varsity head coach Dan Salas has a young Aztec team that can improve as the season goes on.

“We have two of the best strikers in our region and even in Arizona,” Schauwecker said.

The Central region will be extremely tough for the Aztecs as Desert Vista is currently the number-one ranked team in power points, and Mountain Pointe, winner of the Dobson Mustang Invitational, is not far behind.