Legendary Salpointe soccer coach to return for '25-26 season | Greg Hansen

– Pueblo High junior America Cazares completed her third high school basketball season as the state leader in scoring, at 28.1 points per game. It pushes her career total to 2,026 points and in sixth place in Tucson history. Cazares has a chance next year to challenge the Arizona prep record of 2,913 points set by Julie Brase Hairgrove of Catalina Foothills, 1994-98.

– Remember Chase Davis, Arizona’s All-Pac-12 outfielder of 2023, who hit 20 home runs, drove in 70 runs and was a first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals? Davis is in the Cardinals spring training camp and had five at-bats through Thursday, expected to open the season in Triple-A. The Cardinals hired Arizona softball pitching icon Jennie Finch to help produce some videos during the ongoing spring training season. At the conclusion of the Davis video, Finch says, “So much athleticism. Insane.”

– Former Sabino High School shortstop J.J. Hardy, a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner for the Baltimore Orioles from 2004-17, is spending time as a spring training instructor with the Orioles this spring. Said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde: “We love having (Hardy) around. A great personality. We love having him in the coaches’ room. It’s fun to hear stories. We’re lucky to have him around.” Hardy, 42, who spends time between homes in Phoenix and in Montana, said he enjoys his time as a coach. “It’s fun because you give them one little thing and maybe this worked for me and you can see ‘em trying it instantly and picking up on it instantly. They’re pretty special,” he said.

– The AIA’s oft-questionable decision to stage “Open” division state championship competitions has backfired three times on Tucson teams this year. First, Marana High’s football team, 10-0 in the regular season, was moved out of 5A, where it was a heavy state title favorite but lost in the Open playoffs to Chandler Hamilton. Then, Sunnyside’s boys soccer team, 21-3, a powerhouse in 6A, was moved to the Open playoffs where it lost to Phoenix Pinnacle. And, most recently, Salpointe’s girls basketball team, 26-6, ranked No. 1 in 4A and the defending state champion, was moved to the Open playoffs where it lost to Valley Vista. Three probable state championship teams now won’t have those special, lifetime memories of being state champs, no trophies, no reunions, no unforgettable celebrations. The AIA needs to rethink the Open championship before more hearts are broken.