Sports News

Vandal/Tiger Football Programs Preparing for New Head Coaches, By M. Casillas

Miami High School is once again searching for a new Varsity Football Coach, after Bill Godsil officially resigned from the position on April 10. Godsil, who coached the Vandals to a disappointing 3-6-1 record during his only year, is leaving Miami to take over as Head Coach at Gallup New Mexico’s Gallup High School. In a statement to Copper Country News, Godsil stated "I would like to thank all the fine members of the community of Miami for all of their support this past football season. While the season was not what I had envisioned, the community was always supportive. Thank-you to all those great Miami Vandal Football supporters. Your support will never be forgotten." With such short notice and considering the dismal financial situation facing the district, it is expected that the school will hire Godsil’s replacement from within. Possible candidates for the position include, Lee Kornegay, Coach, Manny Noriega and 1995 MHS Graduate, Levi Shaffer. Shaffer is an assistant coach and is currently running spring workouts for the team. In Globe, the Tiger football team will also be taking the field under a new leader this season. This, after six year head Coach Mike O’Neal resigned from his coaching position to run the school’s Career in Technical Education Program. O’Neal took over the program in 2003, one year after Globe won a State Championship with a 12-1 record. Under O’Neal's direction the Tigers were unable to make a single trip back to the playoffs and only had one winning season. That solo winning season was in 2006 when the team finished with a 6-4 record. Globe Athletic Director, Cindy Parravano, says Globe’s new coach is Eric Hjalmarson. Coach Hjalmarson is a 1996 graduate of Blue Ridge High School. He also played football for the Yellow Jackets under legendary coach Paul Moro, who coached Blue Ridge to 10 State Championships in 17 seasons between 1984 and 2004. That total includes four straight State Championships between 1994 and 1997. Coach Hjalmarson was part of that Blue Ridge dynasty. He has three State Championship rings from his high school playing years in 1994, 1995 and 1996. He was most recently the defensive back’s coach for the Blue Ridge JV and Varsity teams.

Utah Angler Wins FLW Event on Roosevelt Lake

Photo:Pro Angler, Roy Hawk holds his trophy high at the weigh-in held at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Payson.

Pro, Roy Hawk of Salt Lake City, Utah, caught a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to win the Stren Series Western Division tournament on Lake Roosevelt with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 42-6. For his victory, Hawk earned $20,423 cash and a fully rigged Ranger boat. "This is a dream come true to be able to stand up here and do this," said Hawk, who now has won back-to-back Stren Series Western Division events, after the season opener last month at Clear Lake. "And to be competing in this top 10 with so many great friends." Hawk opened the tournament in third place Thursday with five bass weighing 14-12. He then caught five bass weighing 13-12 Friday to make the crucial top-10 cut in first place. Rounding out the top five pros are Team National Guard pro Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz. (14 bass, 38-3, $8,169); Cody Meyer of Redding, Calif. (15 bass, 34-1, $6,536); David Stachowski of Tucson, Ariz. (14 bass, 33-12, $5,719); and Justin Kerr of Simi Valley, Calif. (15 bass, 33-4, $4,902). David Valdivia of Norwalk, Calif., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Thursday – a 7-pound, 14-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s big bass award of $333. Despite his inherent advantage of local knowledge, Payson resident, Clifford Pirch, admitted that he had a tough tournament for the same reason as everyone else. The cold front that pushed into the area a day before the tournament, torched many of the plans established during practice. “I really had to scratch around,” he said. "That cold front changed things for me. I expected to be able to sight fish all week. I was looking at some big fish (in practice), but it just never happened." Vu Au of Tucson, Ariz., won the Co-angler Division and a 177TR Ranger boat and trailer, with a three-day total of eight bass weighing 23-10. Au caught five bass weighing 16-5 Thursday while fishing with pro Don McBride of Phoenix, Ariz., to open the tournament in first place. On Friday, he added two more bass weighing 5-13 to make the top 10 cut in first place while fishing with pro Ronald Hammett of Alpine, CA. Finally, on Saturday, he sealed the win with one bass weighing 1-8 while fishing with pro, Roy Hawk. Derrek Stewart of Venice, CA., and Joe Jensen of Queen Creek, Ariz., shared the big bass of the tournament award in the Co-angler Division with a pair of 4-pound, 9-ounce bass they caught that earned them each $166.

Tigers Continue to Dominate

Pictured: Gabe Valtierra

Globe baseball picked up a pair of conference victories last week, improving their record to an impressive 13-0. The Tigers hosted Coolidge on Tuesday, April 14. For the second time this season, Globe was able to put up 12 runs on the Bears in a 12-3 win. Globe was led by Junior, Zach Powell, who had a staggering six RBI’s in the game. Twice, Coolidge opted to intentionally walk Brady Wager to get to Powell and twice Powell made them pay, hitting a double with the bases loaded in the fourth inning as well as a two run home run in the sixth. Billy Kidd also went yard in that sixth inning with a two-run homer of his own. On Friday, April 17, Globe traveled to Tucson to take on the Empire Ravens in a game played at Tucson Electric Park, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks springGametraining facility. On the mound, Senior Brady Wager pitched six shutout innings for the Tigers en-route to a 10-0 win. Zach Powell went two for three at the plate including a two RBI double. Billy Kidd went two for four at the plate with two RBIs. Also enjoying performing well in the game was Vince Buzan, who went two for three with two RBIs. Despite the perfect regular season record, Globe sits in second place in AIA Power Rankings behind a 13-2 Winslow team. The team traveled to Fountain Hills on Tuesday. They will begin a four game home stand on Friday, April 24, when they face Safford. The team will then host Show Low on April 28, Santa Crcuz on April 18, and Maricopa on May 1.

Lady Tigers Win 5th Straight Game

Coach Dino Horta and the Lady Tigers have now won five consecutive games after another solid week of play last week. Globe easily defeated Coolidge on April 14 by a score of 11-2. Two days later, the ladies took down San Tan Foothills 14-1 in yet another double digit scoring effort for the team’s high powered offense. The Tigers made it five straight wins when they topped the Empire Ravens on Friday, April 17. With the wins, Globe improved to 11-4 and is currently ranked #8 in AIA Power Rankings. Two 3A South teams are ranked higher than Globe. Those teams are Santa Cruz at #3 and Safford at #2. Globe will take on both those teams this week, playing at Safford on April 24 and at Santa Cruz on April 2.

Lady Vandals Win Two/Lose Two in Conference Play

Pictured:Miami's Nichole Mostrales watches a fly ball as she attempts to advance to third base.

The Lady Vandals strengthened their playoff hopes with two conference wins over San Carlos and Hayden last week. Miami hosted San Carlos on April 14. In that game, pitcher, Rebecca Lopez, contributed another fantastic performance, throwing a complete game, allowing seven hits, two earned runs and striking out eight in the 10-2 Vandal win. Offensively, Miami had 12 hits and six RBI's, including two from Senior, Raimee Mawson, who went three for three at the plate, scoring twice. On April 16, Miami hosted Hayden. The Vandals got on the board first when Alyssa Dodd got on base with a double to right-center field. She later scored on an RBI single by Rebecca Lopez. Hayden would take the lead in the second inning after scoring three runs on two hits and two Miami errors, but Miami was able to tie the game at three in the bottom of the second, behind a series of Hayden throwing errors. In the fourth inning, Hayden was able to take the lead again at 4-3 after a Miami error plated a run. However, that lead would not hold as Miami scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two RBI triple by Jacalyn Joseph. Pitcher, Rebecca Lopez then shut out the Lobos in their final at bat, giving Miami the 5-4 win. Later in the week, Miami dropped two straight games on the road, falling to San Manuel 2-14 on April 17 and Morenci 1-3 on April 20. The ladies hosted Baboquivari on April 21 and will host Superior on April 24.