Press

January 9, 2012 - Catalina Foothills girls' soccer team should be considered a favorite to repeat as state champions, and a recent ESPN poll indicates just that: The Foothills girls are ranked #1 in Arizona and #26th overall nationally, according to the poll.  Full story...


A great year for tennis in 2011 and continuing into 2012
January 9, 2012 - The last year was a highly successful one on the tennis court for our Speed School athletes, and ended on a high note, with one athlete competing in USTA Nationals, and another being recognized by Greg Hansen as one of the Top 100 Sports Figures of 2011.  See both stories below.  

Zaina Sufi among Top 100 Sports Figures of 2011 (Full story...)
Kirtana Bhat competing in quarterfinal round of USTA Nationals (Full story...)

Small schools looking to higher competition 
January 9, 2012 - One of the things we encourage among all our Speed School athletes is a sense of competitiveness that not only wants to win, but wants to beat the best competition out there.  That's why we were so excited to see two separate articles recently featuring some of our Speed School athletes seeking out the best competition.  Read both articles below:

Desert Christian boys basketball schedules high-level mid-season tournament against Division I schools (Full story...)

Pusch Ridge girls basketball moves up two levels to become the smallest school competing at Division II (Full Story...)

Arizona Daily Star 2011 Football All-Stars 
January 9, 2012 - Six Speed School athletes were among those honored last month when The Arizona Daily Star released their Southern-Arizona All-Star teams for football.  They include Salpointe's Jared Sires and Sahuaro's Joe Grono, both third-team wide receivers.  Additionally, Tucson High's Rayvean Moore, Sabino's Ian Pickrel, and Sahuaro's Josh Miller and Kasey Ackerley were named Honorable Mention selections.  Congratulations to all six and keep up the hard work!  Full list...

Basketball updates 
January 9, 2012 - A majority of our basketball players spent a portion of their Winter Break competing in local Holiday Tournaments.  On the boys' side, Desert Christian got balanced scoring from Ryan Barents, Ben Brandon, and Luke Gleason in their win against Sahuarita, while Sabino got strong play from Matt Price, but ultimately fell to CDO (Full Story...).  

On the girls' side, the tournaments ended with three Speed School athletes being named to All-Tournament teams: Pusch Ridge's Gabby Courtney and Abby Maas in the Northwest Desert Classic (All-Tournament Teams), and Desert Christian's Maddy Peddy in the Flowing Wells Shootout (All-Tournament Team).  

2011 Fall All-Stars 

December 13,2011 - The Arizona Daily Star released their All-Star teams for cross-country, swimming, volleyball, and golf, including four Speed School athletes who received Honorable Mention recognition.  On the boys' side, Pusch Ridge's Josh Tvrdy and UHS' Brandon Dorr were both recognized for cross-country.  Among the girls, Sahuaro's Katie Riddle was listed for volleyball and Sabino's Courtney Ivanoff (golf) were also named.  Complete Daily Star listings...

Additionally, two individuals were also named to the Tucson Citizen All-Star team for football: Sabino's Sunthi Danh and Salpointe's Jared Sires, named to the first- and second-teams, respectively.  Dunh, an all-purpose back/returner for the Sabercats, was also named to the Arizona Football Coaches Top 25 players for the season.  Complete Citizen listings...  

Speed School athlete signs with Northern Colorado 

November 29, 2011 - Salpointe's Tyler Kimbrough joins two other Speed School athletes from the 2012 class to be continuing at the next level, signing a letter-of-intent with Division I Northern Colorado.  From the school website: "Tyler is very disciplined at the plate," head coach Carl Iwasaki stated, "he can also play virtually any position on the field and will benefit the program."  Read more...

Eagles win Boyd Baker tournament 

November 29, 2011 - The Desert Christian boys' team - typically one of the strongest of the small schools - is off to a good early start, having won the Thanksgiving Boyd Baker tournament.  The Eagles, led by a number of Speed School athletes, defeated Tanque Verde in the final.  See article here.  

Speed School athletes in Brandon Bean tournament 

November 29, 2011 - Almost all of our high school soccer players were busy this last weekend with the annual Brandon Bean soccer tournament.  For defending state champion Catalina Foothills girls, it wasn't until two of our athletes connected to get the scoring started.  Amber Measley put a corner from Tori Augustinovich in goal to provide the first of two scores in the Falcon girls' first game.  For more updates on the tournament, see the Tucson Citizen page here.  

Speed School athlete in Old Spice Classic on ESPN

November 21,2011 - Speed School athlete Brandon Burnett will play along with his teammates in the Old Spice Classic men's college basketball tournament over Thanksgiving Break.  Burnett, who trained with the Speed School program while in high school at Cienega and in preparation for Division I basketball, is a 6-6 guard for Indiana State.  His team faces Texas Tech at 10:00 Thanksgiving Day on ESPN, and will be featured again on Friday and Sunday, also on ESPN/ESPN2.  For complete game times and details, click here.

  

Cienega advances to state championship game

November 22, 2011 - In a game that featured Speed School athletes on both sides of the ball, Cienega defeated Ironwood Ridge 24-21 to advance to the state title game.  They will play #1-ranked Chaparral on Saturday for the state championship.  Good luck Bobcats!  Full story...

Also over the weekend, Sabino got an early touchdown from Sunthi Dunh, but it wasn't enough as the Sabercats lost to Scottsdale Saguaro in the semifinal game.  Congratulations to the Sabercats on a strong season.  Full story...   

Cienega, Ironwood, Sabino all still in state title hunt

November 17, 2011 - All three Southern Arizona football powerhouses are still alive in their quest for state championships.  #2 Cienega faces #6 Ironwood on Friday, while #1 Sabino faces #5 Scottsdale Saguaro on Saturday.  Full story...  

"Nobody's in better shape than the kids at Sabino" - A must-read look by the Arizona Daily Star on the high level of coaching at Sabino (Jay Campos) and Cienega (Nemer Hassey).  Full Story...

Cross-country runners named first-team All-Stars: 

November 17, 2011 - UHS' Brandon Dorr and Pusch Ridge's Josh Tvrdy were both named to Tucson Citizen's first-team All-Southern Arizona teams.  Dorr, part of a very strong Rincon/UHS team, was named to the First Team for Division I.  Tvrdy, the number-one runner for Pusch Ridge Academy, was also listed as a First Team selection (Division IV).  Dorr and Tvrdy, sophomores and juniors, respectively, are considered some of the top returners for next season.  All-Star teams.    

Pair of Speed School athletes sign collegiately

November 17, 2011 - Congratulations to Zaina Sufi of Catalina Foothills and Ashley Curtis of Salpointe for their recent letter-of-intent collegiate signings.  Sufi, a tennis state champion, signed with the DePaul University tennis program.  Curtis will be continuing with the Northwestern (Wash.) softball team.  Good luck to both girls as they continue at the next level!  List of Tucson-area signees.   

Sabino football wins OT thriller 34-31

November 17, 2011 - Congrats to the Sabercats and particularly our Speed School athletes for their thrilling, down-to-the-wire win against defending 4A State Champion Phoenix Thunderbird.  With scores from Cael Conlon, Sunthi Dunh, a fumble recovery by Ian Pickrel, and tough between-the-tackles running from Cody Lloyd, Sabino got a late score from Dunh to tie the game and send it into overtime.  In the extra period, Thunderbird struck first with a field goal, but Sabino won the game when the Sabercats matched with a touchdown.  #1 Sabino (11-1) will face Saguaro in the semifinal game this Saturday.  

For full story: http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/11/11/sabino-over-thunderbird-in-overtime/

Post-season quickly approaching for fall sports

October 27, 2011 - November brings the time of year that all of our fall athletes train for - football, soccer, and volleyball playoffs, as well as the state cross-country meet for our endurance athletes.  A number of our athletes and teams are poised for a successful postseason, not least of which are the powerhouse Desert Christian boys and girls soccer teams.  Both have #2 seeds entering the playoffs - earning first-round byes - and play this weekend in Phoenix. 

A number of our football players also look to do their part to help their teams, as four area schools enter into the month of November with legitimate shots at a state title.  Sabino football is currently ranked #2 in Division 3, and Division 4 has Cienega as a #2 seed, Salpointe #3, and CDO #10 (complete rankings here).

We've also seen some great results from our younger athletes as well.  Three Speed School-trained youth football teams enter the city championships playoffs, which begin this weekend, with #1 seeds.  On the soccer field, the TMSFC Great White won the 2011 Soctoberfest.  What makes this win so impressive is that the Great White are an age 12-and-under team - and won playing in the U14 division.

Good luck to all teams this month - this is what we've trained for all off-season!          

Desert Christian wins battle of top soccer teams

September 29, 2011 - Two goals by Desert Christian were needed in a come-from-behind win against Div. IV powerhouse Willcox.  Along with a win against St. Gregory, this puts the Eagles in prime position for one of the top seeds entering the state tournament.  Full story here.

 

Speed School athlete crucial in tournament win

September 13, 2011 - Speed School athlete Colby Wilson, a Salpointe outfielder, provided a crucial go-ahead RBI triple in the championship game of the West Labor Day Tournament in Phoenix.  Playing at the Rockies' and Diamondbacks' facilities, the 520 Elite Club team was dominant throughout the tournament, winning both the 16U and 18U divisions.  In doing so, they cemented their reputation as the top travel team in Tucson.  Full story...


Speed of Sabino backs too much for Palo Verde
September 13, 2011 - Sabino was dominant in its 50-0 win over Palo Verde, bringing the Sabercats to 2-1 on the season.  Speed School athletes demonstrated their speed out of the backfield, with Cody Lloyd rushing for two scores, Sunthi Danh scoring a rushing touchdown and also a 50-yard punt return for a score, and Zach Joseph with a 92-yard touchdown run.  Full story...

Sabino's Sunthi Danh eludes defenders en route to a 50-yard punt return. 

Sophomore runner hopes to help team contend for state title
September 13, 2011 - Speed School athlete Brandon Dorr will be joining talented teammates in a hunt for the state cross-country title.  The Rincon/UHS Rangers finished 7th at the state meet last year and hope to improve upon that finish this season.  Already off to a strong start, Dorr took 2nd-place in one of the first meets of the year at Pusch Ridge, behind teammate and overall winner Ryan Silva.

For complete stories visit: Rangers in hunt for state title (Arizona Daily Star) and Rincon wins early meet at Pusch Ridge (Tucson Citizen). 


Frist-place finish for Speed School athlete at BMX Nationals

July 27, 2011 - Sammy Montijo - one of our youngest athletes in the Desert Speed School program - recently completed a weekend of competition at Las Vegas Nationals and returned with an armful of hardware. Competing in the 8-year old expert class, Sammy placed 1st, 4th, and 5th in his events over the course of the weekend, which included top riders from across the country.  "We're thrilled," said his father, Sam Montijo, "he's never placed this high before, and to do so at Nationals is great for his confidence."

To improve his speed, acceleration, and balance on the bike, Sammy has been working for the last several months with one of our Head Trainers, Luis Quiroga.  His program has emphasized leg strength, power, and reaction time in addition to improving his overall core and upper-body strength.  Training alongside much older athletes, Sammy has seen great improvements in his athletic skills - with great results to show for it! 

Sabino standout Carly Cathey signs with Hamiline University

July 27, 2011 - (This story originally appeared in the Tucson Citizen.  View original article here).  Sabino standout Carly Cathey signed to play basketball at Division-III Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Cathey was a four-year varsity player at Sabino and team captain for two years, earning 1st team all-region honors during her junior season and 2nd team all-region her senior year. She averaged 10.1 points per game and made 57 3-point field goals during her senior year.

According to Sabino coach Al Addleman, Cathey was instrumental in returning the Sabercat program to the state playoffs for the last two years after a 12 year absence.

College Showcase Tournaments
July 18, 2011 - With summer comes a time of high-level competition for our softball players.  Arizona is known for being one of the strongest states in the sport of softball, and it's during this time that our girls get the chance to travel throughout the country and compete against some of the top national competition.  Speed School athletes who are competing in national showcases or the national championships include:

National Championships
Brooklyn Beardshear
Kelsey Levey
Ashley Curtis

National Showcases

Brooklyn Beardshear
Ashley Curtis
Paige Peterson
Ashlen Vega
Vanessa Aguirre
Allie Curtis
Ashlee Skillings

Spring Honor Roll
June 27, 2011 - The Arizona Daily Star recently released their honor roll for boys' and girls' track, boys' and girls' tennis, baseball, softball, and boys volleyball, and thirty-one Speed School athletes were honored - a large number of state champions among them.  Athletes honored include:

Tyler Grammar, IRHS - Track & Field, State Champion (4x100 relay), 3rd-place (200), 5th-place (100), 
First-Team (4x100), First-Team (200), Second-Team (100), Arizona Daily Star
TucsonCitizen.com  All-Star selection (100, 200, 400, 4x100) 
Wade Heerboth, Foothills - Tennis, State Champion (Team), First-team, Arizona Daily Star
Rachana Bhat, Foothills - Tennis, State Champion (Team), First-team, Arizona Daily Star
Courtney Amos, Salpointe- Tennis, State Champion (Team), First-team, Arizona Daily Star
Zaina Sufi, Foothills - Tennis, State Champion (Team), First-team, Arizona Daily Star
Lauren Amos, Salpointe - Tennis, State Champion (Team), First-team, Arizona Daily Star

Andrew Dunn, Salpointe - Tennis, State Champion (Team), Second-team, Arizona Daily Star
Nicole Whinery, Salpointe - Tennis, State Champion (Team), Second-team, Arizona Daily Star
Matt Summerset, Desert Christian - Track & Field, State Champion (Discus), Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star, TucsonCitizen.com All-Star (Discus)
Abby Maas, Pusch Ridge - Track & Field, State Champion (4x100), 2nd-place (Triple Jump), Second-Team, Arizona Daily Star, 
TucsonCitizen.com All-Star (4x100, Triple jump)
Caleb Tvrdy, Pusch Ridge - Tennis, State Champion (Team)

Taylor Riesgo, Sabino - Softball, First Team, Arizona Daily Star
Brooklyn Beardshear, Sahuaro - Softball, Second-Team, Arizona Daily Star 
Aubre Carpenter, Sabino - Softball, Second-Team, Arizona Daily Star 
Eric Stark, Sahuaro - Volleyball, Second-Team, Arizona Daily Star 

Paige Peterson, Salpointe - Softball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Dana Hughes, Salpointe - Softball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Elle Uldrich, Pusch Ridge - Track & Field, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Josh Gleason, Desert Christian - Tennis, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Luke Gleason, Desert Christian - Tennis, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Jenna Cray, Desert Christian - Tennis, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Kristen Cray, Desert Christian - Tennis, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Gabby Courtney, Pusch Ridge - Tennis, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Josh Tvrdy, Pusch Ridge - Track & Field, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star, TucsonCitizen.com All-Star (400)
Patrick Yonas, Sabino - Track & Field, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star, TucsonCitizen.com All-Star (4x100)


Bobby Hosmer, UHS - Baseball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star, First-Team All-Region
John Hosmer, UHS - Baseball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star, Second-Team All-Region
Felix Gonzalez, UHS - Baseball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star, Second-Team All-Region
Josh Boggie, Sahuaro - Baseball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Spencer Larson, Sabino - Baseball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Tyler Kimbrough, Salpointe - Baseball, Honorable Mention All-Region

Complete Arizona Daily Star spring honor roll lists can be found here and here. 

Speed School athlete part of elite tournament win
June 27, 2011 - Sabino's Kelsee Levey, an multi-position player on the Arizona Roadrunners 18U club team, was part of the team's win at the elite Father's Day Tournament in Phoenix.  Competing against some of the top talent from Nevada, California, and locally, the team came back from a loss during pool play to place first.  Currently the team is in Denver, CO to compete at the Western Regionals, one of the top national tournaments. 

Sprinter takes home Junior Olympic gold at State Meet
June 27, 2011 - Alex Turner advanced to the Junior Olympic regionals in Albequerque with his first-place finish - along with his relay teammates - in the 4x100 state final.  Turner also placed 5th in the individual 100m. 

Pusch Ridge boys tennis wins state; Girls' team finishes second
May 27, 2011 - Caleb Tvrdy helped provide a crucial come-from-behind doubles win in guiding his Pusch Ridge boys tennis team to the 2A State Championship this spring.  On the girls' side, Gabby Courtney helped lead her team to the championship match, where the girls fell to Phoenix Country Day.  Tvrdy and Courtney, both Speed School athletes, are also members of the Pusch Ridge basketball team.  The win for the Pusch Ridge team is the fifth team title for Speed School athletes this year, joining the 4A Foothill's boys and girls teams, and the 5A Salpointe teams.  http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/articles/2011/05/14/20110514pusch-ridge-wins-2A-3A-boys-tennis-thatcher.html
   
State championship for girls relay team
May 27, 2011 - Abby Maas, the state runner up in the triple jump, also helped her 4x100 relay team earn a state championship medal as the girls won the 1A-3A relay.  Pusch Ridge also had another place-winner with Elle Uldrich placing 8th in the triple jump. 

Speed School athletes bring home 2 state championships at boys' state Track and Field meet
May 19, 2011 - Desert Christian's Matt Summersett won the discus and Tyler Grammar anchored his Ironwood Ridge relay team to a state championship at the state finals this last weekend.  Grammar also placed individually, finishing 5th in the 100 and 3rd in the 200.  Other Speed School athletes placing in the meet included Patrick Yonas (11th, 100), Jeff Rovner (12th, 110 hurdles), Garrett Barnella (13th, 800). 

Tyler Grammar, Ironwood Ridge

All-Region Awards for Speed School athletes
May 19, 2011 - Brothers Bobby and John Hosmer headlined four Speed School athletes who were voted onto the All-Region Team by area coaches.  Bobby, a catcher, was a First-Team selection while John joined Felix Gonzalez on the Second-Team.  Salpointe's Tyler Kimbrough rounded out the group with an Honorable Mention selection.  Congratulations to all four on the recognition well-deserved.   http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/05/14/2011-5a-southern-all-region-teams-coaches/

Bobby and John Hosmer, All-Region selections

Sabino's Larson dominant in baseball playoff win
May 12, 2011 - Spencer Larson held Pueblo to 2 hits through five innings to help advance the Sabercats deeper into the baseball postseason playoffs.  According to teammate Dylan Ruggeroli, "(Larson's) arm pretty much won us the game."   
http://azstarnet.com/sports/baseball/high-school-and-prep/article_ff0b02f6-f2e2-5175-a118-c608c999dc70.html


Salpointe boys and girls' teams win 5A state titles
May 12, 2011 - Salpointe got wins from Courtney Amos and Nicole Whinery before a crucial win in a close match by Lauren Amos sealed the state title for the Lancers.  On the boys' side, Andrew Dunn teamed with his brother to provide what his coach called a "momentum-shifting" win in the doubles action.  Speed School athletes have now won four state team titles this year and two individual state championship. 
http://azstarnet.com/sports/tennis/high-school-and-prep/article_f18f861e-4608-520b-8177-272fc9855db3.html


Speed School athletes all provide wins in team state championship
May 12, 2011 - Foothills' Wade Heerboth, Zaina Sufi, and Rachana Bhat all won their matches as the boys and girls teams made a sweep of the 4A state championship.  For the boys, it was their 7th straight team title and the 11th straight for the girls.   
http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/05/05/team-tennis-foothills-boys-girls-sweep-state/


Speed School athlete selected for invitation-only recruiting combine
May 12, 2011 - Salpointe's Alex Arnaud was among 3 players from his position across the state selected for the elite Schuman Combine.  This combine, held in Los Angeles next month, helps showcase the top football talent in the southwest for collegiate coaches. 

Emory University wins conference title and invitational; competes for national title
May 12, 2011 - The Emory University golf team finished the regular season as the UAA Conference Champion as well as the winner of the elite Georgia Cup Invitational.  Currently the team sits in 6th place in the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament.  The Eagles feature freshman Alec Berens, a Speed School athlete and member of the 2009 state champion Catalina Foothills team.  A talented multi-sport athlete, Berens has trained at the Speed School to improve his flexibility, power, and overall strength - all of which has helped his golf game. 


Individual state title for Foothills' doubles team
May 12, 2011 - Foothills' Zaina Sufi teamed up with Sam Ruth to capture the state doubles title.  Her teammate, Rachana Bhat, placed 3rd in singles after losing a close match to eventual champion Rita Bermudez.  On the boys' side, Wade Heerboth placed 4th in singles after falling to Arizona-bound Carlos Bermudez in the semifinal.   http://azstarnet.com/sports/tennis/high-school-and-prep/article_9cdb06fd-3790-5b0b-adea-5387ced4a0b3.html


Cienega's Burnett signs with Indiana State
May 12, 2011 - Cienega's 6'-6", 225 lb. Brandon Burnett, who started training with the Desert Speed School as a 180-lb. freshman, recently returned from Indiana, having signed with the Sycamores basketball team.  A strong, talented wing with good leaping ability, he now joins the list of Tucson-area players currently playing at the Division I level.   As a high school senior, Burnett was a McDonald's All-American nominee and ranked #84 nationally by ESPN.  http://azstarnet.com/sports/article_3e495fa0-3798-5ed1-82de-78fdac744f46.html

Speed School athletes crucial in Foothills' run to state championship match
May 12, 2011 - Foothills got wins from Zaina Sufi, Wade Heerboth, and Rachana Bhat in making it to the title match, where the boys' team will have a rematch against Sabino and the girls' team will face Phoenix Sunnyslope.  http://azstarnet.com/sports/article_0635ccab-0be2-5741-924f-ab6537dd275b.html


Softball player hitting well at the collegiate level
May 12, 2011 - While Sahuaro grad and Speed School athlete Kira White is recovering from a shoulder injury that has slowed her first collegiate season, Cienega's Brandi Klein is having no trouble adjusting to the collegiate level, finishing the season hitting .390 for Phoenix College, according to the Tucson Citizen.

http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/04/20/victory-over-sahuaro-helps-cienega-build-new-identity-former-i-ridge-pitcher-honored/

Track athletes top AIA performance lists
May 12, 2011 - Pusch Ridge's Josh Tvrdy and Desert Christian's Matt Summersett each are among the AIA leaders in their respective track and field events.  Summersett is currently #2 in the discus, according to the most recent AIA performance list, while Tvrdy leads all 400m sprinters with a very impressive 48.63.  With the state meet approaching, both will look to medal in their events.  http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/04/13/track-field-d-iv-aia-performance-list/

Speed School athletes dominate early rounds of State Tennis tournament
April 18, 2011 - Local Speed School athletes rolled through the first and second rounds of the state tournament this past weekend.   Foothills' Wade Heerboth, the #4 seed, won in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.  In fact, nearly all Speed School athletes dominated by a similar margin: Foothills' Zaina Sufi and Rachana Bhat along with Salpointe's Courtney Amos and Lauren Amos all won their second-round matches 6-0, 6-0.   http://azstarnet.com/sports/article_28d1ec44-9da7-5d9e-ab0e-f668fc88f280.html 

Foothills' Wade Heerboth. 

Sahuaro outside hitter Stark punishes opponents in Warrior Invitational
April 18, 2011 - Speed School athlete Eric Stark - also a member of the Sahuaro basketball team - was crucial in Sahuaro's dominance of the volleyball court at the recent Warrior Invitational at Pueblo High.  His "nasty kills," as one sportswriter described his play at the net, was critical in closing out several games at the tournament.  The Cougars volleyball team also features the talents of another Speed School athlete, Lucas Smith, a wide receiver on the school's football team. 
http://azstarnet.com/sports/article_280cdf9d-c1c5-59d9-88f5-a53691c9af59.html?mode=story

Pair of baseball players selected to 2011 Players to Watch list
April 18, 2011 - Sabino's Spencer Larson and UHS' John Hosmer, both of whom have trained with the Speed School program, were selected by ArizonaVarsity.com as some of Arizona's top prospects for the class of 2011.  Hosmer was an Honorable Mention selection and Larson, who was initially listed as the #44th-best prospect statewide, was recently upgraded by the scouting site to #27th.  For complete listings of Tucson-area players who made the list, see: http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/01/05/national-wrestling-arizona-baseball-rankings/

Speed School athletes prepare for State Tennis Tournament
April 12, 2011 - With a number of state- and nationally-ranked tennis players in the Speed School training program, the State Tournament looks to be a competitive time for our athletes.  Salpointe and Foothills in particular both look to contend for the overall state title along with a number of athletes contending for both singles and doubles titles.  http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/04/01/girls-tennis-salpointe-looks-to-finish-strong-again/  
 
Catalina Foothills' Zaina Sufi. 

Sprinter Grammar anchors top-ranked relay team
April 12, 2011 - Ironwood Ridge's Tyler Grammar was recently featured in the Arizona Daily Star along with his relay teammates, who currently hold the top-ranked 4x100 time as the State Finals approach.  http://azstarnet.com/sports/track-and-field/article_2985f35a-0bf7-5d77-94db-8eb664a72e02.html  
 

AIA Top-performers list: Speed School boys top sprinter's lists
April 12, 2011 - Sabino's Patrick Yonas and Ironwood Ridge's Tyler Grammar top the sprints on the most recent AIA top-performer lists.  Yonas currently has the top 100m time of 11.07, while Grammer leads the 200m with 22.36.  Grammar also is currently sitting in 4th in the 100m, and anchors the top-ranked 4x100 relay team (Yonas' Sabino team is 3rd).  For complete rankings for these and all other track events: http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/03/25/track-field-aia-performance-list/

Ironwood Ridge's Tyler Grammar anchoring 4x100 relay.

Sahuaro softball ranked #1 overall in state; #26th nationally
April 12, 2011 - With a roster loaded with Speed School-trained athletes, the Sahuaro softball team was ranked #26 nationally in the latest ESPN rankings.  The Cougars followed that up with a come-from-behind win the following day to bring their overall record to 20-1.  http://azstarnet.com/sports/softball/high-school-and-prep/article_dc63bc49-8698-57c3-9e64-cefbf92a03cb.html

Winter Honor Roll
April 12, 2011 - With a number of state champion soccer athletes and strong basketball seasons from our Speed School athletes, here are the athletes who were honored for their accomplishments on the field or court:

Daniel Havel, Foothills - State Champion, soccer; Honorable Mention All-State, Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen
Tori Augustinovich, Foothills - State Champion, soccer
Cassidy Augustinovich, Foothills - State Champion, soccer
Willow Cozzens, Sabino - State Runner-Up, soccer
Devyn Hunley, Sabino - Sate Runner-Up, soccer; Honorable Mention All-State, Arizona Daily Star and 2nd-team All-State, Tucson Citizen
Ben Brandon, Desert Christian - State Runner-up, soccer; Honorable Mention All-State, Arizona Daily Star
Kristen Cray, Desert Christian - soccer, Honorable Mention All-State, Tucson Citizen
Jeremy Courtney, Pusch Ridge - basketball, First-Team All-Southern Arizona, Tucson Citizen
Daniel McCleod, Pusch Ridge - basketball, First-Team All-Southern Arizona, Tucson Citizen
Matthew Fox, St. Greg's - basketball, First-Team All-Southern Arizona, Tucson Citizen
Dominique Banks, Amphi - basketball, First-Team All-Southern Arizona, Tucson Citizen
Tyler Vance, Pusch Ridge - basketball, Second-Team All-Southern Arizona, Tucson Citizen
Gabbi Courtney, Pusch Ridge - basketball, All-State (2A), All-Region (2A), Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star
Carly Cathy, Sabino - basketball, 2nd-team All-Region; Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star  and ArizonaVarsity.com 
Morgan Chmielowiec - basketball, Honorable Mention, Arizona Daily Star

Addtionaly, Desert Christian head soccer coach Steve Lord, whose Eagles were State Runners-up, was awarded "Coach of the Year" by the Tucson Citizen.  Congratulations to Coach Lord on this well-deserved honor.


Gabby Courtney, Pusch Ridge 

Soccer Finals include matchup of Speed School athletes
April 12, 2011 - This winter's soccer state championship matches included a number of Speed School athletes, including State Champion Foothills' Daniel Havel on the boys side and Tori and Cassidy Augustinovich on the girls side.  Havel was insturmental in getting Foothills to the title match, scoring the first goal of the semi-final game against Cactus Shadows.  
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/ne/articles/2011/02/10/20110210arizona-high-school-boys-soccer-catalina-foothills-cactus-shadows.html  



The girls finals game featured a close match between a number of Speed School athletes, with Sabino's Willow Cozzens, Brandi Park, and Devyn Hunley losing a close match to the champion Foothills team.  Hunley also notched a crucial goal for the Sabercats in their semi-final game.  
http://azstarnet.com/sports/soccer/high-school-and-prep/article_eb37df20-7844-5de9-bd7a-bcab0bc8b885.html

Speed School athletes at McKale Center
January 18, 2011 - A number of Speed School athletes had the opportunity to play under the spotlight at McKale Center recently for the annual MLK Classic basketball showcase.  The action featured several thrillers, with the Sahuaro boys team holding on for a three-point win against Flowing Wells.  Speed School athlete Eric Stark contributed 6 points in the win.  In another close matchup, the Sabino girls lost by two to CDO, with Speed School athlete Carly Cathey providing 8 points in the losing effort.

The Desert Christian girls, featuring a number of Speed School athletes, was dominant in their defeat of Northwest Christian.  Desert's sophomore guard Sara Boice, who is already making a name for herself, credited her older brother Daniel - a Speed School athlete now playing at Dordt College - for her competitiveness spirit. “He’s the competitive one,” said Sara. “He’s in college now and I guess that’s where I get it from.”
http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2011/01/18/mckale-center-plays-host-to-the-mlk-basketball-classic/

Fall Honor Roll
November 29, 2010 - With the conclusion of the fall high school season, a number of Speed School athletes won individual honors for their achievements this past season, including one state champion.  Honored athletes include: 

Dylan Leahy, Palo Verde - Tucson Citizen Southern Arizona All-Star, football

Gabbi Courtney, Pusch Ridge - All-Southern Arizona selection, volleyball
Kaitlyn Kirschner, Pusch Ridge - All-Southern Arizona selection, volleyball
Daniel Bleyl, IRHS - 6th and 12th, swimming state finals; All-Southern Arizona honorable mention
Garrett Barnella, Sabino - 41st, 4A cross-country state finals
Josh Tvrdy, Pusch Ridge - 40th, 2A cross-country state finals
Abby Dockery, CDO - 75th, 5A cross-country state finals
Brandon Dorr, UHS - 165th, 4A cross-country state finals
Gentry Hicks, CDO - Arizona State Champion, Golf; Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Citizen, and Arizona Republic Player of the Year.


Speed School athletes challenge soccer powerhouse for state title
November 6, 2010 - Trying to win their first soccer title since 1997, the Desert Christian boys' soccer team gave eventual winner - and seven-time defending champion - Blue Ridge all they could handle before eventually falling in the championship game 2-1.  Head coach Steve Lord has built the Eagles team into one of the strongest programs in the state and the team has been helped by their off-season training regimen at the Desert Speed School.  Having finished runner-up three times this decade, best of luck to these athletes as they continue training towards their state championship goal.  

Congratulations to our Speed School athletes on the runner-up Eagles:
Ryan Barents
Ben Brandon
Mike Coyle
Josh Gleason
Luke Gleason
Carter Hoffman 

Update - April 12, 2011 - Head Coach Steve Lord was honored as Coach of the Year by the Tucson Citizen for his work with the Desert Christian soccer team.  Congratulations to Coach Lord for an honor well-deserved. 

Pusch Ridge star's speed makes him an all-purpose threat
October 23, 2010 - Pusch Ridge senior Tyler Vance piled up 225 all-purpose yards, including a 90-yard kickoff return, as his team won their seventh straight game.  Vance was named player of the game for the Lions, who currently sit atop their 2A region with an 8-1 record. 


Speedy Palo Verde RB selected to Top-22 list
Update:  Oct. 9, 2010 - Leahy selected Player of the Game after rushing for 200+ yards and 4 touchdowns, including the game-winner.  Complete story here: http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/high-school-and-prep/article_efc730d6-c9a2-5501-af32-908bb87d4de1.html
August 26, 2010 - Speed School athlete Dylan Leahy takes over the main role in Palo Verde offense and is selected to The Arizona Daily Star's Top-22 list of Southern Arizona football players.  For complete story, visit http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/high-school-and-prep/article_bc5a7a4c-f81a-57ad-a38f-f51a26a79a66.html


Sahuaro QB uses speed to advantage; selected to Top-22 list
August 26, 2010 - Speed School athlete Kevin Ackerley is selected to The Arizona Daily Star's Top-22 list of Southern Arizona football players.  For complete story, visit http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/high-school-and-prep/article_84e8ba77-1229-541b-818e-7308012ef4d8.html?mode=story. 


Class of 2010 moves up to the collegiate level including 15 Speed School athletes
August 26, 2010 - As last year's graduating high school seniors head off to college this month, fifteen Speed School athletes will be continuing to play at the collegiate level.  These include:

Daniel Boice (Desert Christian) - Basketball, Dordt College
Alec Berens (Cat. Foothills) - Golf, Emory University
Ronnie Burton (Cienega) - Football, Pima
Jake Cole (Sahuaro) - Baseball, North Carolina
JJ Gorosave (Cienega) - Football, Pima
Harrison Graham (Salpointe) - Baseball, Trinity
Lauren Hostetler (Sahuaro) - Softball, Pima
Brandi Klein (Cienega) - Softball, Phoenix College
Josh Landau (Cat. Foothills) - Soccer, San Diego
Courtney McCoy (Sahuaro) - Softball, Trinidad State
Keanu Nelson (Sabino) - Football, Stanford
Dominique Parker (Cienega) - Football, Pima
Kaity Sitzman (Sabino) - Softball, Villanova
Greg Schimke (Pusch Ridge) - Football, Olivet Nazarene
Kira White (Sahuaro) - Softball, Pima


Keanu Nelson, Sabino High School

All-Southern Arizona Baseball and Softball teams announced; 18 Speed School athletes recognized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 24, 2010 - The Arizona Daily Star announced its Southern Arizona all-start teams this week and Desert Speed School athletes made a strong showing, with 7 boys and 11 girls earning recognition for their play on the baseball and softball field.  North Carolina-bound Jake Cole from Sahuaro earned top honors as Player of the Year on the boys' side.  Speed School athletes earning selections were:

First Team
Jake Cole, Sahuaro
Kaity Sitzman, Sabino
Brandi Klein, Cienega

Second Team
Harrison Graham, Salpointe
Paige Peterson, Salpointe
Kira White, Sahuaro
Aubrey Carpenter, Sabino
Taylor Riesgo, Sabino

Third Team
Aaron Vaugh, Pusch Ridge
John Hosmer, Rincon/UHS
Spencer Larson, Sabino
Shawna Comeaux, Sabino
Dee Anna Long, Cholla

Honorable Mention
Bobby Hosmer, Rincon/UHS
Aron Harrington, Salpointe
Alyssa Fletcher, Sabino
Lauren Hostetler, Sahuaro
Dana Hughes, Salpointe


Tennis, Track, Volleyball honors
May 2010 - A total of nine Speed School athletes were honored for their excellence on the tennis and volleyball court as well as the track this spring, including several state finalists and state champions.  These include:

First Team
Kenny Liscum, Marana (Volleyball)
Rachana Bhat, Foothills (Tennis) - Arizona State Champion (singles)
Zaina Sufi, Foothills (Tennis)
Courtney Amos, Salpointe (Tennis) - Arizona State Champion (doubles) and Tucson Citizen Player of the Year


Second Team
Wade Heerboth, Foothills (Tennis)

Honorable Mention
Patrick Yonas, Sabino (Track)
Kristin Andrews, Desert Christian (Track)
 

Boys basketball 2010 All-Stars announced; 4 Speed School athletes honored
February 28, 2010 - Four Speed School athletes were honored by the Tucson Citizen list of 2010 basketball all-stars, including Cienega star Brandon Burnett, who was honored not only as an All-Southern AZ player but also as an All-State selection.  Honored athletes include:

Brandon Burnett, Cienega - First-team 4A Southern AZ, Second-Team All-State
Daniel Boice, Desert Christian - First-team 2A
Trever Cook, Pusch Ridge - First-team 2A
Jeremy Courtney, Pusch Ridge - Second-team 2A

Daniel Boice, Desert Christian

Speed School athlete named Collegiate Player of the Week

January 19, 2010 - University of SF-Academy of Art freshman forward Aaron Aikman was named Player of the Week for his role on the glass and scoring for the Urban Knights in their games against Dixie State and Grand Canyon.  Aikman, a star player for Desert Christian High School from 2006-2009, trained with the Speed School program throughout high school, focusing on footwork, upper-body strength, and his vertical jump.  He played in every game this year for his collegiate team, starting ten games as a freshman.    











Swimmer sets two state records en route to winning state championships
October 18, 2009 - Speed School athlete Daniel Bleyl had a good day in the pool - He won the state championship in the 100 yard butterfly, setting a new state record in the process.  Hours later, he did the same in the 100 yard backstroke, setting a new state mark as well.  Complete results here: http://tucsoncitizen.com/highschoolsports/2009/10/18/1a2a3a-2009-high-school-championship-results-erin-bleyl-and-daniel-bleyl-set-state-records/ 

TucsonCitizen.com