Sports – Page 8 – Pima Post

14Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Opinion, Sports

Pre-season NBA power rankings

By ALEX JIMENEZPima Post The NBA 2021-2022 season is set to start when the Nets and Lakers tip-off on Tuesday. Although these two teams would be considered favorites to most, the NBA is seeing much more parity across the league. For example, the Milwaukee Bucks are coming off an NBA championship -- having beat the Suns in the finals and the Nets, who didn’t have James Harden, in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Phoenix Suns, who came short to the Bucks in the NBA Finals, have kept the core group of players who helped them reach high levels of success last season and have added a veteran in JaVale McGee. With the dynamic guard partnership of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, the Suns have one of the elite backcourts in the NBA. The Nets now have a unique situation to deal wit...

The lone golfer: Victoria Peña returns with a more robust team this season

12Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

The lone golfer: Victoria Peña returns with a more robust team this season

Photo courtesy of Victoria PeñaPima Community College Golf coach Marcus Smith stands next to sophomore Victoria Peña, who is starting her second season on the Pima Golf team. By CARLOS MIRANDAPima Post Last season, the women’s golf team only had one girl on the team: Victoria Peña. This season, there are six, including Peña. Peña, 20, has been playing golf half her life. Her best score in 18 holes of golf is an 80. She discussed how she has yet to get an ace (hole in one), although she has been close to making one. The Pima Community College women’s golf team pre-season is coming up in November and the regular season starts in the spring. When she was the only woman on the team, Peña had a good season. “Being the only girl last season was actually ...

5Oct

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Pima Volleyball captain garners accolades

By NATE MARTINEZ Pima Post "Defense is a constant battle with the other side. I think it has a lot to do with what a player can do physically, but I believe people overlook the mental aspect.” That is the mindset of Pima Community College sophomore libero Aydalis Felix, a Rincon/University High School graduate, whenever she steps on the volleyball court. Felix was named the ACCAC defensive player of the week for Sept. 13-19. This week, her coaches and peers acknowledged that accomplishment by voting her to be Pima’s Chapman Automotive Aztecs Player of the Week. “It means a lot to be recognized for my defensive accomplishments,” she said. “But it’s more of an honor for my team as a whole. I cannot receive such an honorary award without my team pushing me along and working just a...

23Sep

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Pima Women’s Soccer in Top 10

By Alex Jimenez Pima Community College Women’s Soccer will look to beat rival Phoenix College in conference play on Saturday, a rematch of the thrilling season-opener. The Aztecs currently have an overall record of 6-1, their best start since the 2015-2016 season. Pima enters this week ranked No. 7 in NJCAA’s top 20 after consecutive wins against Yavapai College and GateWay Community College last week. Pima versus Phoenix is becoming one of, if not the most, anticipated game of the season. The two teams have matched up a number of times, including last season’s Region I Championship game when Pima fell to Phoenix 2-0. Phoenix College finished its season by winning the National Championship and came into this 2021-2022 season ranked No. 1, before Pima took down Phoenix Col...

23Sep

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Aztec Men’s Soccer No. 1 in nation

By Alex Jimenez After two weeks at No. 2, Pima Community College men’s soccer has taken the spot as the No. 1 team in the country. The Aztecs remain one of two teams still undefeated in the NJCAA DII men's soccer Top 20. However, Pima will face Phoenix College at 7 p.m. Saturday, and the Bears will be hungry for revenge on their home turf. Phoenix College entered the season ranked No. 12, according to NJCAA’s Preseason Poll, before falling on a three-game losing streak, kicked off by none other than Pima’s 1-0 victory in the first game of this season. Pima also defeated Phoenix College in last season’s Region I Championship game 2-0. Pima Men’s Soccer head coach David Cosgrove knows a repeat of last year’s success is not an assumption -- a season-long ef...

21Sep

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Features, Sports

Pima College Volleyball’s Bright future

Photo courtesy of Pima College Athletics Pima Community College outside hitter Jessica Bright-Schade has accrued over 70 kills and nearly 100 digs. By Nate Martinez Pima’s volleyball team did not have an easy schedule last season, but outside hitter Jessica Bright-Schade and the Aztecs made history by advancing to their first national tournament. Due to COVID, it was difficult to find ACCAC teams that could play regular season games, leaving Pima with a slate of NJCAA Division I competition. Despite the elevated level of competition, the Aztecs, who compete in Division II, were able to secure a spot in the NJCAA tournament in April. The team lost to Grand Rapids Community College in the consolation rounds, but given the circumstances, the run was amazing. This year, th...

14Sep

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Amparano attributes team chemistry to wins

By Nate Martinez Pima Community College Aztec women’s soccer has enjoyed a lot of success the past couple seasons, and a big reason for that is Salpointe Catholic High School graduate Angelina Amparano. Pima is off to a 3-0 start after upsetting No. 2 Phoenix College in its home opener and then shutting out its next two opponents while scoring 11 goals. “Our team chemistry worked well that game,” Amparano said of the win over Phoenix College. “We all worked together, so it was a team effort.” The sophomore goaltender has been stellar since allowing only one score and saving seven shots against Phoenix College. In her second match, Amparano made 12 saves in a shutout against Glendale and then 3 saves against Mesa. Two dominant outings at the net earned her ACCAC Player of ...

14Sep

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Champions League Group Predictions

By Alex Jimenez The Union of European Football Associations Champions League, soccer’s most prestigious club competition, returns this week, after one of the most hectic transfer windows in history closes. The two biggest names in soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, will be lining up next to new teammates in the 2021-2022 iteration of the UCL - with the latter making a move nobody expected; joining Paris Saint-Germain after Barcelona’s financial crisis forced them to let Messi walk free. The Champions League group stage consists of eight-four team groups. Each team plays the opposing three teams in the group on two separate occasions, once at home and once away, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the round of 16. Here is a closer look at...

26Aug

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

News, Sports

Rivalry Rematch To Kick Off Soccer Season

By Alex Jimenez The Pima Community College men’s soccer team is set to take on Phoenix College in its opening game of the 2021-2022 season at 8 p.m. Saturday at Kino North Grandstand. The rivalry is a must-watch game every season and a rematch of last season’s Region I Championship game. “The biggest obstacle every year is Phoenix College,” said Pima’s men’s soccer coach David Cosgrove. “They are a really difficult opponent to come out on. “Phoenix College has the ability to change our style and change our tactics, they’re very organized and work extremely hard... They have very good individual players, athletic and technical. We need to be disciplined defensively and organized in transition.” Both schools have cemented themselves as two of the top soccer p...

Aztecs Baseball Sweeps Paradise Valley CC For 10th Straight Win

30Mar

By Pima Post Editorial TeamNo Comments

Sports

Aztecs Baseball Sweeps Paradise Valley CC For 10th Straight Win

By Raymond Suarez The Pima Community College baseball team (20-6, 13-5 in ACCAC) continued its hot streak on Saturday as the Aztecs scored 25 runs to overwhelm Paradise Valley Community College (2-23, 2-16). Freshman Jose Enriquez was a force at the plate as he finished the day 5 for 8 with seven RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore Angel Ochoa (Canyon del Oro HS) was 5 for 6 with three RBIs and two runs while freshman Daniel Durazo (Salpointe Catholic HS) went 4 for 6 with two RBIs and a run. Freshman Bradon Zastrow and sophomore Noah Estrella (Flowing Wells HS) provided strong starts on the mound and picked up the wins. Game 1: Pima CC Aztecs 10, Paradise Valley CC Pumas 1 PCC 1 2 0 4 3 0 0 10 11 2 PVCC 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 1 The Aztecs took the early lead and provided a cushion...