The spring season was put on hold on March 16, 2020 due to a state-wide directive to close down all public schools due to COVID concerns and any hopes of continuing to play by the end of that month were put to an end when that directive from the Governor's office expanded to include all school activities for the remainder of the school year including athletics. March 16 was a Monday so most activities were effectively ended the previous week on either Thursday or Friday.

Almost exactly one year ago today.

The vaunted Canyon del Oro softball program suspended all activities with a 5-2 record and the ridiculously talented Ironwood Ridge team ended with an 8-2 record. In all, 13 seniors between the two Amphitheater District schools had to turn in their jerseys for the last time. No senior night. No playoffs. No state championships.

Lost memories.

(Samatha Sotelo/Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

 

The Dorados compete in the 4A Conference and the Nighthawks in 5A but the rivalry is one built on close locality, long history and fierce competition fostered from an early age in the competitive club circuit with players from both programs either playing with and/or against each other for almost decade before they even step on a high school field.

Graduation hit both programs hard, especially from the circle. Then comes experience and the Nighthawks lost a lot with only four seniors in uniform and the Dorados reloaded with 10. The two teams met on opening day Friday and Ironwood Ridge went with freshman Samantha Sotelo and Canyon del Oro gave the ball to senior Kinyon Holt with sophomore Sydnee Wendel taking over in the fourth inning. By the end of the year, all three of those names will be very familiar but it’s difficult to enter the fire without the chemistry and knowledge gained from playing a week of preseason tournaments because those were not allowed this year.

Under that scenario, hitters will hit and Canyon del Oro continued to battle at the plate and it paid off with a 6-run explosion in the fifth inning to help pace the team to a 9-2 victory. Sotelo gave up an unearned run in the top of the first inning but she held firm until the fourth when the Dorados put together five straight hits but only came away with two more runs. Meanwhile, Holt limited the Nighthawks to a couple of hits until Emma Almodoba blasted a solo shot in the third inning.

The Dorados led 3-1 after four but, as mentioned before, the hitters started to figure things out and Naya Campos came up with a bases-clearing double to set the tone and the team led 9-1 before the inning was over. A few errors in that inning also hurt Sotelo but those will also be worked out after a few games.

Haidyn Warner finished 2-3 on the day and she provided the final run for the Nighthawks with a shot in the sixth. Expect players like Warner and Almodoba to help lead the team the rest of the way and the program should be difficult to beat the rest of the way. Ironwood Ridge will host Cholla (1-0) next Wednesday, March 17.

Canyon del Oro has a little break in action and the Dorados are slated to visit Sunnyside (0-1) on March 23.

Kinyon Holt. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)