Alexander Soroko is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Agua Fria for AZPreps365.com

The Agua Fria Owls have advanced to the 4A girls basketball tournament after beating the Combs Coyotes in a play-in, while extending its winning streak of seven in front of a packed gym and a loud student section.

At the start of the first quarter the Owls would be aggressive from the jump, getting a stop after losing the tip-off and then scoring the first two buckets of the game. Combs would try to answer right back, but the Coyotes were down 19-8 after one quarter. Agua Fria's Yohoney Castanon and Genesis Rios combined for 12 of the 19 points scored by the Owls.

In the second quarter, the Owls caught their stride with both tough defense as strong offense. Genesis Rios would help lead the charge, making another pair of 3s. She had 12 points in the first half, while Castanon would chip in as well, scoring eight points, as did Saleen Rios, as the Owls closed the first half on a 15-0 run, making the score 34-10 going into halftime.

“The first half, once that first shot went in, I was like, okay, I gotta keep shooting even if I airball I keep shooting it,” said Genesis Rios. “I don’t lose my confidence. And look, it all goes in eventually.”

“As a twin I’m very proud,” Saleen Rios said. “She’s picking it up so I’m very happy for her.”

In the third quarter the Owls would struggle after and amazing first half with numerous turnovers and the Coyotes would start to make their own offensive run with a 4-0 run at the start of the third. 

“We just wanted to keep the same energy that we had in the first half and we kinda fell short of that,” coach Samuel Polvino said. 

Combs was able to outscore the Owls this quarter 8-3 and continue that defensive pressure going into the fourth but ultimately came up short once the starters were taken out of the game with 2:13 left on the clock after helping create a 20-point lead to close out the game where the final score would be 44-24.

The Owls will now prepare to face the Prescott Badgers in the first round of the 4A bracket. They will look to clean some things up before the next game with the ultimate goal of bringing a state title to Agua Fria.

“I think talking when we talk to each other on the court, especially on defense and then also like looking for the lane when we get open,, Jersey Mitchell said

The team captains and Polvino all expressed love for the student section as they helped bring energy to the team and to the gym. Polvino hopes that no matter the place the girls can “take care of business.”