Nate Johnson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Saguaro High School for AZPreps365.com

Although the temperatures plummeted as the sun set on Sunnyslope High School, fans in attendance bundled up Tuesday night as best as they could to watch the “Best of the West” tournament unfold, a battle of two states and two premier 4A playoff teams.   

On the heels of a 16-strikeout performance, Colorado’s Cherokee Trail shut out the Arizona 4A state champion Saguaro Sabercats in a 5-0 contest.

Carter Wilcox, a senior southpaw and Iowa commit, dominated Saguaro’s lineup with his plus-90s heater and wipeout slider.

Wilcox pitched five innings, allowing just two hits and a pair of walks while striking out 13 batters. 

“The goal was to establish the fastball first, and my offspeed is definitely my wipeout stuff,” Wilcox said. “It’s just about being comfortable throwing both pitches for strikes and being confident with both.”

Once the pitching was established, it was easy for the Cherokee Trail’s offense to pick up the slack and carry the team the rest of the way. 

Ahead 2-0 in the sixth, Cherokee Trail (5-1 overall, 1-0 Centennial Region) hit the final nail in the coffin, executing a small ball offensive campaign that pushed across its final three runs. 

A pair of bunts, an RBI fielder's choice and a two-run single from shortstop Brody Ceyrolles helped turn things over to the bullpen to close things out. 

Saguaro (5-5-1 overall, 0-0 Desert Sky Region) threatened in the top of the seventh, placing runners on first and second with nobody out. It didn’t faze closer Connor Carlson, who induced a 6-4-3 double play and a strikeout to seal the deal. 

Saguaro went 3 for 25 (.120 avg.) at the dish with a pair of singles and a triple off the bat of junior catcher Alain Gomez. Facing an arm like Wilcox, Gomez made sure to keep his approach simple at the plate.

“More velo, more exit velo,” Gomez said, emphasizing his plan to sit on the fastball. 

Junior starter Vinnie Keck was the first of five Sabercats to pitch in the contest, tossing two scoreless frames against Cherokee Trail’s lineup. While the outcome wasn’t in Saguaro’s favor, Keck is confident a handful of minor tweaks changes the narrative. 

“It comes down to balls and strikes,” Keck said. “We had a bunch of guys throw today, and if we’re more consistent around the zone, I think we have a really good chance at winning this game.”

Prior to the first ever meeting between the two schools, Saguaro was in a state of limbo to begin the young season, bouncing between wins and losses while maintaining a .500 record.

While the trend continued Tuesday, coach Joe Muecke said the back-and-forth record doesn’t reflect his team's seasonal progression.

“I think everyday you try to be one percent better,” Muecke said. “If you keep it that simple, there’s always better things on the horizon.”

An area Muecke hopes will progress soon is his team's offense, whose .224 batting average pales in comparison to its production in 2024 (.365).

“You definitely don’t hit the panic button,” Muecke said. “You just keep taking a really competitive approach, and we just need to be right once or twice a game at the right time.”