Let’s take a look at the top eight seeds in the 4A Conference:

 

No. 8 Greenway (14-12, 12-6 in conference play)

The Demons are the third place team from the West Valley Region with a 7-3 record. Five state championships with a Division II first-round finish last year. NOTE: Ed McQuade has been the head coach for 38 years with 860 career wins.

Junior Morgan Decker is batting .460 while senior Hannah Shupe is batting .378 with four home runs. Senior Karlee Leyvas is 7-6 on the year and junior Kris-Tena Lopez is 5-0.

 

No. 7 St. Mary’s (23-5-1, 16-2)

The Knights won the Skyline Region with a 7-1 record. One state championship with a Division II first-round finish last year. NOTE: Michael Espinoza is in his fifth year with the Knights and he has 96 career wins.

Senior Lauren Eamiguel is batting .582 with 40 RBI on 12 doubles, six triples and a home run. Eamiguel also has 27 stolen bases on the year. Senior Briana Erran is batting .488 with 45 RBI with 12 doubles and six triples. Senior Miah Rodriguez has four home runs.  Junior pitcher Maite Bustillos (12-1) has 109 strikeouts on the year.

 

No. 6 Pueblo (21-2, 9-2)

The Warriors won the Gila Region with a 7-1 record. The Warriors have two state titles including the D-IV championship last year. NOTE: Curtis Ruiz (47-8) is in his second year at Pueblo.

Senior Brianna Gomez is batting .492 with 32 RBI on seven doubles, three triples and five home runs. Freshman Rachelle Romero has 16 stolen bases. Junior Sia Thomas is 11-0 from the circle and junior Ariana Ruiz is 5-0.

 

No. 5 Salpointe (19-8, 7-2)

The Lancers took second in the Kino Region with a 6-2 record. Two state championships with a fourth place finish in D-II last year. NOTE: Amy Rocha (73-24) is in her third year with the Lancers.

Junior Yannira Acuna is batting an incredible .689 with 26 RBI, 10 doubles, three triples and six home runs. Acuna also has 27 stolen bases. Sophomore Diana Montano has five home runs. Junior Aleena Alexander is 11-5 and Acuna is 5-1.

 

No. 4 Apache Junction (25-4, 18-0)

The Prospectors won the Black Canyon Region with a 10-0 record. One runner-up finish with a first round finish in the D-III playoffs last year. NOTE: Ed Matlosz is in his 10th year with the Prospectors and he picked up his 150th win to end the regular season.

Senior Alyx Ayers is batting .527 with 36 RBI on 17 doubles, five triples and five home runs. Junior Mikayla Gilgert has six home runs. The team has 113 stolen bases with senior Audrey Phillips-Zee has 24. Gilgert is 21-2 on the year with 236 strikeouts.

 

No. 3 Sunrise Mountain (17-4, 12-2)

The Mustangs took second in the West Valley Region with an 8-2 record. Four state championships for the Mustangs with a first round finish in the D-II playoffs last year. NOTE: Jody Pruitt is in her 13th year at Sunrise Mountain. The University of Arizona standout started the program in 1997 and returned to the school in 2012.

Junior Grace Schmidt is batting .517 with 27 RBI on 10 doubles. Senior Hanna Krosky has four home runs. Krosky is 10-3 from the circle and Dallis Mitchell is 7-0.

 

No. 2 Cactus (25-5, 15-1)

The Cobras won the West Valley Region with a 9-1 record. Six state trophies with a runner-up finish in the D-II playoffs last year. NOTE: Bartt Underwood (139-61) is in his sixth year.

Sophomore Alynah Torres batted .632 with 69 RBI, 13 doubles, four triples and 12 home runs. Senior Ursula del Campo is batting .538 with 47 RBI, 12 doubles, four triples and 13 home runs. The Cobras have 44 home runs as a team. Junior Emilie Guerra is 20-3 on the year.

 

No. 1 Canyon del Oro (26-4, 9-0)

The Dorados won the Kino Region with an 8-0 record. Eight state championships with an Elimination Bracket semifinal finish last year in the D-II playoffs. NOTE: Kelly Fowler is in her third year back from retirement and has led the Dorados to two state titles and was a part of three more as an assistant.

Junior Alexis Kaiser is batting .442 with 39 RBI and 13 home runs. Junior Ellessa Bonstrom is batting .483 with 32 RBI with six doubles, five triples and 10 home runs. The Dorados have 44 home runs as a team.  Freshman pitcher Amya Legarra is 13-3 from the circle, sophomore Halle Morris is 7-1 and senior Wendy Castro is 5-0.