Despite ankle injury, Jessica Michael returned to finish her third-place match at the Division I state tournament.

Although the elite bracket was won by an out-of-state school, powerful La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day, girls volleyball players from seven Arizona schools (eight in all) were selected to the 21-member, all-tournament team at last weekend\'s Nike Tournament of Champions girls volleyball tournament held in Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe.

Cate Welch of Xavier Prep captures Division I singles title.

Glory years have faded, but the players still work hard, learn and enjoy themselves.

Marvin Nevins was honored for 50 years of service at halftime of the football game on Friday night.

Last season in their 4A-I Desert Sky battle, Apache Junction chewed up Queen Creek at the line of scrimmage rushing for 480 yards and giving up only 56 yards on the ground in a 52-14 win over the Bulldogs. That grinding out of real estate came after Queen Creek grabbed a quick 14-0 lead in the first period against the Prospectors. The outcome Friday night was reversed in slightly different fashion.

School honored cancer survivors, raised donations.

Lions defeat Mingus 34-20, maintain momentum as Class 4A Division II playoffs draw near.

Someone was going to win two in a row Thursday night at the 5A team badminton championship. The question: Would it be Xavier or Chaparral? The Firebirds answered in the affirmative and are state champs after beating the Gators, 5-2, in the title match at Horizon High School.

Earlier in October Cibola football coach Lucky Arvizo claimed a 20-14 win over then-ranked and then-unbeaten Basha by his Raiders was the biggest triumph in school history. This wa not a coach getting excited over the moment. A Yuma school winning several games in a season or a couple more than it loses is news.

Williams Field and Higley meet with the 4A East Sky Region lead on the line. Florence looks to clinch 3A South crown with Empire trying to block its way. Willcox visits Thatcher for supremacy in the 2A East.

It was a no-doubles-needed night Wednesday in the semifinals of the 5A team badminton tournament at Horizon High School. Defending champion and top-seed Xavier bested No. 4 seed Corona del Sol, 5-0, to advance to Thursday night\\\\\\\'s final. No. 2 seed and unbeaten Chaparral vanquished No. 6 seed Chandler, 5-1, to gain the other berth.

Captures Class 4A championship in rematch against Phoenix Sunnyslope.

Format likely to be finalized in November, with schedules for 2011-12 expected next spring.

AIA Executive Board hears appeal of probation, could rescind based on corrective actions by school.

Sunnyslope, Hamilton, Desert Vista are top Arizona contenders for annual NIke TOC on Oct. 22-23.

Individual champions will be crowned on Oct. 23 and team champs in 5A and 4A a couple days earlier as the state badminton season comes to an end this week.

Long-time Valley writer honored before Mountain Pointe football game.

Northwest Christian was methodical offensively pretty much all game Friday night against Yuma Catholic in a battle between the top two teams in the current 2A power-point rankings. Through the first 47 minutes of the game, methodical earned Northwest Christian seven points. So with time running out the Crusaders turned to desperation mode. It worked to perfection. Quarterback Orbi Gonzales hit wide out James Mossbrucker in stride for an 82-yard touchdown pass on a third-and 20 play with 45 seconds left to play to give the Crusaders a 14-10 triumph over the Shamrocks before a huge homecoming crowd at Northwest.

Junior Parker Rasmussen developing into an efficient quarterback. He gets plenty of help from his teammates.

Mike Giovando shows crowd at Shadow Mountain High that there is more to life than football.