In the span of a year, another kind of wildfire in the Verde Valley swept through its sports landscape.
At this time last summer, two Camp Verde athletes on the cusp of their final years of their high school careers were preparing to make history for two highly successful programs — girls basketball and wrestling.
In Cottonwood, Mingus Union High School was undergoing a transition to new coaching leadership in boys basketball, boys tennis and both swimming teams.
Sedona, too, was transitioning to new head coaches in charge of its high school football and both basketball programs. At the same time, head coach Manny Arias had just introduced the first professional sports team, the Sedona FC Strikers.
The spirit of 1776 — feelings of excitement, change and progress — was definitely in the air.
For the full column, please see the Wednesday, July 1, issues of the Camp Verde Journal and Cottonwood Journal Extra.
