Camp Verde Middle School could argue the point, but through the first half of their Verde Valley League schedule, no team has been able to surmount Clarkdale-Jerome School boys basketball.
Injuries to 6-foot, 2-inch center Colton Sorenson, however, just might.
For the final week of games in the first half of their schedule, the Mingus Rams were without the eighth-grader’s services after he injured his wrist in a win Dec. 11 at Big Park Community School.
“He played the entire game because of the adrenalin,” said Rudy Sandoval, Clarkdale boys head coach, after his team responded with a 44-7 run to thrash the Coyotes after being down 7-0 to open the game. “After that, he couldn’t practice. We played without him, actually, twice, really.”
Although Sorenson would also come down wrong on his ankle one minute into a Dec. 16 home win over CVMS — injuring that as well — it was also fortunate that the team’s best shooter, guard Anthony Lopez, broke out of his slump with 12 points on three three-point shots to preserve Clarkdale’s 7-0 Verde Valley League record, Sandoval said.
“Everybody played well that game,” he said after Sergio Pacheco also hit eight of 12 free throws to seal a 40-34 victory over the Cowboys. “We had the entire team actually respond.”
While Sorenson’s replacement, Mason Pacheco, was quicker, deflecting several passes, the 5-foot, 10-inch seventh-grader is no substitute for Sandoval’s first-ever twin-tower front line with 6-footer Fletch Fangman, who “tore up” the Cowboys for 10 points, at power forward.
“In 16 years, I’ve only had one year where I’ve had one dominant post guy,” he said. “This is the first year I have two.”
After lighting up Beaver Creek School for 18 points Dec. 2, eighth-grader Yaretzy Romero overcame a sprained ankle to lead all Mingus Rams scorers with seven in another home win Thursday, Dec. 18, 23-10 over Oak Creek School.
Eighth-graders Lindsey Jones and Sarah Williams, who has developed into head coach Lacy Brown’s primary point guard, combined for 10 of Clarkdale’s other 16 points as the Rams rebounded from a 26-13 loss at CVMS.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Dec. 24, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
