VarsityXtra

Some quick hitters as the 4A basketball tournaments wind down:

- Although no local teams are involved, you couldn’t ask for a better 4A-II boys basketball final. Phoenix Greenway is undefeated on the season and one win away from capping it off in style. Tucson Santa Rita, meanwhile, was the preseason favorite and returns to the title game for the third straight year. Santa Rita has been runner-up the past two seasons, so it should be an intense matchup.

- While I figured the 4A-I boys tournament would be pretty wide open, it has almost gone exactly as planned. Heading into tonight’s semifinal matchups, there have only been two instances in which a lower seeded team has won a game. And they haven’t exactly been startling upsets. No. 9 Scottsdale Saguaro beat No. 8 Glendale Independence in the first round, and No. 5 Tucson Catalina Foothills nipped No. 4 Vail Cienega in overtime in the quarterfinals.

- The Tempe McClintock girls team took its lumps early in the season, but really got in a groove during region play. That has translated to the state tournament, as the Chargers won on Thursday afternoon to advance to the state title game. Coach Eric Magana never puts too much pressure on his team, and I’m guessing McClintock will get ready for the game with their favorite pastime - Guitar Hero.

- It wasn’t much of a suprise to see three teams from the 4A-II Grand Canyon Region in the girls semifinals. That region was the toughest all season. Glendale Raymond Kellis, though, spoiled the party by beating Flagstaff by a point to advance to the championship game against top-seeded Page.

Luke Miller leaned against crutches in the hallway of Queen Creek on Tuesday night, taking well wishes after getting bounced from the 4A-II boys basketball state tournament moments earlier.

While he led the Bulldogs with 14 points, it wasn’t enough, as they were beaten by Gilbert Perry. Miller rolled his ankle in the first quarter, when he sank a 3-pointer before coming down on a Perry player’s foot.

Miller refused to come out, playing with a noticeable limp for some time. He stayed in and helped spearhead a Queen Creek comeback, but eventually the Pumas pulled away for the victory. Miller injured the ankle again with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter and couldn’t play the rest of the way.

Whether a fully healthy Miller would have made a difference in the game, who knows? But it’s a shame his junior season had to come to an end on the bench.

The major U. S. election has come and gone, but here’s a chance to help elect and nominate someone you know for some pretty decent honors.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association and Cox Communications want  to hear from you as the companies seek to honor outstanding students, coaches, faculty members and athletic administrators in Arizona at the 2009 Everyday Heroes Awards gala May 23rd at the Orpheum Theatre.

The Everyday Heroes program honors students and adults who display a strong sense of character and interscholastic achievement with an emphasis on sportsmanship and healthy lifestyles. Nominations are being accepted for Official of the Year, Coach of the Year, Administrator of the Year, AIA Student of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Scholar-Activity Participant of the Year, Cox Technology in Education Award and the Blue Cup. Nomination forms and details can be found on the AIA Web site at www.aiaonline.org. This year’s honorees will be announced at an Academy Awards-style show at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix on May 23. The ceremony will be broadcast live in Phoenix and Tucson on Cox7.

Local fans can help former Chandler Seton Catholic star Christina Wirth by  voting for the current Vanderbilt University standout womens basketball player at Vanderbilt University. Wirth is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s NCAA Senior Student Athlete Award. There is online voting as part of the selection process going on all month that accounts for 1/3 of the decision-making process. The URL is http://www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/womens_basketball_2008_09/ Fans can vote once per day.

Check out this story about a high school football program in California which may have its offense go by the wayside if possible rule changes and other sportsmanship conundrums should go against Piedmont High School football coach Kurt Bryan.

What do you think?  Is this a fair and within the spirit of the game?  Or nothing but gimmicks and circumventing in the name of wins and gaudy stats?

Should be an interesting pair of 5A-Division I boys soccer state semifinal matches on Thursday at ASU soccer stadium.

The first of the day, Gilbert Highland and Phoenix Brophy, pits the state tournament favorites (Brophy) against possibly the second favorite (Highland).

Other than better health (too late for that to change), neither team needs much help now, but the Broncos are getting some off the field.

In an effort to get more student involvement, “The Herd” was spearheaded last year by coach Marc Kelly and his players, and it’s gone international in this, the second year.

That’s because a contingent of kids from Argentina have been at the school this semester as foreign exchange students from Argentina.

Soccer (or futbol) being a high priority below the equator, they’ve brought some knowledge to the Broncos, as well as an intimate knowledge of regular soccer chants and songs.

The group is easy to see and hear, and though the state tournament ends this weekend, the Argentinian contingent is around for another month.

Following a loss by the Queen Creek boys basketball team to Phoenix Arcadia on Friday night, coach Troy Gibson politely asked me to never cover his team again. No, we aren’t at odds or anything.It’s just that I’m bad luck.

In the three games I’ve watched the Bulldogs play, they have yet to win a game. In the 23 games without me in attendance, Queen Creek is 21-2. Sorry, Coach.

I told him next time I come, I won’t alert him and sit in the back corner the entire contest.