Basketball

TUSD approves LaVetter Gym & Santa Cruz Stadium; Salpointe wins volleyball region; Empire to move back down

By Andy Morales

Posted on October 16, 2018

ROUND OF APPLAUSE 👏👏👏: Audience reacts after @tucsonunified Gov. Board votes unanimously to rename the #Pueblo High School Football Stadium in honor of Saturnino “Curly” Santa Cruz, a teacher and football/track coach at the school from 1969-2008. @pueblowarriors #TUSD pic.twitter.com/hKt1urQvBG

— Evan Schreiber (@SchreiberEvan) October 17, 2018

The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) governing board approved two important athletic measures Tuesday night involving Pueblo High School. The south gym will now be known as the “Roland LaVetter Gym.” And the football stadium will be called the “Curly Santa Cruz Stadium.”

LaVetter coached the Warriors to back-to-back state championships in 1977 and 1978 with his star player, Lafayette Lever, leading the way and Santa Cruz was an all-city running back for the Warriors under Lou Farber and he was the head football coach from 1980 to 1995 when he was promoted to the program’s athletic director position. He coached the Warriors to their only unbeaten (9-0-1) regular season in 1988.

VOLLEYBALL REGION CHAMPIONS

No. 2 Salpointe clinched the 4A Kino title with a 3-0 sweep at No. 38 Casa Grande Tuesday night, No. 23 Amphitheater won the 4A Gila championship and No. 3 St. David won the 1A South Region championship on Monday night.

EMPIRE HOPES TO MOVE DOWN AGAIN

The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) executive board meeting approved, by a 5-3 vote, to left Empire count it’s sophomore class for the next two-year scheduling block because students from Andrada Polytechnic and Vail Academy will no longer be playing sports at Empire. That means a potential to move back down to the 3A level.

MARANA & DOUGLAS PUT ON ADVISEMENT

The AIA Executive Board put Marana’s activities program under advisement for hosting an unsanctioned tournament and Douglas was placed on advisement for playing two students in football games who still had unfinished transfer paperwork.

ARIZONA COULD HOST 4A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

As long as No. 1 Salpointe (8-0) continues to win, it looks highly likely the Lancers will host the 4A state championship at Arizona Stadium. No. 2 Scottsdale Saguaro (7-1) would be on the other side of the bracket if the current rankings hold out. That would be a recruiting bonanza for the University of Arizona with the 6A and 5A state championships returning to ASU.

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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com