AZ ThunderCats 18 Pacheco team pictured from left to right — Top Row: No. 24 Ysela Gradillas (Mountain View), No. 8 Lillian Gradillas (Mountain View), No. 12 Paola Zamacona (Sunnyside), No. 31 Maliyah Espinoza (Amphi), No. 23 Briannay Galvez (Sunnyside), No. 10 Summer Simpson (Cholla), No. 17 Carys Lynch (Catalina Foothills), No. 26 Layla Holzer (Walden Grove) and No. 11 Katie Blair (Cienega). Bottom Row: No. 77 Savannah Schneider (Sahuarita), No. 9 Ashley Badilla (Sunnyside), No. 3 Laryssa Morales (Cienega), No. 00 Nadxiely Navarro (Sunnyside), No. 40 Neveah Baca (Sahuarita), No. 20 Marina Pro (Amphi) and No. 14 Zayanette Nieblas (Amphi).
The AZ ThunderCats 18U Pacheco team battled its way from the elimination bracket to the championship of the prestigious Colorado Sparkler Kennedy tournament at Aurora, Colo.
The ThunderCats went 8-1 including a 14-4 title victory over Prodigy Easton Eyl of Colorado on Sunday.
After losing in an early game Saturday, the ThunderCats won four straight games over the weekend, including the championship. They outscored their opponents 48-21 in that stretch.
The team consists of 16 local players from eight different high schools. Many of them have played together through their club softball experience.
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