2024-25 Girls Basketball

No. 2 Salpointe beats No. 1 Prescott for its 11th state championship

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Salpointe is the 4A state champion again for the 11th time in program history (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

MESA — Salpointe seniors Gianna Estavillo and Emma Veliz combined for the Lancers’ lone goal at the 71-minute mark, which proved to be enough in the 1-0 victory over No. 1 Prescott in the 4A state championship at Mountain View High School.

Estavillo found Veliz at the center of the near the top of the box and Veliz maneuvered around defenders and kicked the ball past the goalie.

“It’s all about the team with that,” said Veliz, daughter of Pima College coach Kendra Veliz. “I did the least of the work. Gianna runs it up, crosses it, defenders defending at all times, midfield connecting. Never individual. It’s about the team.”

Emma won her third state title with the Lancers. Estavillo earned her first opportunity as a player on the field to win a championship after she was out with injuries in her first two years and Walden Grove beat Salpointe last season in the title match.

“This means everything to me,” Estavillo said. “Just to be able to celebrate with my team and take the ‘W,’ means everything. We played for each other, so it’s good.”

Salpointe junior goaltender Ani Jimenez recorded the shutout with three saves, including a diving stop shortly after Veliz’s goal.

The victory is Kelly Pierce’s sixth state championship as a coach. She also had two with the Lancers as a player.

The program now has 11 state championships.

“We had a really difficult schedule but our girls have been battling,” Pierce said. “We prepared ourselves. Having those difficult games helped us, especially for moments like this.”

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