Area teams get much needed reps at Hopi Invite

POLACCA, Ariz. – The one-day Hopi Baseball Invite allotted teams such as Greyhills Academy, Piñon and Red Mesa to work on their games.

Greyhills entered the tournament with a 1-9 record. At the conclusion of the round-robin tourney the Knights had gone 1-1-1 overall.

The Knights beat Red Mesa 6-4, tied Piñon 5-5, and lost to Fredonia by a 6-3 count.

“It’s good that we had these types of games because it helps to develop the kids even more,” Greyhills coach Craig Claw said. “We have a shortage of talent and skills here on the rez, so it’s good that Hopi had this tournament.

“It’s here to support all the kids, and not just their kids,” he added. “They’re looking out for everybody.”

Despite its season struggles, Claw is seeing some progress from his young team that lists four seniors on its 15-player roster.

“Our kids are learning the process of playing baseball,” the fourth-year coach said. “They’re progressing, and they’re developing. They’re actually learning how to come together. I think that’s the main thing they’ve learned this season, which is learning how to become a team.

“We’re happy and proud of them for sticking it out, and being committed to their team,” he added.

For much of the season, Claw has used six pitchers on the mound. The pitching staff includes seniors DeShawn Begay and Koy Harrison; juniors Quinton Edison, Hunter Claw and Amari Attakai; and freshmen Marshall Claw and Norris Preston.

“We have quite a bit of pitchers and they switch off,” Claw said. “Most of them are catchers, too, and that helps out a lot.”

The Knights will finish out the regular season with doubleheaders against Hopi on Thursday and Sanders Valley on Monday.

“Our season has been OK,” Claw said. “Like I said, the kids are still learning but it’s just not about playing the sport. We expect them to perform in the classroom and we expect them to perform on the field. It requires a lot from them, and some people don’t understand the necessary commitment it takes to be in school and play sports.”

Red Mesa

At the Hopi tournament, Red Mesa came up short to Sanders Valley (7-3), Greyhills Academy (6-4) and Hopi (4-0).

“We had some close games, but we were missing a lot of good players today,” Red Mesa coach Jerome Blackwater said. “We only brought nine, so we barely had enough to field a team.”

Blackwater has 15 players on his roster, but with six missing on Saturday he used a bevy of freshmen to take on the pitching duties.

“Our main pitcher, Jaiden King, has been doing really good,” Blackwater said. “We got other seniors that are good pitchers, too, but they’re not here.”

Red Mesa has two games left in the regular season. The Blackwater-coached team will make the trip to Shiprock Northwest on Monday for an interstate game followed by an away game with 1A North region foe Fredonia on Apr. 19.

Red Mesa was holding down the No. 25 spot in Tuesday’s Arizona Interscholastic Association statewide polls with the top 16 teams making the state playoffs.

Earlier this season, Red Mesa (4-9) was ranked as high as No. 19.

Piñon

A shorthanded Piñon squad left the one-day Hopi tournament with a 1-0-2 mark.

The Eagles were missing six players, who took part in a welding and culinary arts competition.

“We brought 12 players today,” Piñon coach Alonzo Bert said. “We did our best with what we had.”

The Eagles beat Sanders Valley 3-1 in a game that was called due to a lack of pitchers from the Pirates. In other tournament action, Piñon tied with Fredonia (3-3) and Greyhills Academy (5-5).

“We actually played Greyhills (on Friday) and we actually did pretty good,” Bert said of his team’s 17-2 win. “We were hitting the ball and that’s a big plus for us.”

Piñon (2-6) will close out the regular season with a pair of 2A North doubleheaders. The Eagles host Many Farms on Tuesday before traveling to Valley Sanders on Apr. 19.

The Eagles also plays 2A Central member Northland Prep on Apr. 20 in Flagstaff.

“We’re really hoping to make the playoffs,” the Piñon coach said. “We have six games left and we’re going to take it one game at a time.”

Piñon started the season with six straight losses, including two region games to St. Johns and Round Valley.

“Errors are what got us,” Bert said of the 0-6 start. “It’s just those little things that got us down, but we had a rough start with the snow. We didn’t get to practice because of that, but we’re getting there.”

For much of the season, Piñon has leaned on senior ace Milton Chee. Bert is going to continue to use him as the Eagles are looking to improve its state rankings. As of Tuesday, Piñon held down the No. 29 spot with the top 24 teams making the playoffs.

“We’re going to aim high, and try to make the playoffs,” Bert said.

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