Pitching-rich Calvary Chapel favored in 1A

While many high school baseball teams, even at the Class 4A level, struggle to find more than two quality pitchers, Calvary Chapel boasts far more pitching depth.

Nick Kingham, Cory Welch, Cameron Harper, Robert Welch and Anthony Uran have thrown most of the innings this season for the Lions, who went unbeaten and unscored upon in league play.

That pitching depth is just one reason Calvary Chapel (23-8) is the favorite to win the Class 1A state title. The 1A baseball and softball tournaments begin today at Henderson International school.

"We're very fortunate," Calvary Chapel coach Glen Evans said. "We've got two more that don't throw very much who are good."

Of Calvary Chapel's top five pitchers, four are freshmen. The Lions play Wells at 1 p.m., with Carlin taking on Pahranagat Valley in the other first-round game at 3:30 p.m.

The 1A softball tournament also will be at Henderson International starting at 2 p.m. today.

The Class 3A baseball and softball tournaments will be at Faith Lutheran. The baseball tournament starts at 4 p.m., with the first softball game at 5. The Class 2A baseball and softball tournaments begin Friday in Needles, Calif.

• ALL-STAR RESULTS -- Desert Pines' Jason West was named the Most Valuable Player at the senior boys basketball all-star game after leading the Sunrise Region to a 105-76 win over the Sunset on Thursday.

Shadow Ridge's Cheyana Slocum was the girls MVP, helping the Sunset to a 48-37 win.

In the boys exhibition game, Faith Lutheran's Stephen McCall was the MVP as the Sunset beat the Sunrise, 83-63.

• VOLLEYBALL HONORS -- After leading his team to the Southeast Division and Sunrise Regional titles, Silverado setter Richie Arguello was named MVP of the Southeast Division by league coaches.

Palo Verde's Joe Kauliakamoa was named the MVP of the Northwest Division, Valley's Hassan Chehab and Las Vegas' Colin Pretlow shared the Northeast MVP award, and Sierra Vista's Josh McLain took the Southeast Division honor.

Green Valley's Caroline Carpenter (Southeast), Canyon Springs' Westlee Smith (Northeast), Arbor View's Roger Brown (Northwest) and Sierra Vista's Camille McComas (Southwest) were named coaches of the year.

• COACHING CHANGES -- Jerraye Floyd, who coached Desert Pines' girls basketball team the last two seasons, has been chosen to take over as coach of the Jaguars boys team.

Mel Washington, formerly the girls coach at Western, will replace Floyd as Desert Pines' girls coach.

Eldorado has named Michael Uzan boys coach. Uzan previously was the top assistant for Phil Olsen, who recently resigned.

Basic baseball and boys tennis coach Mike Kazek is stepping down to spend more time with his family.

Bishop Gorman has tabbed Bob Altshuler as interim head football coach. Altshuler previously served as head coach for West Valley High in Yakima, Wash. He replaces David White, who took a graduate assistant job at Oklahoma.

• SWIM HONORS -- Boulder City's Alexis Grothe and Coronado's Martin Vanis highlighted the All-Sunrise Region swimming teams selected by the coaches.

Vanis was the boys Swimmer of the Year, and Grothe took the girls honor.

Boulder City's Sara Carroll was named boys Coach of the Year, and Vo-Tech's Lori Sublette and Desert Pines Avis Pickens shared the girls coaching honor.

In the Sunset Region, Sierra Vista's Helen Yee (girls) and Centennial's Kyle Farbridge-Currie (boys) were named Swimmers of the Year.

Sierra Vista's Kehaulani Strekow took the Sunset girls Coach of the Year award, and Cimarron-Memorial's Jessie Gonzalez was the boys Coach of the Year.

• 3A HONORS -- Boulder City shortstops swept the top honors when the Class 3A Southern League coaches selected their all-league baseball and softball teams.

Brett Moravec was named the league's baseball MVP, and Caiti Forrester took the softball MVP.

Moapa Valley swept the coaching honors, with Shayne Greenland earning the baseball Coach of the Year award and Kim Delgadillo taking the softball coaching honor.