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ATHLETIC NEWS
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VARSITY BASKETBALL WINS FIRST-EVER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP For the first time in the 50-year history of PCDS, the boys’ varsity basketball team won the state championship. The Eagles captured the Division IV crown with a 49-29 victory over the Arizona Lutheran Coyotes. Team co-captain AJ Hess ’12 was named Small Schools Player of the Year by The Arizona Republic. AJ also was named to the 2011-12 All-Arizona Boys Basketball team, one of only five players chosen statewide. During the season, AJ averaged 19.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He became the School’s all-time leading scorer with more than 1,800 career points. Co-captain Nate Nearhood ’12 became the 2nd all-time scorer with 1,300 career points. Other player honors from The Arizona Republic included Division IV First Team for both AJ and Nate, and Honorable Mention to Nic Meyer ’12 and Alex Sylvester. Also honored by The Arizona Republic was varsity coach Shane Lewis, named Small Schools Coach of the Year. Coach Lewis led the team to a 31-5 record and the Division IV state championship in his third season. He also was awarded Division IV Coach of the Year by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association. SENIOR WINS AIA HONOR SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: DANIELLE LEE ’12
Nic Meyer ’12 ended his high school athletic career with the state’s top honor. He was named the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Student of the Year, chosen from among all Arizona high school boys who play sports. Nic also was a finalist for the 1A-3A Scholar Athlete Award. He was honored at the AIA Champions Awards Luncheon at the University of Phoenix Stadium in May. Every year, the AIA recognizes outstanding Arizona high school students, teachers, coaches, officials, administrators, and schools for “outstanding achievements, on and off the field, and exemplifying trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.” At PCDS, Nic played varsity soccer, baseball, and basketball, and was a member of the state championship basketball team. Nic now attends Amherst College. 14 | 2011-12 Athletic News
Danielle Lee ’12, who never lost a race in her four-year high school career, was named Girls Swimmer of the Year by The Arizona Republic. Starting with her freshman year, Danielle won eight individual state titles and holds seven individual PCDS records (50, 100, 200, 500 freestyle; 100 backstroke; 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley). She also holds Division I records in the 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle.
Danielle was named Swimmer of the Meet at the state championships all four years she competed. She also won PCDS’s Most Outstanding Athlete Award in 2011 and 2012. PCDS swim coach Mike Maczuga, quoted in The Arizona Republic, attributed Danielle’s success to hard work, saying that she always showed a lot of talent, but “when she started to put the work into it, she took it to another level.” A four-time All-American, Danielle attends Harvard University.
GIRLS’ TENNIS WINS STATE DOUBLES AND TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP The girls’ tennis team beat Miami 5-3 to successfully defend its Division III state championship and win its third state title in four years. Leah Stofko ’12 and Nicole Bassoff ’12, the 2011 state doubles champions in Division III, retained their title with a victory over Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian. PCDS tennis is coached by Jerry Keever.