The Star is profiling Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ high school athletes whose seasons were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Each high school was asked to nominate an exceptional spring sport athlete who exemplifies greatness on and off the field, court or track.
On the first Saturday in March, Ironwood Ridge’s softball team was celebrating its third-place finish in the annual Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City.
When senior Shelby Thompson returned home from the trip, she and her booster club member mother hauled several big tubs of snacks upstairs to wait for the next trip.
When that trip didn’t happen, Thompson, 17, found herself thinking about the snacks.
“There were so many left after Bullhead City, we didn’t even make a dent,†she said. “They were all sitting upstairs and tempting me to eat them.â€
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Thompson began thinking about the social media posts she’d seen about local families struggling to afford groceries, and thought she could put the snacks to good use. But with restrictions limiting donated food at place in many area nonprofits, finding a home for the treats wasn’t easy as Thompson initially thought.

Shelby Thompson helped organized a donation of her team’s remaining haul of tournament snacks to give to local families.
“We took them up to my old middle school, Coronado. I got to give them to my old principal, which was kind of funny,†Thompson said. The donated snacks and water bottles ended up going into lunch bags that were distributed to area families.
This simple act of donating unused snacks is a good example of what coaches say makes Thompson so special off the field. It’s a little harder to quickly summarize why Thompson shines on the pitcher’s mound, as her accolades are many.
“Shelby... took giant steps from a freshman year, when she pitched less than 10 innings, to her senior year when was expecting to pitch in her third straight state championship game,†I-Ridge coach David Martinez said. “Shelby worked extremely hard on improving her whole person, from her mental toughness to her physical strength. Shelby is our leader and has been incredible in that role.â€
Martinez pointed out several standout moments involving Thompson, including her shutdown of Cienega that kept Ironwood Ridge in the state championship game during Thompson’s sophomore year. Or a no-hitter she pitched against Peoria Centennial her junior year.

Shelby Thompson spent four years pitching for Ironwood Ridge High School’s softball team and is headed to UC San Diego in the fall to continue her career,
Thompson was offered the largest scholarship in the history of UC San Diego’s softball program. She accepted, and plans to move to San Diego. She’s thinking about studying international business at the academically rigorous school.
“I want to focus on marketing, and I think a cool thing to do would be to work for a college sports team or professional sports team,†Thompson said.
Thompson has been something of a staple in Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ softball, volunteering as an assistant coach with Oro Valley Fast Pitch’s 12U team and giving private pitching lessons to girls ages 8 to 12.
“I’m trying hard not to get lazy, because it can be easy,†Thompson said of her downtime these past few months. “Fortunately, I have a little park up the street, so it’s easy to take my dad and go for a bullpen still. I also have little circuits my club coach made up to do in the backyard with makeshift equipment.â€
Her club team, the Oro Valley Suncats, could still play a summer schedule.
“There’s talk about what it could look like or be like wearing masks, or a modified tournament schedule with less travel,†Thompson said. “Hopefully we get to do some sort of playing of games against other teams. The first big (tournament) is at the end of June in Colorado. We’re crossing our fingers.â€
With softball on hold, Thompson is grateful for the memories she has from Ironwood Ridge’s state championship victory last year.
“That was the funnest couple of weeks and night, and the game was just so much fun. All of the school being there to support us was a great experience,†Thompson said. “You don’t realize how much you’ll miss softball or that you’re taking it for granted.â€
Thompson said that while the games can sometimes drag on, especially when she’s playing three or four in a single week, she’d be grateful for even one right now.
Spring Stars: Some of Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s best high school athletes, 2019-2020
Rachael Fox

Sahuarita High School senior Rachael Fox, posing for a photo, April 18, 2020, Sahuarita, Ariz. She maintained a winning record for all four years of high school. Before school and sports were cancelled in March, Fox was the Mustangs' top player with an undefeated record.
Dakota Crabtree

Academy of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s Dakota Crabtree, posing for a photo, April 16, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., In four years at AOT, 18-year-old Crabtree has managed to break several school records, starting with the long jump. He set the school record one during the opening meet of his sophomore season, and has gone onto break it every year since.
Leo and Ivan Villa

Leo Villa, left, and twin brother Ivan, senior baseball players at Walden Grove High School in Sahuarita. Ivan Villa is hoping to attend the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ next year and major in civil engineering. Leo hopes to major in architectural engineering, academics could win out when it comes time to make the choice.
Isabel Cordova

Track and Field senior at Empire High school Isabel Cordova poses for a portrait at Empire High School, 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on April 21, 2020. Last year, she took second place in state for javelin (her favorite event) with a throwing distance of nearly 115 feet.
Refugio "Kito" Del Cid

Baseball senior at Desert View High school Refugio "Kito" Del Cid poses for a portrait at Jacobs Park, 3300 N. Fairview Ave., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on April 21, 2020. With the quarantine in effect, Del Cid's been pitching and hitting ground balls against the wall in his back yard in an effort to stay in playing shape and keep baseball alive in his life. He says his teammates and this season– even in its shortened state– were his favorite part of high school.
Cheyenne Hudson and Laneya Wright

Marana softball players Cheyenne Hudson (pitcher and shortstop) and Laneya Wright (centerfielder) stand for a portrait at Marana Heritage River Park, on April 24, 2020. Laneya Wright and Cheyenne Hudson started playing softball on the same club team a decade ago as little girls, growing up together on the fields.
Ethan Lee

Rincon/University High School junior tennis player Ethan Lee on April 26, 2020. A member of Rincon's tennis team for the past three years, Lee was state champion last year for men's singles, after taking the runner-up spot his freshman year. Always one for a challenge, Lee was considering pursuing a state championship in doubles tennis this spring, before the season was cut short.
Kaitlyn Rendon

Flowing Wells High School junior Kaitlyn Rendon at Jacobs Park in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on April 26, 2020. Rendon plays on FWHS's soccer, track and field and cross country teams as well as on FWHS ROTC rifle team. She has a 3.9 unweighted GPA and is ranked 10th in her class. She's also president of her school's Interact Club, and a member of several others, including National Honor Society.
Preston Gibbons

Mountain View High School senior volleyball outside hitter Preston Gibbons on May 1, 2020. Gibbons is ranked seventh in his class at Mountain View and will be attending the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in the fall.
Alyssa Lopez

Canyon del Oro High School senior Alyssa Lopez, shown on April 29, 2020, was the school's No.1 tennis player. Several months ago, Lopez started working as a gymnastics coach for kids at Heart and Soul Gymnastics. While the gym is closed because of COVID-19, Lopez has been creating at-home workout videos for the kids.
Kristiana Watson

Amphitheater High School senior Kristiana Watson says the things she misses most about the season cancellation are losing a chance to play with her cousin and her final year of being coached by her mother on the Panthers’ softball team.
Jesse Avina

Sierra Vista Buena High School javelin thrower Jesse Avina is planning to join the Air Force after he earns his four-year degree. He’ll start this fall by enrolling at Paradise Valley Community College. He will be on the Paradise Valley track and field team.
Amya Legarra

Canyon del Oro senior pitcher Amya Legarra was 8-0 with a 2.39 ERA and three complete games when the season was halted. She plans to move to Logan, Utah, this summer, and will soon be majoring in human movement science and playing softball for Utah State University.
Candice Pocase

Santa Rita High School junior track athlete Candice Pocase on April 24, 2020. "In my 20 years of coaching, Candice is one of the most hardworking, dedicated, coachable and fun athletes that I have had the honor to coach," said Luis Blanco, who is also Pocase's track coach. "The words 'no' and 'can't' are not in her athletic vocabulary.
Emily Flowers

Emily Flowers, a sophomore at Catalina Foothills High School, won a state championship last year and hopes to play at a Division I school someday. Before the coronavirus hit, Flowers was training six days a week at the Smith-Perry Tennis Academy and an academy run by UA tennis coaches. She’s trying to ensure that her game is impacted as little as possible by the change in routine.
Briana Garcilazo

Briana Garcilazo, a senior at Rio Rico High School. Softball is something of a family tradition, as both of her sisters also play. Garcilazo, a pitcher, first baseman and outfielder on Rio Rico’s team, will be continuing her career in college, signing on to play with Mesa Community College next year.
Leo Felix

Leo Felix, senior at Douglas High School, poses for a portrait at 15th Street Park, E. 15th st., in Douglas, Ariz., on May 5, 2020. Felix, outfielder for the Douglas High School Baseball team, is graduating in the top 10% of his class and plans to continue his baseball career in college. "I'm definitely going to try to play somewhere, and I'm going to continue my studies in college," said Felix, adding that he plans to major in business.
Abigail Russell

Salpointe Catholic’s Abigail Russell will next compete for the UA beach volleyball team. She also played the indoor version for the Lancers. When Russell was 10, she discovered volleyball and fell in love. Her brief flirtation with track, dancing and everything else was over.
061321-tuc-spt-springstars-p4

Emmanuel Corral, 18, is looking forward to running for Pima College in the fall.
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage

Softball player Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage poses for a portrait at Salpointe Catholic High School on May 7, 2020. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 2019 All State Catcher and Defensive Player of the Year, Aguilar-Beaucage plans to continue her softball career at Grand Canyon University like her older sister.
Ryan Zuniga

Ryan Zuniga is hoping to follow his cousin’s footsteps and earn a college scholarship. Keith Zuniga played at Bethune-Cookman and was a 35th-round selection of the Miami Marlins, though he did not sign.
Shelby Thompson

Softball player Shelby Thompson of Ironwood Ridge High School on May 12, 2020.Â
"Shelby... took giant steps from a freshman year, when she pitched less than 10 innings, to her senior year when was expecting to pitch in her third straight State Championship game," said softball coach David Martinez. "Shelby worked extremely hard on improving her whole person, from her mental toughness to her physical strength. Shelby is our leader and has been incredible in that role."
Gabrianna Gonzalez

Gabrianna Gonzalez, 18, is a discus thrower on the track and field team at Cholla High School. She plans to attend the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in the Fall. May 14, 2020.Â
Gonzalez is one of Cholla's few three-sport female athletes. She also competed in volleyball and basketball.
Of the three sports, track is her favorite. So much so that she passed up on the opportunity to graduate early in order to make a run at state.
061321-tuc-spt-springstars-p7

Former Sabino High School standout Sydney Gray played at Nebraska as a true freshman before suffering a knee injury that required surgery. She has been rehabbing daily ever since.
Bryan Cruz

Bryan Cruz joined the Amphitheater High School volleyball team in 2018 after moving back to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ from Cucurpe, Sonora.
“First and foremost, he is a true student-athlete,†said Amphi volleyball coach Mike Frederick, who believes Cruz is one of the best volleyball players in the region. “He may be the most underappreciated player in the city. … But to us, he is everything. Not only is he our leader on the court but off the court as well.â€
Angel Addleman

Senior basketball and track and field athlete Angel Addleman at Palo Verde High School, 1302 S. Avenida Vega, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on May 19, 2020. Addleman will play basketball at Pima Community College.
With the track season halted early and Addleman's brief musical career behind her — she spent two years performing in the folk group Copper Wren with her sisters and some friends — Addleman found herself with some time to fill during the quarantine. But unlike some athletes who require specialty equipment or teammates to train, Addleman was able to wing it.
Blaise Biringer

Blaise Biringer, 18, on the softball field at Cienega High School on May 11, 2020. Biringer plans to attend the University of Mississippi on a softball scholarship.
Prior to the shutdown, Biringer was selected to play for the Mexican National team this summer in the inaugural Triple Crown International Challenge. She was also selected by Premier Gold Fastpitch to represent the Mountain Region as an All-American (on a roster that includes fellow Spring Stars Anjolle Aguilar-Beaucage, Sydney Gray, Amya Legarra, Carlie Scupin and Kristiana Watson.)
Cameron Fimbres

Cameron Fimbres, Pueblo High School senior volleyball player, at Silverbell Crossroads Park, on May 15, 2020. Fimbres will be going to McKendree University in southern Illinois.
"My favorite memory of high school would have to be volleyball," Fimbres said. "It's either my escape from stress and stuff or where I could show off to friends, but sophomore year was also very fun. I got to play with my brother before he graduated and it was probably my team's best year."
Gerardo Grijalva

Gerardo Grijalva, 17, plays pitcher and first base for the Sunnyside High School baseball team. He will be returning to Sunnyside in the Fall as a senior.
While Grijalva would love to play college in baseball after he graduates, preferably at University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ or UCLA, he's also focused on his future career as a robotic engineer.
"I heard that robotic engineering has a lot of math in it, and most people don’t like math, but that’s one of my best subjects in school," Grijalva said. "Right now, really don’t have an idea of where I might go, but I for sure know that I really want to play baseball in college at the next level."