Since the end of the spring sports season, players have been busy in clubs and summer leagues preparing for next year. The coaches and athletes at Fountain Hills High School are hard at work to make the most of their upcoming seasons.

Soccer

The Falcon soccer programs have several changes coming their way. Jon Davies is the new head coach of the boys high school team, and he’ll be assisting Malcolm Cutting with the high school girls team and both middle school teams.

A long-time Fountain Hills resident, Davies already has a relationship with players because he came on as an assistant late last year and coached many of the high school players when they were in pre-kindergarten and youth leagues. He said that several upperclassmen who haven’t played soccer at the high school level reached out to commit to the team because he’s coming on full time.

Davies hopes to establish a pipeline of soccer talent and has reached out to Fountain Hills Soccer Club to build connections. Roster depth has been an issue for both high school teams for the past two years, but Davies hopes to have a junior varsity team this year, even if it’s co-ed.

Davies is planning to have summer camps open to all ages starting around Monday, July 10. He is in the process of confirming several details but will post updates regarding camp to the “FH Falcon Soccer” Facebook page.

“Soccer used to be a staple up here, and I’d like to return it to that level,” Davies said. “It’s not just a sport to stay in shape for a few kids. It’s the go to sport.”

Volleyball

The Falcons earned second place in a 16-team tournament at Show Low High School on Saturday, June 24. Earlier this summer, they placed fifth out of 34 teams in the Blue Ridge Tournament.

The core group of the Falcons’ roster has grown with head coach Olivia Long. The Falcons graduated three seniors over Long’s first two seasons, and there are as many as five returning seniors this upcoming season.

The Falcons went 16-14 and made the playoffs last season after going 9-18 in Long’s first year. Rising seniors Bella Garman and Sophie Wickland received all-region honorable mentions for indoor volleyball last year, as well as rising junior Jocelyn Bloedel.

Other upperclassmen that can return include seniors Jeneya Boone, Elle Schulze, Sydney Boeshans, and rising juniors Kitrick Garman, Lucia Kalmbach, Zoe Kohoutek and Seilah Smith.

This past spring, Bloedel was named to the all-section first team for beach volleyball. Boeshans and both Garman sisters earned all-section second team honors, and Wickland was an all-section honorable mention.

Girls basketball

The girls basketball team went 7-1 in the Thunderbird League and played in the first annual Scottsdale Christian Academy Invitation Tournament on Saturday, June 24.

Thunderbird hosted the tournament and went 19-6 in 4A last year. The Falcons beat them 62-30, and they also beat 5A Paradise Valley 41-20. The Falcons also beat their biggest rival, Payson, 44-28 this summer.

According to head coach Amanda Baca, Alicia Ibarra has stepped up as a leader and looks comfortable in her second year with the team. She’ll be the only senior who played on the team last year.

Seilah Smith and incoming freshman Sadie Smith will be a dynamic duo and the sisters already have innate chemistry. Sophomore Taleigha Bonnaha is recovering from ACL surgery but will be ready to contribute later this year.

Boys basketball

Jeff Bonner’s squad was busy through the first part of the summer. Between tournaments and weekly doubleheaders with neighboring schools, Bonner said the Falcons have played more than 40 games as of June 28.

They’ve played in college and professional facilities at NAU, GCU and State Farm Stadium. Most recently, the Falcons went 2-1 in the section seven qualifier at State Farm Stadium with a 51-12 win over Barry Goldwater and a 47-34 win over Yuma Catholic.

The 3A Falcons nearly held their own but lost 53-46 to Central. Central went 20-7 in 5A last year.

The four returning varsity players are rising senior Keaton Ort, and rising juniors Lucas Grieco, Sam Barnard and MJ Heaney. There will be big shoes to fill on a team that went 25-0 in the regular season last year, but the JV squad went 18-0 last year and are ready for their opportunity.

Bonner added that he saw 12-15 more kids at each summer camp this year than last year. He had around 30 kids in both his third grade through eighth grade camp, and the high school camp.

Other sports

Pete Schermerhorn is building a foundation for his new football program and the team has had workouts three times a week. The Falcons will travel to Cal Lutheran to work on skills and build up team bonds at football camp from July 13 to July 17.

Patti Schultz has been leading swim clinics and is refining strokes with the swimmers. The cross country team has been running early in the mornings twice a week with new head coach Andrea Hall.

Hall served as an assistant last year and was a high school state champion and college athlete at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.