The Canyon Del Oro Dorados and Ironwood Ridge Nighthawks will again square off in the Division II state playoffs after breezing past their opponents Tuesday evening.

Earlier in the week, the Canyon Del Oro Dorados laid the foundation for a first-round home playoff game by virtue of beating Salpointe, 4-3, in a tense extra-inning game.

As softball playoffs approach, a similar picture is emerging from last year as Canyon Del Oro and Ironwood Ridge High School continue to compete for the top spot in Division II play.

THEATER

 The Pima Community College softball team (30-16, 22-12 in conference) earned its third straight sweep on the road defeating Scottsdale Community College on Thursday in Scottsdale. Alejandra Ortiz (Tucson Magnet HS) continued her dominance at the plate going 3-7 with four RBIs. She has 12 RBIs in the last four games.

By the bottom of the third inning, Canyon Del Oro’s Brandon Burke had grown tired of trading runs with the visiting inner-district rival Ironwood Ridge Nighthawks.

The Pima Community College softball team (23-15, 15-11 in conference) took the first game in extra innings but dropped the second at Mesa Community College on Saturday in Mesa.

The Pima Community College softball team (18-10, 13-9 in conference) had to rally in the first game but the bats came alive in the second game on Tuesday as the Aztecs swept Chandler-Gilbert Community College at the West Campus.

 The Pima Community College softball team (16-10, 11-9 in conference) lost the first game against Arizona Western College but were able to come back and break its five-game losing streak with a win in the second game on Tuesday in Yuma.

 The Pima Community College softball team (13-5, 10-4 in conference) scored 33 runs in two games on Tuesday as the Aztecs swept Paradise Valley Community College at the West Campus.

The Pima Community College softball team (8-2, 5-1 in conference) had very different games against Mesa Community College on Tuesday but the Aztecs were able to come away with the victories. Gemma Contreras (Salpointe Catholic HS) had the big bat for Pima with five hits in two games.

MOVIES

The coach and players of Canyon Del Oro High School basketball weren’t surprised, nor did they panic, when the Ironwood Ridge Nighthawks jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter.

MOVIES

The oldest sport in America is as fresh as ever in Northwest Tucson.

When the 2012 season was first getting under way, Ironwood Ridge Coach Matt Johnson and the Nighthawk players were clear on their goals. The first was to get past the semifinals in the state playoffs, a round they failed to win for three straight seasons. The second goal was to win it all and become the Division II State Champions.

The Ironwood Ridge Nighthawks earned a spot in the Division II State Championships by doing what they do best, running the ball in the semifinal victory over Marcos de Niza.

MOVIE

Tears rolled down the faces of the Mountain View football players on Friday night, but the Mountain Lions have every reason to hold their heads high. Under the helm of first-year coach Clarence McRae, the team’s success this year has put the school’s football program back on the map.