Crims, Raiders open playoffs on road

 Cibola and Yuma High engaged in a tight battle for the 5A Gila Valley region title all season.

 And while the Raiders supplanted Kofa as the region champions this year, the Criminals were able to return to the state playoffs behind an 18-win season.

 The 5A Division II state softball playoffs begin for both Yuma and Cibola on the road Saturday.

 No. 11 Cibola returns to the playoffs for the first time in three years and travels to No. 6 Anthem-Boulder Creek for a 1:30 p.m. first-round game. No. 13 Yuma takes on No. 4 Scottsdale-Horizon, also at 1:30 p.m.

 "Ever since the school opened we've gone to the state tournament, except for the last three years," Cibola coach Shelly Baumann said. "So it's kinda nice to get back there."

 The Raiders (22-11) played Boulder Creek last year and lost 3-2. Baumann said she thinks Cibola's difficult regular-season schedule, which included playing against several of the state's elite in tournaments and nonregion games, prepared her team for playoff softball.

 "We're lucky we are where we are with the tough teams that we've played," she said. "(Boulder Creek) is a very competitive team. Hopefully we'll be ready to play, but we're excited about it."

 The Criminals emerged from a couple rebuilding years to become a threat in the region and state. Yuma went 18-11 on the season and was the only team to beat Cibola in region competition.

 Yuma takes on a Horizon squad that went 24-5 on the year and won 12 of its last 13 games.