Region rivals square off in state baseball tourney

 San Luis coach Cesar Castillo and Kofa coach Richy Leon typically share scouting reports on mutual opponents throughout the season.

 Thursday evening, Leon received a text message from Castillo - his neighbor, longtime friend and rival coach.

 "He gave me a funny text," Leon said. "He said, 'hey, you got anything on the Kofa Kings?"

 After all the number crunching in the AIA power points, the 5A Division II playoff bracket ended up pairing Gila Valley Region rivals No. 5 Kofa against No. 12 San Luis in a first-round game Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kofa's Boemer Field.

 It'll be the fourth meeting between the two teams this season. The Kings took the regular-season series by winning two out of three games.

 "Everything changes once you get to the playoffs, with adrenaline. And the kids know what's at stake," Castillo said. "It's unfortunate we have to try and take each other out.

 "I don't think Richy or myself will be looking to do any strategy because we've seen each other three times and I think it's more about the kids going out there and who wants it more."

 Said Leon: "If we had a choice in the matter, I think we'd both like to face somebody new. But that's the way the cards were dealt. We'll both be anxious to play each other and go to battle."

 The tournament is double elimination, so the two teams won't be bouncing each other from the playoffs.

 Kofa reached state last year as the No. 5 seed and ran into some tough luck, facing the eventual state champion, Marcos de Niza, who made a Cinderella run as the No. 12 seed, and then state runner-up Glendale-Deer Valley in the elimination game.

 "Obviously, Kofa's a good team. That's why they're at where they are," Castillo said. "The best thing I can tell my guys is Marcos de Niza won it last year as a No. 12 seed, so anything is possible."

 Kofa, the Gila Valley Region champions, will send ace Preston Burrell out to the mound against the Sidewinders. Burrell opened the state playoffs for the Kings last year and is used to big-game pressure.

 "Obviously it's not a guy that they haven't seen before, but I'm sure we're going to see somebody that we've seen before also," Leon said. "There's no advantages and no disadvantages. We're kinda both in the same boat."

 Castillo said he is still uncertain about who he will counter with on the mound. It all hinges on how fast No. 1 starter Heriberto Ron's throwing hand heals. He pitched a complete game in the one game San Luis salvaged in the series against Kofa.

 Ron was plunked by a pitch on his right hand in an at-bat against Yuma High on Tuesday and wasn't able to play in the Sidewinders' last two games Wednesday.

 Castillo said he always believed in his team, despite some offseason issues, including losing last year's The Sun/Yuma Rotary Club's Player of the Year, Javier Solano, to a contract with the Dodgers.

 "I always thought we had a chance to stay in state even with all the distractions that were around the team," Castillo said. "It'll be interesting to see what happens on Saturday."