TUCSON, AZ – On January 24th a new tradition was started in Tucson with what is being billed as ASA’s First Annual January Blizzard. 12u, 14u, 16u and 18u teams were in action for two days at the Golf Links Sports Complex and Lincoln Park.

In the 18 and under division a play in game was needed between the Lil Saints and the Tucson Impulse with the Lil Saints coming out on top 6-1. Next up, Team Velocity shut out the Tucson Scramblers with a 6-0 score while the Tucson Jinx were keeping the Lil Saints off the score board as well.

This set up the championship game between Team Velocity Force and the Tucson Jinx. Team Velocity Force took home the championship with a 7-3 victory.

During first round action in the 16 and under bracket, the Tucson Outlaws Black team defeated the Tucson Scrambler 7-2 while the Arizona Sunfire were getting by the Tucson Bandits in a close contest 7-6.

In the second round the Tucson Outlaws Black eked out a victory over Impulse 93 with a 3-2 win as the AZ Cats 94 were getting by the Arizona Sunfire 3-2. In the championship the Tucson Outlaws Black and the AZ Cats 94 ended knotted up in a 4-4 tie.

The 14 and under bracket was the largest in the tournament. The Desert Scorpions, Desert Ice, Desert Thunder 96 and Triple Threat all opened the tournament with wins. Round two saw Desert Thunder 95, the Lady Bat Cats, Desert Thunder 96 and the Shockwave all victorious.

The third round games determined who would remain standing to fight it out in thechampionship game. The Desert Thunder 95 team defeated the Lady Bat Cats 6-3 and Shockwave ended Desert Thunder 96’s hopes for an all Desert Thunder championship with a 6-2 victory.

In the championship game Desert Thunder 95 narrowly took the title over Shockwave 3-2.

In the 12 and under contest it was the AZ Bandits all over the Tucson AZtecs 13-1, the Tucson Scramblers Maroon downing 97 Desert Thunder 9-6 and Team Velocity 97 over Desert Storm 15- 4 in the opening round.

In round two Team Arizona-Sotelo had an easy time with the Sahuarita Rage with a 12-4 victory while the AZ Cats 97 defeated the AZ Bandits 6-4. The Tucson AZtecs 96 got by the Tucson Scramblers Maroon 7-6 and Team Velocity lost to the Sierra Vista Diamonds 96 team by a score of 9-4.

In the third round of the 12 and under bracket Team Arizona-Sotelo narrowly defeated the AZ Cats 97 team 5-4 while the Sierra Vista Diamonds 96 team defeated the Tucson AZtecs 96 team 4-2.

So now it was championship time and apparently time for Team Arizona-Sotelo to take on a pull-no-punches mentality as they soundly defeated the Sierra Vista Diamonds 96 team 12-2 for the 12u title.

The January Blizzard comes at a great time of year in the Old Pueblo when temperatures are wonderful and there aren’t a lot of other softball tournaments being played. The tournament will undoubtedly bring another chance for Arizona’s young women to play early in the calendar for years to come.