Mesa Red Mountain welcomed home four-year standout basketball player Kayla Pedersen last Friday, retiring her No. 14 jersey in a pregame ceremony prior to the Mountain Lions' game with rival Mesa High.
Pedersen was in the Valley with her Stanford team, which was on a two-game Pac-10 road swing through Arizona.
The school made the decision in the offseason, one not made lightly.
"If you're going to retire someone's number, they should be pretty good," Red Mountain athletic director Mike Anderson said. "She played great for us, she's played on the (U.S.) junior national team. And now she's doing great at Stanford. You don't see many like her."
MESA'S JOHNSON DECOMMITS
Mesa High defensive back Keelan Johnson pulled out of a commitment he made last fall to Nebraska and instead plans on signing with Arizona State next month.
Johnson cited staying close to home as the reason for the switch. He is currently a starter and key defender on Mesa's basketball team, which leads the East Valley Region with a 3-0 record.
CUMMINGS COMMITS
Scottsdale Chaparral two-way standout Mike Cummings has committed to play football next year at Montana.
Cummings caught 77 balls for 1,421 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Firebirds this season and was also a lockdown cornerback.
He is expected to play safety at Montana.
ONE FOR WITHERILL
Gilbert Highland senior shooting guard Nick Witherill has been named the National Collegiate Scouting Association Basketball Impact Athlete of the Month.
Witherill is averaging 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists this season, his first with the top-ranked Hawks. Witherill is committed to play at Washington State next season.
Tribune writers Kyle Odegard and Matt Paulson contributed to this story.
