Mattie Merrell pitched a complete game, two-hitter, while also hitting a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to lead host Queen Creek to a 2-1 victory over Higley on Thursday.

All-Tribune First Team

"Oz the Great and Powerful" aims for nostalgia in older viewers who grew up on "The Wizard of Oz" and still hold the classic dear while simultaneously enchanting a newer, younger audience. It never really accomplishes either successfully.

MGM’s “The Wizard of Oz” is the rare film adaptation that has officially become even more cherished than the timeless book that inspired it. Over the years, “The Wizard of Oz” has influenced numerous sequels, prequels, and reimaginings in just about every entertainment medium. Although there have certainly been some good additions to the “Oz” franchise, it’s unfortunate all of them must live in the shadow of an unbeatable classic. While nothing will ever top the Judy Garland version, the most we can ask from a modern “Oz” interpretation is that it remains true to L. Frank Baum’s universe while also sprinkling in something fresh. On that basis, Director Sam Raimi sufficiently delivers in his vibrant and fun “Oz the Great and Powerful.”

Desert Mountain's Tim Willittes threw a complete-game two-hitter and the Wolves scored three runs in the middle innings to beat Notre Dame, 3-1, on Wednesday.

“Snitch” is a movie that knows what it wants to say, but fails to get its message across in an unconventional fashion. The film is loosely based on a “Frontline” documentary about Joey Settembrino, an 18 year old who was sentenced to a minimum of ten years in prison for selling LSD. The government offered Joey a reduced sentence in exchange for the names of drug dealers high up on the totem pole. Since Joey was unwilling to cooperate, he had no other alternative but to serve his time. James Settembrino, Joey’s father, did everything he could by independently digging up dirt on drug abusers and drug distributors. His attempts to free his son were futile for the most part though.

Based on Michael Morpurgo’s childrens book and popularized by Steven Spielberg’s feature film of the same name, “War Horse” follows the fate of a horse named Joey, who is sold into the British army and serves on both sides of the conflict during World War I.

All-Tribune First Team Offense

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Among many of Albert Schweitzer’s notable sayings is, "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."

Considering the surroundings, the Mountain Pointe players held it together pretty well while everything around them probably felt like it was closing in on them.

Let’s do this again.

Gilbert, in partnership with the Merrill-Mitchell American Legion Post 39, will have its eighth annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 on the Town Hall lawn.

This time, the hare won.

2012 Boys Golf State Tournaments

Let’s review what’s happened, shall we?

Paradise Valley knew Cactus Shadows’ quarterback, Bryce Kinsler, was closing in on the Class 4A career passing yardage record, but the Trojans weren’t about to hand it to him on their field.

A collection of standout performances in Week 8: