The high school football regular season has wrapped up in Southern Arizona. The Star shares our weekly look back at the best of last week while charging ahead toward what we might be able to expect from programs across Tucson and surrounding communities this Friday night, as the playoffs continue for Classes 4A, 5A and 6A, and the Open Division, along with the 3A state title game.
Team of the week
Pusch Ridge Christian Academy avenged its only loss of the season to reach the state championship game for the third time.
The No. 4-seeded Lions (12-1) beat No. 1 Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin 24-13 in the Class 3A state semifinals on Saturday.
Benjamin Franklin is the only team to beat Pusch Ridge this season, 31-7 on Sept. 6.
Pusch Ridge also reached the state championship game in 2015 and 2017, winning the title in 2015.
PRCA senior quarterback Jacob Newborn passed for 126 yards, going 10 for 15 and ran for 51 yards on 16 carries. Pusch Ridge senior running back Blake Reed ran for 93 yards on 15 carries.
Five Lions caught passes, led by junior receiver Dominic Painter, who had three receptions for 60 yards.
Pusch Ridge senior middle linebacker Tyler Shoaff made 13 tackles, and Newborn and senior free safety Cruz Corona had interceptions.
Play of the week
In the fourth quarter, with a 14-7 lead over Walden Grove, Yuma Catholic running back senior Hunter Hancock scored a 24-yard touchdown. Then the Shamrocks recovered an onside kick, and senior receiver Sir Stokes scored a 38-yard touchdown in their 28-13 win.
Stat book
Sierra Vista Buena senior quarterback Nash Moore passed for 256 yards, going 16 for 30 in the Coltsâ 41-26 loss to Buckeye Verrado on Friday.
Walden Grove senior running back Carlos Montoya Jr. ran for 104 yards on seven carries in the Red Wolvesâ loss to Yuma Catholic.
Salpointe Catholic senior free safety Richard Archuleta made 15 tackles, 11 solo, in the Lancersâ 41-10 loss to Mesa Mountain View on Friday.
Next level
It was a Bourguet family reunion at Mountain America Stadium last Saturday. ASU featured senior quarterback Trenton Bourguet (who went to Marana) and junior receiver Coben Bourguet (who went to Salpointe). BYU had sophomore quarterback Treyson Bourguet (who went to Salpointe). The Sun Devil Bourguets earned brotherly bragging rights, 28-23.
Quotable
"The same 10 teams from the Phoenix area have won at the highest level this century and the same five teams over the last decade. Liberty and Basha finally broke through the last two years. This is not just a 'Southern Arizona' issue at the highest level."Â â All Sports Tucson and AIA reporter Andy Morales posted on X (Twitter) in response to a tweet from Gridiron Arizona saying the last Southern Arizona school to win a state championship at the highest level was Amphitheater in 1979.
Games of the week
4A state semifinals
No. 4 Mica Mountain (12-0) at No. 1 Yuma Catholic (11-1)
Location: 2100 W. 28th Street, Yuma (Friday, 7 p.m.)
Notable: The last remaining big school in Southern Arizona football, Mica Mountain looks to reach its first state championship game in its second playoff run. The Thunderbolts travel to top-seeded Yuma Catholic, which has won seven in a row. Mica Mountain has 12 consecutive wins. Yuma Catholic has won three straight titles, but those came about at the 2A level.Â
3A state championship
No. 4 Pusch Ridge Christian (12-1) vs. No. 2 Waddell ALA - West Foothills (13-0)
Location:Â Desert Ridge High School: 22800 N. 67th Ave., Glendale (Saturday, 6 p.m.)
Notable: Pusch Ridge goes for its second state championship in its third title game appearance. PRCA is also looking for Southern Arizonaâs second straight 3A state championship, as Sabino won it all last year. ALA - West Foothills has a 13-game win streak, though one of those came via forfeit as Mohave couldnât play the Guardians due to COVID-19.Â
