Sunnyside will host Nogales on Thursday night in the first high school football game of the 2017 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Thursday night’s game is a rematch of last year’s game, which Nogales — playing at home — won 19-18. Wet and stormy weather rendered the game a “mess,” according to Blue Devils coach Roy Lopez. The game kicks off a nearly full weekend of local games: 14 Tucson-area teams will play Friday night, highlighted by Salpointe Catholic’s home game against Phoenix St. Mary’s and Catalina Foothills’ state championship rematch with Scottsdale Saguaro.
The game preview is below:
THURSDAY
(Records are last year's; pick to win in ALL CAPS)
Matchup: Nogales (4-6) at SUNNYSIDE (4-6)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: 1725 E. Bilby Rd., Tucson
Sunnyside is on a mission in its second season under head coach Roy Lopez, who is eight wins away from reaching 100 career victories as a head coach. The Blue Devils lost in Nogales 19-18 last season and Lopez called the game a complete “mess” from weather conditions in which AIA almost postponed the game until the next morning. With Sunnyside opening its season at home, and with motivation from last year's one-point defeat, expect a win. Sunnyside takes this one 28-14.
