Team of the week
Sunnyside receivers take throws into the corner, September 5, 2024.
Sunnyside used a balanced attack to beat Mica Mountain 14-10 on Friday, the Blue Devils' first-ever win over the defending Class 4A champions.
Sunnyside jumped out to a 14-0 lead and held off the Thunderbolts.
Blue Devils junior quarterback/cornerback Raymond Duarte passed for 57 yards, going 4 for 9.
He also rushed for 27 yards on nine carries.
Juniors Anthony Sanchez and Aaron Fontes ran for 77 and 42 yards, respectively. Sanchez also ran for a score.
Sophomore Ismael Martinez led the Blue Devils in receiving with two catches for 38 yards. He also had an interception.
Mica Mountain won the first two games against Sunnyside in 2023-24 by a combined score of 63-7.
Play of the week
Flowing Wells stopped Maricopa’s 2-point conversion attempt in overtime to secure a 29-27 win on Friday at home. The Caballeros are off to their first 4-0 start since 2015.
Stat book
– Cienega senior running back/defensive back Jalen Horn ran for 189 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries in the Bobcats’ 56-0 win over Nogales last week.
– Although Ironwood Ridge lost 41-40 at Casa Grande to drop to 0-4, sophomore quarterback/receiver/safety Maximus Harder passed for 356 yards. Harder was 14 for 23 with five touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 34 yards on seven carries.
– Desert View sophomore running back/safety Jaylee Abraham ran for 222 yards on 18 carries in the Jaguars’ 54-26 win over Mountain View. Abraham ran for four touchdowns, had two punt returns for 37 yards and caught a couple passes for 20 yards.
It takes a pile of Sahuaro players to finally bring down Desert View’s Jaylee Abraham (5) during the fourth quarter, Sept. 5, 2025.
Recruiting trail
Empire senior nose guard/defensive tackle Joshua Gardner committed to Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo.
Next level
Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom (22) celebrates with teammates following a turnover against the Atlanta Falcons Sep. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.
Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom had five tackles, four solo and a forced fumble to end the Atlanta Falcons’ attempt to stop the shutout in Carolina’s 30-0 win on Sunday. Ransom, a Salpointe Catholic alum, won the matchup with high school teammate Bijan Robinson, who had 72 rushing yards on 13 attempts for the Falcons. Ransom also had the Panthers’ highest PFF run defense grade (91.2) against Atlanta.
Quoteable
“That’s a 6A football team right there.” – Salpointe head coach Pat Ryden said to All Sports Tucson after the Lancers lost 36-0 to Mesa Red Mountain (4-0) last week. It wasn’t just Salpointe’s first loss of the season, but only the fourth time this century it has been shut out.
Going social
Yuma Kofa has won two football games in a row, after having lost 66 of its last 67 games. — Arizona Republic reporter Richard Obert posted about Yuma Kofa on X (Twitter). Kofa beat Cholla on the road 20-14 on Friday.
Games of the week
Sabino (3-2) at Sahuaro (3-1)
Location: 545 N. Camino Seco
Notable: Traditional TUSD east-side rivals face off at Sahuaro on Friday at 7 p.m. Sabino has won three in a row, and Sahuaro’s only loss was to 4-0 Desert View. Sabercats sophomore quarterback Bodhi Sanford is sixth in the state (all conferences) in passing with 1,187 yards. On the Sahuaro side, junior safety/linebacker Jayvion Gilbert-Rojas is first in the 4A Kino in tackles with 38. Last year, the Cougars won 15-14 at Sabino, but the Sabercats have won seven of the last 10.
Sierra Vista Buena (3-1) at Marana (3-1)
Location: 12000 W. Emigh Road
Notable: Fresh from Buena’s 42-28 win over Tucson High and Marana’s 24-3 victory over Canyon del Oro, a couple playoff quarterfinalist teams from a year ago face off for 5A Sonoran supremacy on Friday at 7 p.m. Marana has won 11 consecutive 5A games, while Buena has won six of its last eight conference games. Buena senior linebacker Cooper Kraus is third in the state (all conferences) with 63 tackles, and BHS senior cornerback/receiver Jayden Thomas is second in the state in total returns (425 yards).
