The playoff caliber teams have begun to separate themselves from the rest of the field, and the fight is on for postseason spots and region titles in Southern Arizona high school football in in full swing.
After a number of teams had byes last week to coincide with fall break, we have a full slate once again. And, as some teams look to regroup like Salpointe Catholic or Mica Mountain, some look to capitalize on last week’s wins, like Sabino, Pusch Ridge Christian and Tanque Verde.
All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Thursday
Class 4A
No. 2 Canyon del Oro (7-0) at No. 30 Pueblo (3-4)
Location: 3500 S. 12th Ave.
Notable: As expected, CDO rose up the Open rankings following its win over Mica Mountain, 17-15 last week. But the Dorados shot all the way up to No. 3, meaning they would get a home game in the Open if the rankings hold.
Class 5A
No. 19 Sunnyside (4-3) at Casa Grande (5-2)
Location: 2730 N. Trekell Road, Casa Grande
Notable: Casa Grande is 2-1 against southeastern Tucson area schools, having played Mica Mountain (42-27 loss), Desert View (50-6 win) and Cienega (53-21 win) in the Cougars' last three games.
Salpointe players sing their school fight song after taking a win against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School on Sept. 15.
Friday
Class 6A
No. 16 Phoenix Mountain Pointe (5-2) at No. 12 Salpointe Catholic (6-1)
Location: 1545 E. Copper St.
Notable: Salpointe faces Mountain Pointe "2.0" as the Pride got 27 transfers this season (12 from rival Desert Vista alone); by the second half of the season started they were all eligible. MP "1.0" went 4-1.
Buena's Spencer Carter (2) jars the ball out of the grip of Ironwood Ridge's quarterback Dominic Norris (10) trying to pick up the extra yard with the Nighthawks trailing late in the fourth quarter at Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 1, 2023.
Class 5A
No. 7 Buena (6-1) at No. 27 Cienega (3-4)
Location: 12775 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way
Notable: Cienega has lost two in a row; the last time the Bobcats dropped three straight was September of 2022 when they lost to Goodyear Desert Edge 52-21 as part of a four-game losing streak.
No. 34 Tucson High (2-5) at No. 41 Flowing Wells (1-6)
Location: 3725 N. Flowing Wells Road
Notable: Two of the city's oldest schools face off; Tucson High opened in 1906 and Flowing Wells opened in 1953.
Marana's Colten Meyer (16) slings a pass around the pressure of Canyon del Oro's Kayden Luke (30) in the second quarter of their game at Marana High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 22, 2023.
No. 26 Desert View (3-4) at No. 21 Marana (2-5)
Location: 12000 W. Emigh Road
Notable: Desert View has lost three straight after starting the season 3-1.
No. 35 Maricopa (3-4) at No. 28 Mountain View (3-4)
Location: 3901 W. Linda Vista Blvd.
Notable: Last week in MV's 55-7 win over Nogales, six Mountain Lions combined for 391 yards rushing, led by junior Nicholas Horrocks’ 149 on 21 carries.
Ironwood Ridge High School’s student section sports its luau motif just before the Nighthawks’ game against Buena gets started on Sept. 1.
No. 8 Ironwood Ridge (6-1) at No. 45 Nogales (0-7)
Location: 1905 Apache Blvd., Nogales
Notable: According to AZFootballArchives.com, the Nighthawks are 7-0 all time against the Apaches, last beating them 71-0 in 2021.
Walden Grove's Carlos Montoya Jr (20) gets wrapped up by Cienega's Kadin Thomas (88) on a sweep in the third quarter of their game at Walden Grove High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 15, 2023.
Class 4A
No. 11 Walden Grove (5-2) at No. 20 Catalina Foothills (3-4) (6 p.m.)
Location: 4300 E. Sunrise Drive
Notable: The Red Wolves have won five in a row since starting 0-2.
Empire’s Luke Lambert (5) strips Amphi’s Malique Maro (5) fo the ball just short of the goalline in the fourth quarter of their Oct. 5 matchup at Empire High School. Amphi recovered the fumble and eventually pushed over for a score.
No. 38 Empire (3-4) at No. 39 Cholla (4-4)
Location: 2001 W. Starr Pass Blvd.
Notable: Cholla has won two of its last three games and Empire has won two in a row.
No. 34 Sahuaro (2-5) at No. 5 Mica Mountain (6-1)
Location: 10800 E. Valencia Road
Notable: MM dropped two spots in the 4A rankings and to No. 15 in the Open rankings after their two point loss at unbeaten Canyon del Oro.
No. 28 Amphitheater (5-3) at No. 35 Rio Rico (3-4)
Location: 590 Camino Lito Galindo, Rio Rico
Notable: It’s an important game for the fate of the 4A Gila title. Both are among the four teams atop the region standings that have one loss apiece (Douglas and Empire are the others). Amphi is 3-1 records while RR is 2-1.
Class 3A
No. 4 Sabino (6-2) at No. 11 Morenci (5-3)
Location: 473 Stadium Drive, Morenci
Notable: The Sabercats outscored opponents 92-42 in the two games following their losses.
No. 6 Thatcher (5-3) at No. 8 Pusch Ridge Christian (6-2)
Location: 9500 N. Oracle Road
Notable: The Lions look to avenge last year’s 28-14 setback at Thatcher, Pusch Ridge’s only loss of the regular season.
Class 2A
No. 8 Tanque Verde (6-2) at No. 17 Peoria Glendale Prep (6-2)
Location: 23276 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria
Notable: Tanque Verde looks to stay in the top eight and in position to host a playoff game for the first time.
The Trojans run a ladder drill as they start a practice session for the Catalina High School football team, Tucson, Ariz., September 26, 2023.
No. 34 Catalina (3-5) at No. 40 Palo Verde (1-7)
Location: 4201 N. Melpomene Way
Notable: The Trojans and the Titans have each lost five in a row.
VIDEO: Mica Mountain kicker Landon Hubbard connects on a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter to put the Thunderbolts up 9-7 over Canyon del Oro. Mica Mountain couldn’t hold on to that lead, with CDO eventually winning 17-15. CDO improved to 7-0 with the win on Oct. 13, 2023; Mica Mountain to 6-1 on the 2023 season. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Mica Mountain tight end Jimmy Leon hauls in a 3-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jayden Thoreson along the back of the endzone to cut the score to 17-15, before a two-point attempt to tie in the final minute against Canyon del Oro. CDO (7-0) would stop the conversion attempt, holding on for 17-15 win over previously-unbeaten MM (6-1) on Oct. 13, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Canyon del Oro kicker Reece Douglas connects on a 21-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Dorados up 10-9 in what would turn out to be a 17-15 CDO win over Mica Mountain. CDO improved to 7-0 with the win on Oct. 13, 2023; Mica Mountain to 6-1 on the 2023 season. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Canyon del Oro’s Sa’Kylee Woodard gets into the backfield for a sack on a two-point conversion try by Mica Mountain. The stop secured a 17-15 win for the Dorados over the Thunderboltsin a showdown of previously-unbeaten Tucson-rea 4A leaders. CDO improved to 7-0 with the win on Oct. 13, 2023; Mica Mountain to 6-1 on the 2023 season. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Canyon del Oro’s Chase Laux completes a 46-yard halfback pass to teammate Chance Cassell. That set up a field goal to give the Dorados a fourth-quarter lead over Mica Mountain late in CDO’s tight 17-15 win over the Thunderbolts in a showdown of previously-unbeaten Tucson-rea 4A leaders. CDO improved to 7-0 with the win on Oct. 13, 2023; Mica Mountain to 6-1 on the 2023 season. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
