As teams prepare to kick off, here are 22 Tucson-area high school football players to watch

Season begins this week

After a lengthy delay to the Southern Arizona high school football season, there's finally light at the end of the tunnel. 

A handful of teams across Tucson are in action Oct. 30, including a matchup between Canyon Del Oro and Cienega, while the rest of the schools start games Nov. 6. 

Earlier this month the Star counted the top 22 players in the city. Individual features on each player are attached to each slide. Be sure to follow @HSTucson on Twitter for coverage throughout the season.

High schools countdown: Talented freshman Sa'Kylee Woodard will be a starter from Day 1 for CDO

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona leading into the season.

Name: Sa’Kylee Woodard

The rundown: Woodard is a 6-foot-3-inch, 280-pound freshman at Canyon del Oro.

Who he is: Dustin Peace lost count of how many Division I players he’s coached in his time as CDO’s head coach.

“Somewhere in the teens,” he said.

Blake Martinez, Ka’Deem Carey, Jared Tevis, Josh Robbins, John Jackson and David Catalano were a handful of names that instantly came to Peace’s mind. But none of them were instant starters as freshmen like Woodard, who’s expected to play defensive tackle and on the offensive line for the Dorados this season.

“He’s probably the first-ever player to get the nod from the beginning and know that he’s going to be a starter,” Peace said. “We’ve had other freshmen start the year with us, but they were more halftime players. I have a feeling Sa’Kylee will play as much as he can.”

Woodard — born and raised in Tucson — played for the Tucson Falcons throughout most of his Pop Warner career before one final season with the Oro Valley Dolphins. Woodard emulates his game after All-Pro NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald, “because he’s a god,” but the Los Angeles Chargers fan grew up watching highlights of running back LaDainian Tomlinson and linebacker Junior Seau.

“(Seau’s) one of my favorite players, because I loved the way he hit and that’s what made me fall in love with football,” Woodard said.

Woodard, who’s easily the Dorados’ biggest player, is expected to be an impactful player. But going from playing against kids his age to varsity competition with players that are two or three years older than him will be a challenge.

“I can’t let me playing varsity affect the way I’ve been playing. I have to stay aggressive and confident in my game,” Woodard said. “I just have to keep executing and be the best version of Sa’Kylee.”

Proof he’s good: In Woodard’s last season playing Pop Warner, he was selected by former Mountain View head coach Bam McRae to represent the West in the American Youth Football All-Star game in Florida.

Woodard was one of four players from Arizona on a team that had players from California, Texas and other states in the West.

“It showed us where we were as football players and what we needed to work on,” Woodard said. “Me being as big as I am, I wasn’t expecting to see kids my size. We don’t really have that in Tucson. It was one of the greatest experiences.”

He said it: “Usually when you’re a freshman and you’re that big and that heavy, you’re tripping over your own two feet. He’s very athletic to go along with that size and the strength. He’s going to break every freshman lifting record that we have once we get a chance to get in the weight room.” — Peace

High schools countdown: Sabino's Luke Thompson is a ball-hawk with a chance to do more as a senior

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona in the days leading up to the season.

Name: Luke Thompson

Rundown: Thompson is a 6-foot-1-inch senior at Sabino. He primarily plays linebacker but also sees time at tight end and fullback.

Who he is: Thompson is a “naturally-gifted playmaker on the defensive side of the ball,” coach Ryan McBrayer said. The senior enters his final high school season as the unquestioned leader of the Sabino defense.

On Friday nights, Thompson’s purple No. 5 jersey can be found wherever the football is. His 102 tackles in 2019 — an average of 8.5 per game — were second on the team.

Thompson lines up when the Sabercats have the ball, too.

“He’ll just do it all,” McBrayer said.

Thompson could take an even larger role, if that’s possible. Marceise Stubblefield, who led the team with 112 tackles in 2019, has graduated.

The plan in 2020 is for Thompson to have his biggest impact on defense.

“We got a lot more depth within the program. So it’s looking good and he can really focus on the defense,” McBrayer said. “When we need to punch it in, he’ll be there on the offensive side.”

Proof he’s good: McBrayer views his senior linebacker as an extension of the coaching staff, pointing out Thompson’s unique ability to shift his teammates around before the snap to put them in the right position.

“He can diagnose tendencies a lot quicker than somebody that’s a deer in the headlights eyes,” McBrayer said “He’s able to slow the game down, move people around and give us as many advantages as we can do to win the game.”

And, while his specialty is linebacker, don’t overlook Thompson’s offensive capabilities.

Two Sabercats running backs were banged up in the build-up to last year’s Class 3A state quarterfinal game, and guess who got first-team reps at that position during practice?

“We told (Thompson) he might be starting as our tailback, and he jumped right in and did what he could,” McBrayer said. “He had a great game on offense, while playing both sides of the ball.”

He said it: “I mean, you can look at his stats as a junior and that kid is pretty much in every tackle imaginable. And now, football IQ wise he’s higher.” — McBrayer

High schools countdown: QB Montana Neustadter brings experience, balance to CDO's offense

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona in the days leading up to the season.

Name: Montana Neustadter

The rundown: Neustadter is a 6-foot-4-inch, 200-pound senior at Canyon del Oro.

Who he is: Neustadter’s passing statistics don’t jump off the page compared to some of the other quarterbacks in Southern Arizona. But there may not be a better dual-threat quarterback around.

After winning a tough battle to win the starting quarterback’s job as a junior, Neustadter threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 637 yards and six scores. Neustadter is Southern Arizona’s top returning rusher among quarterbacks.

With Neustadter and star running back and Arizona Wildcats commit Stevie Rocker running the offense, CDO is expected to have one of the top rushing attacks in Southern Arizona this season.

CDO coach Dustin Peace said the closest comparison he’s ever coached was Jason McBrayer, who — alongside star running back Ka’Deem Carey — led the Dorados to a spot in the Class 4A state championship game in 2010.

Neustadter spends his free time hunting elk and deer with his family in Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. He’s a fan of the Green Bay Packers, and said he emulates Aaron Rodgers’ leadership as a quarterback.

As a senior, Neustadter will have to lead his team through a season affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dorados met for the first time two weeks ago after preparing for the 2020 season virtually since March. Without 7-on-7 tournaments or summer workouts that are useful for developing team chemistry, CDO is fast-tracking its preseason prep.

“It feels a little rushed. I would like to spend a little time on the technique, but I don’t think it’s forced or anything,” he said. “We’re just ready for the season so we can settle in as a team.”

Neustadter and the Dorados are ready to prove they’re one of the top teams in the state after a disappointing first-round loss. CDO, seeded third, was upset by No. 14 Tempe Marcos de Niza at home.

“For me personally, it fueled the team,” Neustadter said. “We’re looking at that loss as motivation, because over the last three years, we’ve either not made the playoffs or we’ve lost in the first round. I just want to take that next step and get past the first round. … We have the weapons and everything to do it.”

Proof he’s good: Neustadter played full back and tight end until his sophomore season, when the junior varsity team needed someone to play quarterback.

Peace said moving Neustadter under center was part of the coaching staff’s long-term pans.

“We were planning ahead and wanted to get the ball in his hands,” Peace said. “He just balances everything out.”

He said it: “As a leader, he’s unbelievable. He does everything a leader needs to do. He can either be an encourager or an enforcer, and he just has that natural leadership ability you need in a quarterback. … Without a doubt, I don’t know if there’s a better dual-threat quarterback in the city.” — Peace

High schools countdown: Runnin' Ryan Swoger has Cienega poised for another big season

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona in the days leading up to the season.

Name: Ryan Swoger

The rundown: Swoger is a 6-foot-3-inch, 185-pound senior at Cienega High School.

Who he is: Like every program in Arizona, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the Cienega Bobcats’ summer — and preseason — plans.

Following guidance from the Vail Unified School District, the Bobcats have entered the third phase of the AIA’s re-entry plan. They recently started practicing, but have yet to put on full pads.

During the pandemic, Swoger still worked out under virtual direction and met with some of Cienega’s wide receivers on his own time to work on throwing mechanics.

“He’s not a true quarterback, but he’s an unbelievable athlete,” said Cienega head coach Pat Nugent. “He had some really big games for us last year.”

Swoger completed just 40 of 72 passes as a junior, threw for 484 yards and three touchdowns amd was intercepted six times. The run-first Swoger, who patterns his game after Ohio State’s Justin Fields and the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, instead sparked Cienega’s offense with his legs. Swoger rushed for 514 yards, good for second on the team, and seven touchdowns.

“I wasn’t confident in throwing the ball so this offseason I spent a lot of time with my receivers to perfect our routes so when the game comes around, it’s second nature,” Swoger said. “If I can throw the ball, then I can run the ball more, too.”

Cienega is ranked as the 29th-best team in Arizona, according to MaxPreps.com’s Top 25 rankings, making the Bobcats the third-highest-rated Southern Arizona program behind Salpointe Catholic (No. 4) and Sahuaro (No. 23). Whenever the Bobcats kick off their 2020 season, Swoger and his team will have high expectations.

“I’m expecting huge things out of us this season. I just wanna put my name on the map before I head to college,” Swoger said. “I want to leave something at Cienega.”

Proof he’s good: Swoger split reps at quarterback with Daniel Montana last season, stepping in after the then-senior went down with an ankle injury in Cienega’s 14-0 win over Mountain View. Swoger led the Bobcats to an undefeated regular season.

Swoger and the Bobcats won the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, beating Phoenix Sunnyslope 27-24. Swoger completed 7 of 10 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 29 yards on seven carries. His lone touchdown cut the Vikings’ lead to three points with just a few minutes left on the clock. Cienega then got the ball back, rallied and punched its ticket to the next round of the playoffs.

“He became our starter after that Sunnyslope game. He tore it up running the ball and got us into the second round of the playoffs because of his legs,” Nugent said.

Said Swoger: “Ever since that Sunnyslope game, I started to fall in love with football and I want to play this game as long as I can.”

He said it: “He’s gotten better as a passer and he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s a fast kid that can fly and we’re expecting some big things out of him. There have been some big-time programs that have looked at him as an athlete, not as a quarterback, but as an athlete. There’s some (Division I) opportunities out there for him.” — Nugent

High schools countdown: Quickness, willingness to learn make Desert View's Carlos Alvarez special

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona in the days leading up to the season.

Name: Carlos Alvarez

Rundown: Alvarez is a 5-foot-8-inch, 150-pound junior for Desert View High School. He plays running back and safety.

Who he is: Desert View’s two-way player is “a little quiet, but we’re working on that,” coach Robert Bonillas said.

Alvarez opts to let his play do the talking.

As a sophomore in 2019, the speedy Alvarez rushed for over 1,000 yards and ranked third on the defense with 74 tackles. Alvarez’s soft-spoken demeanor means he’s easy to coach.

“He’s got a willingness to learn and get better,” Bonillas said.

The need for Alvarez to carry a heavy responsibility so early in his high school career came out of both necessity and his natural talent. Desert View lacked experience, especially on the defensive side of the ball. In 2019, four of the team’s 11 defensive starters were sophomores.

“They were just thrown into varsity football,” Bonillas said.

Alvarez stood out among the rest of his younger peers because “he can make things happen; he’s got the speed,” Bonillas said.

As the last line of defense while playing safety, Alvarez said he focused on one key aspect to make sure nobody got by him.

“Getting my eyes on a receiver and not getting my eyes caught up in the backfield,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez says his vision and quickness on the outside are why he’s dangerous any time he touches the football.

Proof he’s good: Alvarez was one of two Desert View running backs to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark last season, joining Serge Gboweiah. The former racked up 1,078 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games, while the latter finished with 1,404 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Alvarez made up for the difference in rushing yardage with a team-high 117 receiving yards. He averaged 10.6 yards per catch.

“We really complement each other,” Alvarez said, emphasizing that it all starts with their chemistry and friendship. “We really get along with each other. We compete and push each other to play well on the field.”

Part of the reason both of the backs are so lethal is the way Bonillas uses them. The coach rotates the backs, making sure that neither is overused or tired.

Expect the tandem to wreak havoc once again on defenses in 2020.

“One of our biggest advantages is that we can have fresh legs on the field to run at any time,” he said.

He said it: “As a running back, my goal is to get 1,000 yards again and then at safety I want to start making more interceptions so I can get my name out there more.” — Alvarez

High schools countdown: Buena lineman Dominic Avant got faster, better during prep career

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona.

Name: Dominic Avant

The rundown: Avant is a senior offensive and defensive lineman at Sierra Vista Buena. He measures 6-foot-4-inches and weighs just over 300 pounds.

Who he is: Avant first tried out for football at the age of 10, only because he wanted to spend more time with one of his best friends.

“He told me if I played football with him, it’d mean we could hang out more,” Avant recalled.

The friendly gesture sparked what has become one of Avant’s biggest passions.

“I instantly fell in love with football,” he said. “I love the sport. I love everything about it.”

Now, the stout lineman is on the cusp of turning his passion into a collegiate career; he has offers from two small colleges, including Trine University in Indiana.

And while Avant is widely considered to be one of the best offensive linemen in the Southern Arizona region, the transformation from his first year at Buena until now is night and day.

“When he came in as a freshman, he was still very big, but he was slow,” Buena coach Joe Thomas said. “Over the years he’s gotten a lot stronger and he’s gotten a lot faster.”

Buena’s offensive line coach worked tirelessly with Avant in recent years to increase the 300-pounder’s mobility without sacrificing his immense frame and strength.

“I’d do drills every day: jump rope, the ladder, anything you could think of that would make your feet faster,” Avant said. “And eventually over time I got faster.”

Said Thomas: “I think the simple fact is that he always wants to get better.”

Avant’s specialty is on the offensive line — he said he loves run-blocking and pancaking defenders — but he plays defense too. Expect him to start on the defensive line, too.

Proof he’s good: Another factor why Buena’s top lineman has been as dominant as he has is a credit to his ability to understand the game.

Avant knows how to approach different types of defenders from an offensive lineman’s perspective. Because of his girth, many players in high school won’t have the same stature or strength to match him pound-for-pound. It’s a blessing and a curse.

“I know I’m bigger and stronger than them, but I know they’re probably faster,” Avant said. “So I adjust off that fact that they’re probably just going to have to outrun me.”

It’s one of the reasons why he was so intent on improving his speed. It’s paying off.

“He’s doing some really good things,” Thomas said. “He’s a senior and I’m excited that he gets an opportunity to play this year.”

He said it: “He doesn’t care if you weigh 20 pounds or 300 pounds. He’s going to come at you with the same force and aggressiveness to be that playmaker.” — Thomas

High schools countdown: Cienega's Gabe Levy has sights set on 1,000 yards

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona.

Name: Gabe Levy

The rundown: Levy is a 5-foot-11-inch, 190-pound senior at Cienega High School.

Who he is: Ask any high school football coach whether they want players wrestling during the offseason, and there’s a good chance most — if not all — will say yes.

Football players who wrestle typically learn hand techniques and build strength. Most are linemen or defensive players.

Cienega coach Pat Nugent couldn’t recall a running back ever wrestling before Levy, who was the state runner-up in his weight class.

“Gabe is a beast. … He’s gotten bigger, stronger, faster and is just an absolute animal,” Nugent said. “He’s going to run over you instead of around you. He’s so strong and physical and that’s his mentality. He breaks tackles and it’s tough to break him down.”

The elements of wrestling have improved Levy’s overall skillset as a running back.

“Wrestling helps me a lot with balance, conditioning, teaching me to shrug off tackles and stabilize when I get hit after contact so I stay on my feet,” Levy said.

Levy started the 2019 season playing linebacker and running back before moving exclusively to offense. In 11 games, Levy rushed for 982 yards and seven touchdowns.

Levy said although he performed at a high level as a junior, his “biggest weakness was not catching out of the backfield.”

During the offseason, Levy met with Cienega quarterback Ryan Swoger and other skill-position players to work on running routes and pass-catching.

The hard-nosed runner hopes to become a versatile weapon for the Bobcats and finally break 1,000 yards, which hasn’t been done by a Cienega running back since Francisco Dicochea in 2014.

“Last year was a decent season, we still need to work on some things, but I feel like this year will be a whole lot better,” Levy said. “I definitely could’ve rushed for over a 1,000 yards; I just needed to work on a couple things. … I’m just hoping I could rush for 1,000 yards.”

Proof he’s good: Levy was named the Star’s Player of the Week following his performance against Rincon/University on Sept. 20, 2019. Against the Rangers, Levy rushed for 145 yards and touchdowns on just seven carries. Levy currently holds scholarship offers from Washburn, Sioux Falls and the University of Mary.

He said it: “I don’t even know if we knew who he was as a freshman, and he’s just developed. We always looked at him as a wrestler-type kid, but in the last two years, he’s been one of our stars. … He’s got an opportunity to be a great player.” — Nugent.

High schools countdown: Eddie Lopez seeing results from intense Tumamoc Hill training

Name: Eddie Lopez

Rundown: Lopez is a junior cornerback for Sunnyside, measuring at 6-foot, 160 pounds.

Who he is: In the anything-but-normal offseason for high school football players, Lopez’ socially-distanced workouts might have been the most unique in Tucson, even bordering on insanity.

Several times this summer, Lopez ran — yes ran — up Tumamoc Hill not one, not two, but three times during a three-hour workout session.

The Blue Devil corner started getting up early in the morning once Tumamoc reopened to the public in late May and trained on each of the three trips up and down the hill with a specific purpose.

“The first time up I ran non-stop even if it was a slow jog,” the junior said, emphasizing the need to build stamina.

After the first trip back down to the base of the hill, Lopez put on a weighted vest and went through sets of 20-yard sprints up the hill, alternating between short periods of rest and quick burst up the incline to improve his speed and durability. The third time up, when the fatigue starts to set in, was the most grueling as Lopez rotated between forward sprints and backpedaling up the incline.

“I’m a corner so I gotta work on dropping back,” Lopez said.

The round-trip of 3.1 miles multiplied by three times totaled a 9.3-mile workout — not too shabby. Now that Sunnyside football is back on the field with games expected to start later this month, the Blue Devils’ leading tackler from a year ago is already seeing the results from his trips up Tumamoc Hill.

“Everything with my footwork, it helped me a lot,” Lopez said. “I’m able to push past the fatigue now.”

Proof he’s good: Even after leading the team in tackles in 2019 with 112, Lopez has his eyes set on more. As one of the young standout players for the Blue Devils squad that lacked a veteran presence last season, Lopez said two things stuck out to him about what he’s learned most in his first couple of years.

“Never give up, especially in the weight room,” he said. “The other is to always go 110%.”

That belief is consistent with head coach Glenn Posey’s that the weight room is the building block for achieving success.

“The weight room is the foundation of your program,” Posey said. “And what you do in teaching kids work ethic and the development of their bodies as well as their minds of breaking barriers.”

Posey has noticed the work ethic in Lopez and has plans to utilize him all over the field this fall.

“He’s going to play a couple different positions. He might play corner then some safety,” Posey said. “He’s just a dynamic athlete.”

He said it: “I just want to go out there and be a star this year and also see my teammates be able to have their chance to shine.” — Lopez

High schools countdown: Sunnyside's Deion Conde given full rein in Year 2

Name: Deion Conde

Rundown: Conde is a 5-foot-7, 145-pound sophomore quarterback at Sunnyside High School.

Who he is: As a freshman, Conde was given the keys to the convertible, bypassing the JV level and going straight from youth football to Sunnyside’s varsity starting quarterback.

“I wouldn’t say it was too difficult, I was just really nervous,” Conde said.

Thrust into a difficult spot for a teenager, the Blue Devil quarterback proved more than capable of leading the offense as he delivered a memorable 2019 season throwing for 1,604 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“He can flat out spin it,” his head coach Glenn Posey said.

The two knocks against Conde have been his slight frame and turnovers — a natural criticism of a high school freshman. The Blue Devil QB said he’s grown two inches and added 15 pounds of muscle since he last stepped on the field, while also noting that his main focus this season is improving his consistency from game-to-game to cut down on the 17 interceptions he threw as a freshman.

And for those who still think Conde’s short stature hinders his playing ability, he and his coach believe otherwise.

“He compensates for it, uses it to his advantage,” Posey said.

Proof he’s good: What makes Conde a revelation to watch grow into the quarterback position is that he’s been given full command of the Sunnyside offense. During one of the team’s 7-on-7 tournaments in January, he decided what to run on offense.

“I didn’t call a single play that weekend,” Posey said.

Though the Blue Devils went 3-7 in 2019, Posey felt that was largely a byproduct of the team’s youth at other positions, not just quarterback. The offseason hasn’t been anything like Posey expected — the Blue Devils just started practicing in full pads — but the head coach expects a big year from his program.

“We have a good class this year with some dudes that have done a great job so far,” he said.

Posey raved about his quarterback’s work ethic this summer as Conde helped organize player-led workouts while the coaches were prohibited from holding team practices because of COVID-19.

Now that the team is together again, with their quarterback looking confident and energized, Sunnyside should be much improved this fall.

“We're hitting our stride again, I feel really good about our work ethic now.”

He said it: “(Conde) played better than the results showed last year… He was one of our hardest workers in the offseason, really worked on his body and got a lot stronger.” — Posey

High schools countdown: Cienega's Isaiah Webb ready to produce after injury-shortened 2019

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona.

Name: Isaiah Webb

The rundown: Webb is a 5-foot-11-inch, 220-pound senior at Cienega High School.

Who he is: Webb didn’t have the junior season he envisioned. 

In the fifth game of the 2019 season against Mountain View, Webb suffered a season-ending foot injury. As Cienega’s “Mike” linebacker, Bobcats head coach Pat Nugent coined him the “control and leadership of the defense.” Without the anchor at middle linebacker, who thrives on playing sideline-to-sideline, Cienega’s defense struggled at times throughout the season. 

“He was our go-to guy on defense,” Nugent said. “Losing him last year was hard for us.”

But Webb had a glass-half-full mindset. Rather than sulk over his injury, he embraced the player-coaching role. 

“I had to embody the role of being a vocal leader. I’ve always been that dual leader, and I’ve always liked to lead on the field and gain my respect and then lead off the field vocally,” he said. “But last year, I had to step up into the vocal leadership area right away. I don’t like being away from the sport. … Football is all I know. When I got injured, it opened up my eyes and made me realize that this sport means a lot to me.”

Stepping into his new role was an easy transition for Webb considering his family tree is composed of football junkies. Webb’s father, Thomas Webb Sr., coached at Pima College and Cholla and Palo Verde high schools, and played under coaches Ollie Mayfield and Bob Sicilian at Sabino. Webb’s oldest uncle, Tony Webb, was named a Tucson All-Star under Mayfield. Another uncle, Josh Kemberling, was a Tucson All-Star offensive tackle and won a state championship under Jeff Scurran at Sabino. Webb’s cousins include current Wildcats wide receiver Drew Dixon and former Sabino lineman DeAndre Dixon. Webb and his older brother, Thomas Webb Jr., who’s currently a safety at Western New Mexico, were the only members of the family to play for Cienega.

Coming from a long line of football players made Webb a student of the game at an early age. 

“All I’ve known growing up was football,” Webb said. “Nine months out of the year, it’s football, football, football. I fell in love with the sport and everything that goes into it especially in the film room.

“I live in the film room so you might be faster than me, but if I beat you to the spot, I’ll take you there. I’m trying to be smart, be prepared, always be in position at all times, that’s the way I live my life and that’s the way I play my game.” 

Webb spent the offseason attending speed school twice a week and worked on strengthening his foot running in sandpits. Now 100% healthy, Webb hopes to leave his mark in one final season. If he remains healthy, Webb’s defensive efforts could be key for the Bobcats.

Proof he’s good: Despite missing a significant amount of time in 2019, Webb garnered college offers from Minot State, Southwest Minnesota State, Washburn, Chadron State and Western New Mexico. Webb also has a scholarship offer from Columbia in the Ivy League. 

He said it: “He’s another kid that’s been a superstar for us. He’s a linebacker that flies around the field and is a downhill kid, and he’s an unbelievable tight end but he’ll mostly play defense for us. If Isaiah was two inches taller, he’d have a lot more Division I offers; He’s got a bunch of D-II offers right now. But he’s physical, nasty, a leader, smart and just an unbelievable football player. … I don’t know if we’ve had a linebacker — and we’ve had some great ones here — but he’s one of the best kids I’ve ever coached.” — Nugent

High schools countdown: Sunnyside duo hopes to bring senior leadership to youthful Blue Devils

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Names: Anthony “Guero” Galvez and Andrew Gonzales

The rundown: The Sunnyside High School seniors are expected to be leaders on a youthful Blue Devils roster. Galvez is a 5-foot-10-inch wide receiver and Gonzales is a 5-10 linebacker.

Who they are: It's nearly impossible to choose between the two seniors.

Galvez, who goes by "Guero," is ready to play again after having the spring and summer wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It feels real now that we are out here,” Galvez said. “I’m ready for the seven games, eight games, however much they are going to give us.”

After playing primarily as a wide receiver in 2019, Galvez expects to also play safety this fall.

“I'm not really going to step off the field, I don’t think,” Galvez said.

Gonzales will play a role on both sides of the ball. He lined up as fullback on several occasions last season and he says he will help on the offensive line.

“I want to do whatever I can to help the team and be successful,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales is embracing the responsibility of being a senior.

“When things get tough or when we need someone to speak up, I want to be that person that steps in,” the linebacker said.

Gonzales knows that Sunnyside’s inexperience contributed to an uneven 2019 campaign and a 3-7 record that wasn’t indicative of the direction of the program. Five of the team’s top six tacklers a season ago were sophomores.

“We were all like little puppies last year,” he said. “Now we’re older and we’re stronger. We were in almost every game we played, and we expect more wins this year.”

Proof they’re good: Galvez has pure speed, a reason why he led the Blue Devils with 600 receiving yards and four touchdowns last fall. Three of his scores went for 70 yards or more. 

“I just check out the defense before the snap and then later in the game we know where some broken coverages might be,” Galvez said. “Sometimes there's a corner where I know he can’t keep up with me and I’m just going to run, and Deion (Conde) is just going to throw the ball deep.”

Gonzales averaged 9.3 tackles per game last season. During the quarantine, he lifted weights and added more muscle to improve his tackling.

“I definitely got stronger and so did my teammates,” he said. “ I think we’re going to have a really good year.”

Sunnyside coach Glenn Posey said this week that he’s “super excited” about how the two can impact the Blue Devils this fall.

He said it: “As a receiver, I definitely know the tricks and so now playing more safety this year, I can try to cheat a little bit because I know what the other receivers are going to do.” — Galvez

High schools countdown: CDO's 'sic 'em' DE Chase Randall could have special season

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Chase Randall

The rundown: Randall is a 6-foot-2-inch, 255-pound senior at Canyon del Oro High School.

Who he is: There are two versions of CDO’s defensive end.

On the field, “he just goes and he’s aggressive and physical,” coach Dustin Peace said.

“But on the flip side, he’s one of the nicest kids,” Peace said. “Coaching those types of kids are unbelievable, because you know he’s nice and genuine at heart and cares.”

Away from football, it’s hard to spot Randall without a smile on his face. The moment he laces up the cleats and steps on the field, “there’s this switch and I turn into an animal on the field, and I can’t really say where it comes from.”

“I just love football and competing … I’m a different animal, but I try to be the nicest person I can be off the field,” Randall said.

Peace described Randall as a “sic ’em guy,” a similar role to New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez, a former CDO star.

“I used to do this with Blake Martinez where I’d be like, ‘Blake, that guard is a little underweight, run right through him.’ Chase is the same way. We tell him, ‘Hey, that guy is a little bit of a weak spot’ — or even if he’s a strong spot, we’ll flip it the other way and say, ‘Hey, this tackle thinks he’s good; Chase, you better turn it on.’ And boom, we’ll unleash him. 

“He’s one of those football players from 20 years ago that’ll just run through a wall.”

As a junior, Randall recorded 30 tackles in six games — including five stops for loss. After an offseason dedicated to packing on muscle to his 6-2 frame and working on footwork, Randall could be the top defensive lineman in Tucson. But the numbers on a stat sheet or his performance on a highlight film is the least of his worries.

“I want to be remembered as a nice guy,” he said.

“Obviously, there’s football and I want to be remembered as Chase Randall, the football player, but I also want to be remembered as a nice guy and hard-working guy that’s never missed a single practice, never been late, shows up day in and day out and busts his butt for the program.”

Proof he’s good: Last season’s game against Salpointe Catholic was a gauge to measure Randall against arguably the top offensive line in the state.

Alternating between defensive end and defensive tackle depending on the formation, Randall went toe-to-toe with current UCLA freshman Bruno Fina and Oregon Ducks commit Jonah Miller, and led the team with four tackles and one hurry. He was the most disruptive Dorado on defense that night.

“For him to take care of his tackle that night, that was proof that he’s that good,” Peace said.

Randall is committed to play for Sioux Falls University next year.

He said it: “He’s a top-five highest-motored kid that I’ve ever coached, without a doubt. His motor is full-speed in practice and in games. Last year, it was an ongoing joke that we had to tell him to tone it down from time to time, and we would only let him go against one or two other offensive linemen, because otherwise it would be a mental discouragement to some of those guys.” — Peace

High schools countdown: 'Ridiculously humble' Trevion Watkins poised to become Sahuaro's next great back

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Trevion Watkins

The rundown: Watkins is a 5-foot-11-inch, 215-pound senior at Sahuaro High School.

Who he is: When Watkins was a freshman at Sahuaro, he was green to football; He had never played a down in his life. 

Watkins played nose tackle on the Cougars' freshman team before switching to running back.

“I didn’t know what I was doing, but luckily we have a great coaching staff around me,” Watkins said. “It was more so a year for me to learn and throughout the years I just progressed through it.” 

Watkins had wanted to play football for most of his life, but the cost of playing and the commute to the fields was too much. Watkins was born in Minnesota and lived in Houston before, with the cost of living rising, he and his family moved to Tucson.

He wasn't prepared for the dry heat. 

“It’s very, very hot here,” Watkins said. “I like it, because there’s good people down here and that’s the one thing I love about Tucson. … When we first moved from Houston, I was sad that I was leaving all my friends, but not even a year after we moved here, I never wanted to leave this place. Everyone down here is so nice and I love it here.”  

Once Watkins had a season of playing football under his belt, the game slowed down. He has since blossomed into a powerful, fast runner. Coach Scott McKee compares his running style to football legend Bo Jackson. 

“I’m an opportunist,” Watkins said. “Whatever my (offensive) line gives me, I take it and I’m always downhill.” 

In 11 games last season, Watkins emerged as the complimentary running back to then-senior Izaiah Davis. He rushed for 743 yards at 6 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns. 

While the statistics display his progress as a football player, it's Watkins’ ability to absorb information and lead the team that makes him so valuable.

“His attitude is so positive and so infectious; it turned into what he is now, and that’s one of the best players in the city," McKee said. " He’s a weight-room junkie and has an enormous amount of strength, and he’s so coachable."

Proof he’s good: “One thing about Sahuaro is that we always have good backs,” Watkins said. 

Since 2010, Sahuaro’s 1,000-yard rushers include Alexander Howe, Derrick Hall, Cameron Williams and Davis. Watkins’ skillset is comparable to one of those aforementioned players.

“His worth ethic, his willingness to be coached and he has a natural burst and power that we’ve had with one other running back and that would be Derrick Hall,” McKee said. 

With Davis graduating, Watkins will assume the RB1 role. Reaching 1,000 yards in a six-game regular season affected by COVID-19 will be a tall task for Watkins. Regardless, look for him to be one of the top running backs in Southern Arizona by season’s end. 

He said it: “He’s ridiculously humble and an outstanding human being. He comes from a great family and his mom is really involved with him. He’s probably one of the most coachable kids we’ve had in the last 10 years and you can trust him with anything. You can trust him with your family, you can trust him with the team, you can trust him with your car — your business. He’s just a first-class human being.” — McKee

High schools countdown: Pusch Ridge Christian's Evan Lovett has rare combination of size, speed

Name: Evan Lovett

Rundown: Lovett is a senior running back at Pusch Ridge Christian, rated as a three-star prospect and a top-40 player in Arizona’s 2021 class by 247Sports.com.

Who he is: The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound Lovett is a rare specimen who provides both speed and power out of the backfield.

The engine that makes the Lions' offense run is aiming to make his final high school season be his best season after a nagging knee injury in 2019 kept him from posting back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. In his first game this fall, Lovett posted an eye-popping 134 yards on just six carries, three of which resulted in touchdowns.

Lovett said on opening night that he was “seeing the game in slow motion” as he’s now understanding how to be more patient,. A step to the right here, a juke to the left there, “everybody’s smaller to me," Lovett said with a laugh.

Pusch Ridge is 1-1 after losing Friday night's game at Yuma Catholic, 14-7.  The Lions are scheduled to host Safford this week.

Lovett loves football, crediting his perseverance through minor injuries and his work in the classroom as to why he’s a three-star prospect and among the best running backs in the state.

Lovett has overcome adversity off the field. Lovett learned early in high school that he had a slight learning disability where his brain processed information slower than other students his age.

“I’d be doing homework till 12 at night after practice, turning in my assignments on time, and then just still not learning everything and not doing well on tests,” Lovett said.

Lovett used football as an outlet to relieve the stress of school while also working with his family and the Pusch Ridge teachers to find ways to improve the ways he absorbs information in the classroom.

“We just completely reshaped it and have a formula for what we’re doing and now I’m doing good in class,” he said. “My processing speed now is getting close to the same level as others and I’m not struggling as much.”

Proof he’s good: Lovett was on pace his junior season to get close, perhaps even surpass, the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second straight season before a knee injury forced him out of the team’s final two games.

“It wasn’t a major injury, but it wouldn’t have been the best for me to go out and play,” Lovett said.

Still, he put up 775 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns in eight games. Add those numbers to his his 1,192-yard, 13-touchdown showcase in 2018 and there's no question why he's has already received a scholarship offer from Eastern New Mexico University.

“It’s a blessing and a relief,” he said. “Just to see that my hard work is finally paying off.”

Flexibility is “still a work in progress” for Lovett, though the senior said he feels a big 2020 campaign is on the horizon.

He said it: “This year I just want to be an example to others. I want to tell people you can do it, because life is hard. And I definitely want to help encourage people. who look up to me as well as my peers.” — Lovett

High schools countdown: David Cordero poised to be Salpointe Catholic's next great RB

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: David Cordero

The rundown: Cordero is a 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pound senior at Salpointe Catholic High School

Who he is: Cordero patiently waited for his turn to become Salpointe's starting running back. 

After transferring from Catalina Foothills following his freshman year, Cordero worked alongside five-star running back Bijan Robinson, Arizona’s all-time big-school rushing leader, for two seasons. Not many can say they’ve understudied arguably the best player in Arizona history to ever play the position. 

“(Cordero and junior running back Anthony Wilhite) got to see Bijan work first-hand. So when David first came over as a sophomore, he was a speedy (running) back, but he had to learn how to work the Salpointe way,” said Salpointe running back coach Zachary Neveleff, who also coached Robinson. “The first day wasn't easy for him, but he kept chugging along and proved to be valuable for us his sophomore and junior year. As a senior, he demands me as his coach to coach him how I would with Bijan and nothing less." 

The time Cordero spent working with Robinson didn’t go to waste. 

“The biggest thing I’ve learned from Bijan is to work hard at everything you do, whether it’s in the classroom or on the field,” Cordero said. “He pushed me to go hard on the field, in practice and in games. 

"I've learned so much from Bijan that I can't even put it into words. He's an amazing role model and an amazing person. He's Bijan, that's all you can say."

Even though Cordero didn’t initially attend Salpointe, he grew up around the program and was destined to be a Lancer. One of his best memories as a Salpointe fanatic was the 2013 state championship game at Arizona Stadium, which was stacked with Division I talent including Cam Denson, Kaelin Deboskie, Jake Casteel and Taylor Powell. The season prior, Cordero idolized senior running back Johnny Peña, who rushed for 4,681 yards and 61 touchdowns during his four-year varsity career before he took his talents to the Ivy League. 

“I definitely look up to Johnny Peña, because he is an amazing athlete, but he also attended Brown University and got an amazing education just from his work ethic and everything he accomplished at Salpointe,” he said.  

During his first productive season with the Lancers in 2019, Cordero rushed for 531 yards, averaging 11.3 per carry to go with nine touchdowns. Cordero also served as a slot wide receiver and caught seven passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. 

Now a senior, Cordero’s goals for this season are to lead the Lancers back into the eight-team Open Division playoff bracket and rush for 1,000 yards. 

In Salpointe's season-opening 29-21 win over Casa Grande, Cordero rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries. If Cordero wants to reach both goals, he’ll have to be at his best in every game. That starts on Oct. 23 against Sierra Vista Buena, when the Lancers return from their two-week quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test. 

Proof he’s good: Cordero hasn’t received an official Division I offer, but NAU, Hawaii and Arizona State have shown interest. Currently, Cordero has a slew of offers from FCS and Division II programs across the country. 

“The offers I really want to get are Hawaii, NAU and ASU — and (Arizona),” said Cordero. 

His preferred destination is Tempe. 

“My mom works at the U of A so you would think I’d want to go to the U of A, but I like going against her and say ASU is better,” he said. “My dream school right now is ASU. … Just everything I’ve seen from the outside, I want to go there.” 

He said it: “I think he’s the best running back in the city — in the state. He can do everything. He’s a home run hitter and at any time, he could take it for a touchdown. He can run between the tackles or if he takes it outside, it’s going to be a track meet. He’s a phenomenal kid and works hard, and it really just goes into his preparation all week. … He does all the little things and anything you ask him to do, he’s right there doing it.” — Neveleff

High schools countdown: Desert View's Serge Gboweiah one half of Jags' 'dynamic duo'

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Serge Gboweiah

Rundown: Gboweiah is a 5-foot-9-inch, 160-pound running back at Desert View High School.

Who he is: The Desert View tailback likes to play games with oncoming tacklers.

“I like to fake people out,” Gboweiah said. “I like to make them think I’m doing one thing, then I’ll do the other. Just outsmart them, basically.”

Gboweiah (and his mind games) make up one half of Desert View two-man rushing attack, along with junior Carlos Alvarez. The two have nearly identical measurables and possess similar skill sets.

A year ago, the pair combined for over 2,500 yards of offense, with Gboweiah leading the team with 1,404 rushing yards and finishing second with 12 touchdowns.

The Jaguars, who are scheduled to open the 2020 season Oct. 30 at Nogales, are again expected to have a strong running attack. It’s imperative that the two running backs are in sync with one another.

For Gboweiah and Alvarez, this isn’t a problem. The two have known each other since their youth football days. Gboweiah distinctly recalled going up against Alvarez in the playoffs and being impressed by him.

“Then when we both got to Desert View and met the summer leading up to freshman year,” he said. “From there we’ve been the dynamic duo. That dude is a solid friend for me.”

Desert View coach Robert Bonillas said having two talented running backs gives him team an edge.

“You got two kids with fresh legs all the time,” he said. “That puts more pressure on the defense.”

Proof he’s good: Gboweiah can recall the name of the play: “32 belly.”

Desert View was backed up at its own 8-yard line against Empire in the final game of the regular season. Bonillas called a run up the middle for the then-sophomore back. Gboweiah got the ball in his hands, and moments later, was in the end zone celebrating a 92-yard touchdown.

The Jags’ offensive line opened up a hole in the middle to get him to the second level of the defense; Gboweiah’s talent and speed took care of the rest. The tailback juked a linebacker and then split the cornerback and safety.

Gboweiah averaged 140 rushing yards per game as a sophomore, and had three games with at least 175 yards.

He said it: “This year I want to work on my elusiveness to make more people miss and then get over 1,400 yards again.” — Gboweiah

High schools countdown: 'People are going to be scared' of Cienega DL Hunter Schlagel in 2020

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Hunter Schlagel

The rundown: Schlagel is a 6-foot-2-inch, 278-pound senior at Cienega High School.

Who he is: Schlagel, the best defensive lineman in Southern Arizona, has been on Cienega’s varsity team since his freshman season. But the soft-spoken Schlagel took a while to become an imposing force.

“The No. 1 thing I had to learn was to be physical,” Schlagel said. “When you’re right in the middle of everything, you can’t be a softie. You gotta bite your mouthpiece and not be weak and hit ’em hard.”

A fan of the Indianapolis Colts, Schlagel has adopted the playing styles from some of the NFL’s top defensive linemen. He admires the Rams’ Aaron Donald “for how physical he is,” and says he likes the speed off the line from the Texans’ J.J. Watt and the 49ers’ Nick Bosa.

Schlagel has always been able to time snap-counts and surge at the line of scrimmage, but he struggled with hand placement and how to use them. During the offseason, Schlagel worked with a professional trainer on hand-fighting techniques that have improved his hand speed.

“It’s kinda surprising how stuff off the field can help you with on the field,” Schlagel said. “It wasn’t really boxing, but it had certain aspects of that. It wasn’t necessarily karate, but it was very similar. … I think it’s going to make a noticeable difference, because last year I didn’t use my hands, I just used my strength. But at the next level that’s not going to work.”

Schlagel spent his long COVID-19 layoff working out and playing video games. Nothing else.

“He’s just getting bigger, faster and stronger, and his weight room numbers are crazy right now,” Cienega coach Pat Nugent said.

“He’s as good of a defensive and offensive lineman that I’ve had. He’s just a violent kid that will just dominate right now.”

Now Schlagel is prepared to lead Cienega’s defense for one last hurrah. After three years on varsity, the seven-game season — slated to begin at Canyon del Oro on Oct. 30 — could be Schlagel’s best one yet.

“It’s been vigorous,” Schlagel said. “When I was a freshman, I had to sit there and think, ‘I gotta be all-in. I have to give everything that I have.’”

Proof he’s good: Schlagel received Class 5A Southern Region Defensive Player of the Year honors after recording 43 tackles and three sacks as a junior.

“That’s unheard of that a nose guard gets to be Defensive Player of the Year, but that just shows the dominant presence he has on the defensive line,” Nugent said.

Schlagel has received scholarship offers from Northern Arizona and Tarleton State, and New Mexico is also interested. Schlagel also has scholarship offers from Division II Washburn, Western New Mexico and Western Minnesota.

He said it: “His confidence level is through the roof and he plays angry. He was a passive kid his freshman and sophomore year. He was nice and didn’t say boo, but right now? He’s a killer. You get him mad on the field and he’s just a dominant force and I think the mentality that he plays with, compared to where he was two years ago, he wants to dominate and embarrass kids. … People are going to be scared of Hunter this year.” — Nugent

High schools countdown: QB AJ Skaggs leads Sabino team that could run the table

Name: AJ Skaggs

Rundown: Skaggs is a 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound senior quarterback at Sabino High School.

Who he is: As a little boy, Skaggs dreamed of having his name on the back of a purple and gold jersey and the distinction of being QB1 for the Sabercats.

Skaggs attended Sabino games on Friday nights and played two-hand touch football under the bleachers. When he looked at the field, he envisioned himself lining up under center one day and throwing touchdowns under the lights.

“I just remember always wanting that to be me,” the senior said. “Every day when I wake up now, I just think about that stuff.”

Skaggs earned the starting role a few games into his sophomore season and since then has combined for 4,119 passing yards and 45 touchdowns while completing nearly 65% of his passes. He is clearly one of the top signal-callers in Southern Arizona.

Now in his third and final season as Sabino’s starting quarterback, Skaggs has a lot he wants to accomplish. It begins with a team-first mindset. The Sabercats will open their season Nov. 6 at Sahuarita.

“I just want us to go undefeated,” he said. “We know we can; we know we have the team to do it.”

Coach Ryan McBrayer’s Sabercats are coming off an impressive 8-4 season a year ago. As part of their Tucson-only schedule this year, they only play one team — Sahuaro — that they lost to in 2019. If Skaggs makes the improvements that his coach anticipates, a 6-0 finish is not a far-fetched notion.

“I would put our guys up against anybody in the state,” McBrayer said.

Skaggs is ultimately thankful to have one final high school season, even if it’s a shortened schedule. The Sabercats returned to practice just recently and, in a move spearheaded by the team’s leaders and coaching staff, have been finding unique ways to make up for a lost summer.

“Each one of us has been going around and giving their life story so we can get closer and bond with one another,” the gunslinger said.

In the offseason, Skaggs got together with many of his teammates to run routes, train and develop chemistry as he aims to take the Sabino offense to the next level.

“All the guys have definitely improved night and day,” Skaggs said. “We’re actually starting to come together, and it’s really starting to click for everyone.”

Proof he’s good: Skaggs’ mastery of the Sabino offense begins with his relationship with his head coach.

“Coach McBrayer is the greatest coach I’ve ever had,” he said.

McBrayer has been a mentor on and off the field for the quarterback. Skaggs frequently finds himself hanging out at his coach’s house; their conversations often have little to do with throwing a football.

“We just talk just about life, and he gives me advice that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” Skaggs said.

The freedom and comfortability the two have with one another transfers seamlessly to the gridiron. McBrayer has given the quarterback the flexibility to audible or change the direction of the play at the line.

“We have a pretty complex set for high school offenses with a lot of multiple reads. We’re not calling plays just to the right or to the left. It’s all based on finding space and finding what lineups defenses are in,” McBrayer said.

This season, the duo plans to go even further.

“He’ll be telling the offense which way we’re going on 100% of our plays this year,” McBrayer said. “Our offensive coordinator will call the play in, and AJ will set the offense.”

Once the ball is snapped, Skaggs is in control of his craft as he surveys the field and goes through his progression until he finds an open man.

“That’s why I really wanted to build chemistry with the receivers this year and just know the timing so that way it’s automatic in a game,” he said.

Skaggs is still weighing his college options. For now though, he is content to fulfill the dreams he has had for the last 12 years.

He said it: “Our biggest enemy this year is going to be ourselves, so just take it week by week and get it up every single week ready to play.” — Skaggs

High schools countdown: SoCal transplant Elijah Barclay already has good rapport with Salpointe QB

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Elijah Barclay

The rundown: Barclay is a 6-foot-2-inch, 175-pound junior wide receiver at Salpointe Catholic High School.

Who he is: Before arriving in Tucson this summer, Barclay attended California powerhouse Mater Dei and spent his free time at the beach.

Barclay’s mother lives in Newport Beach, while his father resides in nearby Dana Point. When Barclay wasn’t training for football, he body-surfed with his buddies.

He has since traded palm trees for saguaros.

California’s decision to delay high school football season until January and personal issues in California prompted Barclay to relocate. He is now living with family friends that have known the Barclays since Elijah was a baby.

“It’s just a restart,” Barclay said. “It’s kind of like a new chapter. I like living here, even though it’s really hot.”

Barclay will be looked at to be one of Salpointe Catholic’s top playmakers on offense after the Lancers lost All-America running back Bijan Robinson, two-way star Lathan Ransom, tight end Jackson Sumlin, wide receiver Dae Han Chang, tight end Connor Witthoft and wide receiver Coben Bourguet to graduation.

In his first game as a Lancer, Barclay hauled in four catches for 82 yards as Salpointe Catholic beat Casa Grande. His connection with quarterback Treyson Bourguet, an Arizona commit, was apparent.

“It’ll help us win games,” Barclay said. “Hopefully we can play together in college, because we already have a connection as quarterback-wide receiver and as friends.”

Barclay could become Bourguet’s favorite target. Salpointe Catholic (1-0) is scheduled to return from its two-week coronavirus quarantine next week; the Lancers will take on Sierra Vista Buena on Oct. 23.

“It’s always hard when you have a transfer, and I think what’s special about Elijah is he’s a great teammate. … He doesn’t say a whole lot, but he leads by example,” said first-year Salpointe Catholic coach Eric Rogers. “He goes after it and does whatever is asked of him, whether it’s offense, defense, special teams; whatever the team needs, he’s there to do it.”

Proof he’s good: Barclay is rated by 247Sports.com as a three-star prospect. He holds scholarship offers from Purdue, TCU and Illinois State.

“Not put any pressure on him, but if the University of Arizona was interested in him, I think that’d be a great spot for him,” Rogers said. “But if ASU came calling, I’m sure he’d consider that. … He’s going to have some more offers when it’s all said and done.”

He said it: “He brings another dimension to our offense in the sense that he can really spread the field. He’s got tremendous speed, great hands and we have to take advantage of that. We have to make the other team defend the whole field and him running deep routes. …

“In a lot of ways, and I hate to compare him to this, but he is kind of like a Jerry Rice. The way he runs is effortless, and he’s just very, very smooth. You don’t realize how fast he is until he’s by you, and you’re like, ‘Whoa, how did that just happen?’ ” — Rogers

High schools countdown: Offseason workouts made Walden Grove's Sebastian Adamski stronger, faster

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Sebastian Adamski

The rundown: Adamski is a 6-foot, 233-pound senior linebacker at Walden Grove High School.

Who he is: Adamski wasn’t on anyone’s radar a year ago.

Walden Grove head coach Corey Noble described his linebacker as “a well-kept secret for us.”

“Not intentionally; we weren’t trying to hide him or anything. … We knew what we had when he was a freshman but the way it worked out, he didn’t get a chance to really showcase himself and what he could do until last year,” Noble said.

Only two players in Southern Arizona had more tackles than Adamski’s 130 in 2019: Walden Grove teammate Rick Avelar and Cholla’s Matthew Velador, both of whom graduated in the spring.

Adamski and Avelar, a fellow linebacker, combined for 292 of Walden Grove’s 718 team tackles in 2019. Both were named to the Class 4A Gila Region All-Defensive Team in 2019.

“Me and Rick have always been that 1-2 punch,” Adamski said. “I’ve known him for over 10 years now so we’ve always had a relationship. We always knew wherever the other guy was and we just knew how to play with each other, which made life so much easier. … We’re like brothers off the field.”

Adamski now looks to be the catalyst for Walden Grove’s defense at the “Mike” linebacker spot, the position Avelar played last season. He took on the new leadership role during the offseason, gaining muscle weight while honing in on his speed for pass coverage.

Adamski got the best of both worlds in his offseason training. For footwork and mobility, he trained with Tucson Sugar Skulls cornerback and former Pima College standout Cam Gaddis, who’s trained a number of high school football players around Tucson.

For muscle growth, he lifted weights with Gary Pantilla, who competed in multiple strong-man competitions around the country. Pantilla’s workouts were everyday power-lifting workouts sprinkled in with strongman exercises, such as lifting 300-pound sandbags and stones.

“(Quarantine) wasn’t much-needed, but I benefited from it,” Adamski said. “I worked out three times a day and even during practice now, I can tell how much better I’ve gotten. It helped out a lot.”

Proof he’s good: Adamski was named the Class 4A Gila Region Defensive Player of the Year last season.

After his breakout ’19 season, Adamski received a football offer from Drake University of the Pioneer League and multiple Division III schools. Adamski hopes that a big season could garner attention from the hometown Arizona Wildcats.

“As a fan, I grew up dreaming of going to the U of A,” Adamski said. “I used to paint my whole body when I went to games and was known as ‘Zookeeper Jr.’”

He said it: “He’s violent, he’s explosive and very instinctive, but he is violent. He brings it on every snap. … He plays the game of football the way defense was meant to be played. He’s that guy now and I expect him to have another stellar season that’s going to be an improvement to where he was last year, and he expects nothing less.” — Noble

High schools countdown: CDO's Stevie Rocker hopes to see field, shine before joining Wildcats

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Stevie Rocker

The rundown: Rocker is a 6-foot, 205-pound senior running back at Canyon del Oro High School.

Who he is: Rocker was expected to build off his 2018 sophomore year in which he rushed for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns.

But a gruesome ankle injury suffered in a preseason scrimmage against Walden Grove sidelined Rocker for the first half of the 2019 season. Even when Rocker returned to the starting lineup, his ankle was never at 100%.

“Last year, I was more hesitant just because of my ankle injury,” Rocker said.

As the 2020 season nears, Rocker is the top running back on his team and the premier rusher in a city that’s produced notable running backs.

“This is his time to shine,” said CDO head coach Dustin Peace. “This is the moment he’s been waiting for and it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. … He’s built himself up for his peak season.”

Playing the what-if game can be trivial when assessing Rocker’s high school career, because of the hurdles he’s had to overcome in just three seasons as a varsity player. Between the ankle injury suffered as a junior and a shortened senior season, Rocker was never quite given the chance to truly carve out a record-breaking career.

The Dorados are scheduled to play just six games this fall. But their season-opening opponent, Cienega, has suspended all football activity following the Pima County Health Department’s recommendation that contact sports not be played until there are 10 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Superintendents and Pima County health officials met Friday to discuss the fall football season, and there’s a chance there won’t be football in Southern Arizona except for Sierra Vista Buena and the two private football programs in town, Salpointe Catholic and Pusch Ridge Christian.

“It would really be terrible for us” if there was no season, Rocker said. “We’re a much tighter team than we were last year. … I just want to finish out strong. Having to go through this is not something we want to get through, but it shows how much we’ve been able to work through adversity.”

Rocker is keeping his fingers crossed.

“I need more reps since I only played in six games last year,” he said. “I want to get more reps of playing football and more contact reps in general so I can see what I need to improve on before I go to college.”

Proof he’s good: Rivals.com and 247Sports.com rank Rocker as a three-star recruit and one of the top prospects in Arizona. The running back landed scholarship offers from Cal, Nevada and BYU and received interest from Washington before committing to the Arizona Wildcats. He hopes to wear either No. 0 or No. 6 when he dons the red and blue.

“It’s super exciting,” Rocker said. “I’m excited to get myself out there and just start playing. … Playing for the hometown is something you don’t see often especially at the U of A, but getting the chance to be a hometown hero is kinda exciting to work through.”

Rocker plans to graduate from CDO in December and enroll early at the UA.

“It wasn’t the plan before, but that was way before the pandemic,” Rocker said. “After the pandemic came, it became a quicker process and it just seemed like a smart decision even, if we didn’t have a season.”

He said it: “He’s different, I’ll tell you that. I can’t really compare him to anyone that I’ve coached, but he’s almost like a Marcus Allen. Marcus had great breakaway speed and was long-strided, and when I see Stevie run, I think about that a little bit because of his long strides and big legs. Marcus was athletic and long, and Stevie is pretty much so.” — Peace

High schools countdown: Future Wildcat Treyson Bourguet has impressed in limited time on field

Editor’s note: The Star is counting down the 22 best high school football players in Southern Arizona, in no particular order.

Name: Treyson Bourguet

The rundown: Bourguet is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior at Salpointe Catholic High School

Who he is: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the high school football season in Southern Arizona, this summer was still productive for Bourguet, who is now in his second season as Lancers’ quarterback.

In June, Salpointe Catholic was one of two teams — the other being Pusch Ridge Christian — in Tucson to begin its re-entry plan under its own guidance. The months of pod workouts and cautious training sessions allowed the Lancers to develop a bond on the field.

For a Salpointe offense that lost its entire receiving corps from last season — All-American running back Bijan Robinson (Texas) and Pac-12 offensive linemen Bruno Fina (UCLA) and Jonah Miller (Oregon) — connection is essential.

“We’ve created this family friendship that can’t be matched. I’ve met new people and became close with people … and it’s all because of this COVID thing,” Bourguet said.

One of those friendships could result in a number of touchdowns for Salpointe this season, when the Lancers resume play against Sierra Vista Buena on Friday.

Southern California transplant and former Mater Dei High School wide receiver Elijah Barclay, who holds scholarship offers from TCU and Purdue, transferred to Salpointe during the summer and immediately became close with Bourguet. Bourguet and Barclay connected on four passes for 82 yards in the Lancers’ 29-21 season-opening win over Casa Grande.

“We’ve already got this quarterback-receiver chemistry,” Bourguet said. “I knew he was the real deal.”

Besides building relationships with teammates and the new coaching stuff under first-year head coach Eric Rogers, the other important part to Bourguet’s summer was when he verbally committed to the hometown Arizona Wildcats over Vanderbilt in August.

“Committing to my hometown was a big move not just for me but the whole state of Arizona,” Bourguet said.

Bourguet became the second in-state player to join UA’s 2022 recruiting class, joining Chandler wide receiver Kyion Grayes.

Bourguet is considered one of the top players in Arizona, but that reputation was built in a limited amount of time. As a freshman, Bourguet backed up his older brother, Trenton, at Marana High School. After sitting out the first half of the 2019 season due to the Arizona Interscholastic Associations’s transfer rules, Bourguet threw for 805 yards and 13 touchdowns in seven games for Salpointe.

Now his junior season is limited with an already condensed schedule along with the team’s two-week quarantine after one player tested positive for the coronavirus. Bourguet may never play an entire season until his final hurrah at Salpointe, but he’s expected to show why he’s considered arguably the top player in Southern Arizona. The best has yet to come, according to Salpointe’s head coach.

“We’re going to see a lot of that over the next several weeks when we get to playing some more football,” Rogers said. “I don’t think we’ve really seen just yet where he’s going to come to shine. We still have a great surrounding cast and he just needs to go out there, take what the defense gives us and we’ll be just fine.”

Bourguet could end up being the most underrated quarterback to ever sling the ball in Tucson.

“When I’m done with this high school football thing, everyone will remember who I am and what I did even if that means I get to only play one full season. I’m just super excited and blessed to be a part of the Salpointe program and I just want to leave my mark.”

Proof he’s good: Bourguet’s commitment to the UA didn’t prevent other schools from recruiting him hard. Louisville, Colorado, NC State, Maryland and Oregon State, among others, offered the pro-style Bourguet in September.

“I’m not going to take anything for granted,” Bourguet said. “I love the relationships that I’ve built and that I’m going to build. It’s a dream come true for me.”

Bourguet is rated by 247Sports.com as a three-star quarterback and the 12th-best prospect in Arizona for the 2020 recruiting cycle.

A lot would have to happen for another school to sway Bourguet away from UA considering the close connection with offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and head coach Kevin Sumlin.

“It’s a father-son relationship (with Mazzone),” Bourguet said. “Coach Mazzone is a father to me. Calling him, his energy and humor is awesome. I feel like I could talk to him about anything. I can’t wait to play under him in that system. Same with Sumlin; He’s always been good to me and the other recruits.”

Bourguet’s older brother, who was the top-rated player in the Star’s 2018 countdown, was recently named the backup quarterback at Arizona State.

The former Marana quarterback joined the Sun Devils as a walk-on last season, and if the Bourguets play their cards right, there’s a chance Treyson and Trenton could quarterback against each other in future Territorial Cup games.

“That would be unreal and it seems more and more likely that it’s going to happen. … It doesn’t seem real to me, it sounds like something that would be in a movie,” Bourguet said.

He said it: “I’ve talked to him a lot this offseason about (last season’s Open Division playoff loss to Chandler) last year, and he’s very, very competitive. I really saw him grow up in that football game. That’s a big-boy football game right there, and the way he handled himself — I mean, he got knocked around and it was physical. It was everything you ever want in a football game, and he really grew and matured in that game in my eyes. — Rogers