If this is to be the last week of high school football in Tucson, we end the season eating well.
There’s another feast for Southern Arizona football fans this week as the Tucson area hosts two big school semifinals Friday night, before Sabino plays Saturday for the Class 3A state title.
True, it's possible there could be one more game in Tucson next week; if No. 4 Phoenix Arcadia upsets No. 1 Yuma Catholic in the 4A semifinal then the Class 4A championship game will be in Tucson next week, likely at Arizona Stadium.
If that’s not to be, then at least Tucson Area football goes out with a bang with a semifinal in Oro Valley and one in midtown Friday night. Both games are at 7 p.m.
Canyon de Oro’s Kayden Luke (30) stretches for the goal line to notch the Dorados’ first score in the first quarter of their Oct. 13 matchup against Mica Mountain — a game that came down to the wire.
4A state semifinal
No. 3 Mica Mountain (11-1) at No. 2 Canyon del Oro (12-0)
Location: 25 West Calle Concordia
In case you missed the instant classic Mica Mountain and Canyon del Oro had last month, here’s another chance. It's seemed ever since like they were destined to meet again in the playoffs.
CDO has won 14 of the Dorados' last 15 games overall; Mica Mountain has won 16 of the Thunderbolts' last 17.
In their previous two all-time meetings, MM won at home, 26-7 last year, with CDO winning the first rematch 17-15 at home this year.
After missing senior tight end/linebacker Kason Colbert, the 4A Kino Region's Offensive Player of the Year, for four games due to a concussion, he returned last week for Thunderbolts.
CDO counters with the region’s coach of the year in Dustin Peace, the region’s defensive POY in senior free safety Chase Laux and the region’s player of the year in senior Kayden Luke.
Laux also won DPOY last season.
The 4A bracket is stacked. The top four seeds remain, with only suffered one loss between them. Of course since CDO and Mica Mountain played each other one of the top four had to take an "L" at some point.
Valley Vista’s Damir Ilicic (15) releases the ball as Salpointe’s Keona Davis (50) goes in for the tackle during a matchup at Salpointe Catholic High School on Sept. 15, 2023
6A state semifinal
Scottsdale Saguaro (7-5) at Salpointe Catholic (10-2)
Location: 1545 East Copper Street
On Oct. 27 Salpointe exorcised their Scottsdale Saguaro demons by beating the Sabercats, 21-14 on the road, for the first time. According to AzFootballArchives.com, Scottsdale Saguaro had been 5-0 on the field against Salpointe (the Lancers got a forfeit due to Covid in 2020), including 3-0 in the playoffs, 1-0 in semifinals and 2-0 in state championship games. All six of those games — that includes Friday night's matchup — have been since 2016.
Scottsdale Saguaro, winners of 13 state championships since 1995, are suffering a “down” year this season after losing head coach Jason Mohns to ASU’s coaching staff.
Yet, Salpointe looks to reach the state championship game for seventh time; they last got there in 2021.
Salpointe (1,305) and Scottsdale Saguaro (1,430) are two 4A sized schools that were promoted a couple times due to their successes of late.
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic senior edge Elijah Rushing sacks the opposing quarterback during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic senior Keona Wilhite intercepts a pass and returns it 74-yards for a pick-six touchdown during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic senior edge Elijah Rushing sacks the opposing quarterback during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic junior cornerback Armani Sheriff intercepts a pass during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic’s Morgan Quiri hauls in a 35-yard touchdown reception during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic freshman quarterback Matthew Avelar scores on a 2-yard keeper during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic freshman quarterback Matthew Avelar scores on a 5-yard run during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic junior free safety Richard Archuleta intercepts a pass during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Salpointe Catholic junior kicker Kyah Francone connects on a 41-yard field goal attempt during the Lancers’ 41-0 Class 6A state playoff win over Corona del Sol on Nov. 9, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Mica Mountain junior running back Conner Hangarner scores on a seven-yard touchdown run during the Thunderbolts’ 38-17 Class 4A state quarterfinal win over Northwest Christian on Nov. 24, 2023. (James Kelley /Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Mica Mountain senior wide receiver Jonah Garcia scores on a 28-yard touchdown reception during the Thunderbolts’ 38-17 Class 4A state quarterfinal win over Northwest Christian on Nov. 24, 2023. (James Kelley /Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Mica Mountain junior cornerback Nathaniel Bryant intercepts a Northwest Christian pass during the Thunderbolts’ 38-17 Class 4A state quarterfinal win over the Crusaders on Nov. 24, 2023. (James Kelley /Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Mica Mountain senior wide receiver Jonah Garcia scores on a 16-yard touchdown reception during the Thunderbolts’ 38-17 Class 4A state quarterfinal win over Northwest Christian on Nov. 24, 2023. (James Kelley /Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Mica Mountain junior kicker Landon Hubbard connects on a 32-yard field goal attempt during the Thunderbolts’ 38-17 Class 4A state quarterfinal win over Northwest Christian on Nov. 24, 2023. (James Kelley /Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: High school football: Mica Mountain senior cornerback Will White intercepts a Northwest Christian pass during the Thunderbolts’ 38-17 Class 4A state quarterfinal win over the Crusaders on Nov. 24, 2023. (James Kelley /Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Mica Mountain High School senior wide receiver Jonah Garcia scores on a 60-yard touchdown pass play from Jayden Thoreson late in the Thunderbolts' 35-25 4A state playoff win over Phoenix Northwest Christian on Nov. 17, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star) MM sr WR Jonah Garcia 60 TD
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: 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)
VIDEO: Canyon del Oro’s Kayden Luke scores on a 4-yard touchdown run during the Dorados’ tight 17-15 win over Mica Mountain 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)
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: Mica Mountain receiver Jack Bradley catches a 10-yard touchdown catch near the pylon to get the Thunderbolts on the board in the first quarter of what would turn out to be a 17-15 loss to Canyon del Oro. 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’s Kayden Luke scores on a 14-yard touchdown run during the Dorados’ tight 17-15 win over Mica Mountain 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)
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)
