Few sports organizations had a worse football season than the Arizona Interscholastic Association.
First, it placed Class 5A Marana High and its undefeated team in the state’s Open category — two levels above its status — matching it against Phoenix super-powers with much greater resources and enrollment. Predictably, Marana lost, deprived of having a strong chance to be the state champion for the first time since the 1960s.
The special teams get in a few kicks just after sunset for a practice session of Marana High School’s football team, on Nov. 14, 2024.
Second, given its far-too-loose transfer rules, the AIA seeded seven-time state champ Peoria Centennial No. 14 in the Class 6A tournament with a 3-7 record. Really. A 3-7 team was seeded into the state tournament. That’s ridiculous.
Predictably, because Centennial was allowed to add a group of transfers after five games, they rallied to finish 7-7 and become state champs. They are the only football team in Arizona prep history without a winning record to win a state title.
One of those transfers was former Sabino High receiver Shamar Berryhill, who had caught 75 passes for 1,392 yards and 19 TDs for the Sabercats in 2023. Once he became eligible at midseason for Centennial, Berryhill caught 16 passes for 240 yards and five TDs, including one in the state championship game.
Berryhill
College football has been overwhelmed and torn asunder by loose transfer rules, and now, sadly, Arizona prep football has been similarly muddied.
