Amphitheater football is playing the waiting game this week.
The Panthers closed out their high school tackle football regular season on a high note Friday night, defeating Sahuarita 47-0 to finish 7-3 overall and clinch at least a share of the Class 4A Gila Region championship.
But as the Panthers lined up to hug their coaches, there was a feeling of finality — even with the state’s 4A playoffs set to begin Nov. 9.
After playing 10 games, Amphi had a bye this final week of regular-season action. The Panthers are preparing like they can make the state tournament. But whether that’s possible — they have a lot of ground to make up in the 4A rankings to do so — is yet to be seen.
We’re going to meet for film on Monday,” Amphi head coach Jorge Mendivil said Friday night. “Tuesday, we plan on practicing, checking to see where the rankings are and where we’re at. So, at that point, we’re going to figure out what the game plan is for the week.”
Amphi’s Miguel Estrada makes a touchdown-saving tackle on Empire’s Jared Ahuero, dropping him inside the 5 during the first quarter of their game at Empire High School on Oct. 5.
After the win over Sahuarita, Amphi remained No. 27 in the rankings. The top 16 teams (with some exceptions, like if a high-ranked team is brought up to the Open division playoff) make the 4A state tournament.
Amphitheater had hoped to schedule No. 17 Peoria (5-4) but instead got No. 52 Phoenix Maryvale, which they beat 49-28. Region foes No. 48 Rincon/University and No. 51 Sahuarita were near the bottom of the rankings, and Maryvale was 52nd out of 53 teams.
“The vibe was ‘hey, we want to practice,’ obviously, but at the same time we asked for Peoria, we get Maryvale and that hurts your rankings right there,” Mendivil said on Monday after their film session. “We didn’t have them anywhere on the spectrum so for us to have to play them and they won two games, so they don’t help us.”
Amphi finished 5-1 in Gila Region play. The Panthers split with the other two one-loss teams in the Gila, Douglas and Empire.
“It’s definitely pretty cool. All my brothers came here. It just feels nice to do something here,” said Amphi sophomore Imanol Silva, a quarterback and free safety, about winning the region.
It’s Amphi’s first region title since 2016. The Panthers are one of the most successful programs in Southern Arizona, having won a state championship in 1975 and 1979 and finishing second in 1990 and 1997 under legendary coach Vern Friedli.
“It’s cool, it hasn’t happened in a while, and I’m glad I can do this for my school, for my team. We all worked together and showed Amphi deserves a chance,” said senior guard/defensive tackle Jaime Charles about the region.
With the other contenders for the region crown (No. 32 Douglas and No. 35 Empire) too low to make the state tournament, it will be the third straight full season the Gila Region misses out on the postseason. Last year, Walden Grove went 8-2 and missed the playoffs, and in 2021, Catalina Foothills was 6-4 and missed the big dance.
Mendivil acknowledged that it’s cliché but said the Panthers’ success was due to their hard work in the offseason.
“We knew that this senior group was pretty special and last year we were in a lot of close ball games, we just didn’t finish and this year we did, for the most part,” Mendivil said.
Against Sahuarita, Silva was 7 for 9 for 226 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Four different Panthers had at least 67 yards receiving, led by senior receiver David Silva, who had 74 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior running back Malique Maro ran for 138 yards on eight carries, scoring once.
“I think about 90% of our plays went for over seven yards, so that’s incredible and our kids, they just did their jobs,” Mendivil said. “Obviously there’s some mess ups and some stuff like that, but at the same time everything’s correctable. We hope to play again, but the rankings are the rankings.”
Four linemen ran the ball for Amphi: Charles, senior tackle Carlos Lopez, senior guard Fausto Sinohui and senior tackle Marco Martinez. Lopez and Sinohui scored touchdowns, and Martinez ran for a first down on 4th-and-2 before Sinohui scored.
“It was cool. Everybody kept their composure even though we knew as a team it was not as good as us, we still played like they were CDO,” Charles said.
Mendivil said the linemen running the ball was a “little pay back” for their senior starters.
“Well if it does finish, I think we did great. Everybody was at practice, we stayed committed the summer before the season, came to practice, worked our butts off and honestly I feel like we worked really hard this season and I feel like we do deserve a shot at playoffs,” Charles said.
VIDEO: Amphitheater High School senior tight end Riley Robinson catches a 36-yard touchdown pass as part of the Panthers' 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater High School senior tight end Riley Robinson hauls in a 57-yard touchdown catch during the Panthers' 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater offensive tackle Marco Martinez carries the ball for a first down run during the Panthers’ 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. Amphi had multiple offensive plays that included getting the ball in the hands of the Panthers’ offensive lineman during the victory. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater’s David Silva catches a 15-yard touchdown during the Panthers’ 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater guard Fausto Sinohui scores scores on a 1-yard touchdown run during the Panthers’ 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. Amphi had multiple offensive plays that included getting the ball in the hands of the Panthers’ offensive lineman during the victory. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater’s David Silva hauls in an apparent 20-yard TD catch in the Panthers’ 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023, but the official waves it off, calling it an incomplete pass. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater tackle Carlos Lopez scores scores on a 1-yard touchdown run during the Panthers’ 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. Amphi had multiple offensive plays that included getting the ball in the hands of the Panthers’ offensive lineman during the victory. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO: Amphitheater’s David Silva catches a deep throw downfield and runs it in for a 59-yard touchdown during the Panthers’ 47-0 win over Sahuarita on Oct. 27, 2023. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
Picture this
• A photo gallery of Amphi's matchup at Empire from earlier this season. Empire won, 27-20, but it was one of just three losses the Panthers had all year.
Photos: Empire hangs on to drop visiting Amphi 27-20, high school football
Empire's Carson Justice (1) drags down a pass intended for Amphi's David Silva (4), ending the Panthers’ last chance with one second left and the Ravens up 27-20 in their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's players get loosened up under a fall sky, running thought their pre-game drills and preparing to face Amphi at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire’s Jared Ahuero (9) waits for his onrushing teammates after dragging down a long pass over Amphi’s Miguel Estrada (2) for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 27-20 home win over the Panthers at Empire High School Friday night.
During a matchup last season at Empire High School, Empire’s Ngonkra Fuangunyi (2) slams into Amphi’s Ethan Goodall (10), jarring him enough to send his pass off course in the third quarter of their Oct. 5, 2023, contest.
Empire's Jordan Naveunxay (6) celebrates with teammate Ben Mazzei (8) after pulling down a catch in the back of the end zone in the second quarter of their game against Amphi at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Luke Lambert (5) strips Amphi's Malique Maro (5) fo the ball just short of the goal line in the fourth quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023. The Panthers recovered the fumble and eventually pushed over for a score.
Amphi's Miguel Estrada (2) makes a touchdown saving tackle on Empire's Jared Ahuero (9), dropping him inside the five in the first quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi's Anthony Anqui (3) can’t tiptoe around the hit of Empire's Carson Justice (1) on a carry at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi’s Riley Robinson (11) hangs on to drop Empire's Jared Ahuero (9) for a sack in the first quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi's Malique Maro (5) gets hauled down by the duo of Empire's Ben Mazzei (8), bottom, and Manga Eselle (4) in the second quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi's Imanol Silva (10) gets off the pass over the pressure of Empire's Jordan Naveunxay (6) in their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Carson Justice (1) out jumps teammate Nikolas Bejarano (11) for an interception in the second quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Kienan Parker (22), left, and Amphi’s Rudy Rios (14) collide on Parker’s second quarter carry at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi’s Sekou Williams (23) gets his fingers in the face mask of Empire's Carson Justice (1) after his catch in the second quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi's Malique Maro (5) manages to do enough to keep Empire's Jared Ahuero (9) from a catch in the end zone in the quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi's David Silva (4) slips by Empire's Manga Eselle (4) to get to the throw over the middle in the third quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Kienan Parker (22) rumbles through Amphi’s Rudy Rios (14), left, and Arif Lyt-Watson (20) on a sweep in the third quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Jordan Naveunxay (6) dives in to make the shoestring tackle for a sack on Amphi's Imanol Silva (10) in the fourth quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi's Imanol Silva (10) gets off the pass in the grip of Empire's Jordan Naveunxay (6) in the fourth quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Jared Ahuero (9) grabs the Amphi onside kick late in the fourth quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi’s Rudy Rios (14) can’t quite get out of the hands of Empire's Jared Ahuero (9) after hauling in a deflected pass in the fourth quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
During a matchup last season at Empire High School, Empire’s Ngonkra Fuangunyi (2) forces his way out the reach of Amphi’s DeAngelo Mendoza (13) during the teams’ Oct. 5, 2023, contest.
Amphi's David Silva (4) gets to the pass before Empire's Manga Eselle (4) in the fourth quarter of their game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi’s Riley Robinson (11), left, and Rudy Rios (14) celebrate Rios’ catch-and-run for a score late at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's Ben Mazzei (8) tries to tug down Amphi's Anthony Anqui (3) on a run at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Empire's head coach George Kelly works with his Ravens running drills before facing Amphi at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Amphi’s head coach Jorge Mendivil gives Amphi's Imanol Silva (10) his play in the third quarter at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
A couple of early fans watch the pre-game drills before the Amphi/Empire game at Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
