The last time a local team won a football state championship was 2015.
And while just four Tucson area teams remain, Salpointe Catholic opened its 2023 playoff run last week with the suggestion that it could be the side to end that drought.
Salpointe (9-2) crushed 15th-seed Tempe Corona del Sol last week in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament. Now the Lancers get seventh-seed Gilbert Williams Field on Friday at 7 p.m. at home.
The 41-0 win over CDS was the second time the Lancers defeated the Aztecs in 2023; while Corona went just 3-8 on the year, it’s notable that two of those losses came to Salpointe — the first being just a nine-point regular-season loss — and a third to Phoenix Brophy Prep by seven.
Brophy is the top seed in the 6A tournament, while Salpointe is second.
Salpointe’s Jaxson Banhie (5) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the Lancers’ Sept 15 home win over Valley Vista High School.
“For a short week, to come out, kinda jump on them like we did, that’s exactly what we needed to do,” Salpointe coach Eric Rogers said. “That first half, just super, super proud of the kids, the coaches. It’s always hard on a short week.
“You’re playing a team that you already played just a few weeks ago so all those things kinda stack up against you.”
Now in the 6A quarterfinals, Salpointe advancing will likely have as much to do with its defense as when the Lancers have the ball.
In jumping out to a 34-0 lead over Corona, Salpointe did so via four first-half interceptions. That included a pair of picks returned for touchdowns — first by senior linebacker Orlando Gonzalez from 28 yards out, then by senior defensive end Keona Wilhite for 74 yards.
“They’re flying around the football, our coaching staff put a great game plan together for them,” Rogers said.
Salpointe’s varsity football team runs on to the field before the Lancers’ game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School on Sept. 15.
On the offense side of the ball, Rogers made the call to go with freshman Matthew Avelar at quarterback, holding out senior signal caller Taylor Nagore as a precaution after “last week he got banged up a little bit,” per the coach.
Avelar went 9 for 15 for 169 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions through the air while also running it in for two scores himself.
“I was super proud of him,” Rogers said. “I told him ‘You’ve got tremendous players surrounding you; just go out there and put the ball where it needs to be, put it in your playmakers’ hands.’
As for Nagore, “we didn’t want to bank him up too bad right now because we’re hoping we got more football to play,” Rogers said of the senior, who passed for 917 yards in the regular season. “We got some good quarterbacks that can play football for us. That’s what I think is a blessing for us right now.”
Salpointe’s only losses this season were at Peoria Liberty — ranked No. 22 in the country by MaxPreps, the Lions shifted out of 6A to take the No. 1 seed in the state’s Open bracket this year — and Brophy, 14-12. As the two seed, Salpointe won’t have to play any road games and won’t even have to travel until the state championship game, at ASU, if the Lancers can make it.
Salpointe’s head coach Eric Rogers (pictured during his team’s game against Valley Vista on Sept. 15 in Tucson) is pleased with his defense’s performance of late. “They’re flying around the football, our coaching staff put a great game plan together for them.”
“Our kids have just competed and battled every week. I mean playing 6A football, there were practices this year where we had like 38 guys for practice,” Rogers said. “I think we’re starting to play some of our best football, which is nice.”
Liberty has 79 players on its roster, Corona del Sol 65 and Salpointe’s quarterfinal opponent this week, seventh-seeded Gilbert Williams Field (6-5), has 67. Brophy, a fellow private school, has 80 on its roster.
Although Salpointe’s enrollment should put the school at the 4A level (1,305 students) it was moved up to 5A and then 6A due to recent success in football.
“It was just fueled off of disrespect,” said senior receiver and cornerback Armani Sheriff, who had an interception against CDS. “I think that fueled us to do just better than what people expected.”
After going 7-5 last year in their first in 6A while reaching the state quarterfinals, the Lancers seek to go deeper.
“We stepped into it,” Sheriff said. “From last year I think we’ve gotten used to it now.”
Pusch Ridge Christian was the last local team to win a state championship, in 2015 at what was known as Division IV. Salpointe was the last Tucson area big school to win a title, in 2013 at what was then Division II.
Salpointe has reached the state championship game five other times: 1981 (AAA), 1991 (5A), 2017 (4A), 2018 (4A) and 2021 (5A).
Sophomore nose guard Noah Banhie said before the season they kept saying the goal was “go to state, go to state.”
Now, Williams Field provides the next test.
“Coach (Steve) Campbell does a phenomenal job with those guys so we’re gonna have our work cut out for us,” Rogers said. “We’re gonna have to prepare like a son of a gun this week but it’s always nice being at home.”
Former Salpointe Catholic star Bijan Robinson discusses his 2023 bye-week plans and returning to his home state after the Falcons' loss to the Cardinals (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
Photos: Salpointe defeats Valley Vista 50-6, high school football
Salpointe quarterback Taylor Nagore (10) extends his arm into the end zone for a touchdown during the matchup against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Jaylin Willis Dennard (4) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown as Valley Vista’s Sawyer Oliver (2) tries to tackle him in the matchup at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
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
Salpointe players sing their school fight song after taking a win against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Valley Vista’s Nathan Beard (42) blocks Salpointe’s quarterback Taylor Nagore’s (10) pass during the matchup at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Bryce Rosen conducts the Salpointe marching band during halftime of the game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe stretches before its game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Valley Vista’s Avery Jeffery-Dillard (12) attempts to tackle Salpointe’s Owen Brock (12) in the matchup at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Nathan Spivey (8) makes the catch while Valley Vista’s Ethan Penner (55) and Brandon Johnson (25) try to make the tackle in the matchup at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Robert Tre Ediminson (29) catches the ball during warmups at Salpointe Catholic High School before the Lancers' matchup against Valley Vista High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Valley Vista’s Jaahad Parris-Worley (34) runs the ball during a game at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Jaxson Banhie (5) runs into the in zone for a touchdown during the Lancers' win over Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Thomas Regina (22) runs the ball after catching a pass from quarterback Taylor Nagore (10) in the game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
People in the Salpointe stands hold signs in honor of Jackson Tirrito (58) birthday during the game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Valley Vista’s Jeramichael Hernandez (18) runs the ball as Salpointe defense runs into formation during the game at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Luis Cordova (72) celebrates with Jaxson Banhie (5) after a touchdown during the Lancers' win over Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe varsity cheerleaders take pictures before the football team faces Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s Nathan Spivey (8) celebrates Jaxson Banhie (5) after his touchdown during the game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Jaxson Banhie (5) makes a catch while Valley Vista’s Nathan Beard (42) goes in for the tackle during the game at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s head coach Eric Rogers during the game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe’s varsity football team runs on to the field before the Lancers' game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
Salpointe warm up before the match against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
