With the Arizona high school football season in full swing, the Star shares our weekly look back at the best of last week while charging ahead toward what we might be able to expect from programs across Tucson and surrounding communities this Friday night.
Team of the week
A prime candidate for team of the week last Wednesday, Tanque Verde earns it this week after notching another road upset.
On Friday, the Hawks won at No. 1 Phoenix Veritas, 28-23, after beating No. 8 Camp Verde, 39-15, the week before in the Class 2A state tournament.
Tanque Verde has won nine in a row, and this postseason, it has tripled its all-time playoff win total.
Stat book
â Salpointe Catholic senior running back/free safety Alon Deon ran for 145 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the Lancersâ 23-8 win at Queen Creek in the 6A first round last week.
â Desert View sophomore running back/free safety Jaylee Abraham contributed 245 yards of total offense plus an interception on defense in the Jaguarsâ 37-21 win over No. 14 Phoenix Mountain Pointe in the second round of the 5A quarterfinals on Friday. He ran for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries and caught four passes for 129 yards and a score.
Next level
The Carolina Panthers won the second Salpointe alumni game of the season, beating the Atlanta Falcons, 30-27. Former Lancer Bijan Robinson had a game-high 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Buffalo Bills, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Atlanta.
Robinsonâs high school teammate, Lathan Ransom, is a safety for the Panthers. Falcons linebacker Jalon Walker wore a jersey designed to look like Robinsonâs high school uniform before the game.
The byes have it
The 2A, 4A and 5A conferences added bye weeks to the playoffs for the top eight teams who fared well. The teams with byes went 19-5.
In 2A, they were 6-2 with the upsets being Tanque Verde beating Camp Verde and No. 14 Benson knocking out No. 3 Phoenix Christian.
In 4A, the top eight seeds went 6-2, and in 5A, they were 7-1. The one 5A upset was No. 9 Scottsdale Desert Mountain over No. 8 Glendale Cactus.
Going social
In all my years doing this, Iâve never seen a lineman win this award (Iâm sure itâs happened, I just havenât seen it).
Truly the best overall lineman Iâve ever coached. He may have missed less than 20 O AND D snaps this entire season.
The epitome of GRIT. Unreal talent. GO STANGS. â Sahuarita head coach Jake Allen posted on X (Twitter) about Mustang senior guard/nose guard Isaiah Castillo winning 4A Gila Region Player of the Year.
Quotable
âIâm proud of our boys for coming through, our assistant coaches and all the support from the community. Itâs fun to be out here.â â Desert View head coach Robert Bonillas said to All Sports Tucson after the No. 3 Jaguarsâ 37-21 win over No. 14 Phoenix Mountain Pointe in the second round of the 5A state quarterfinals last week.Â
Games of the week
5A state quarterfinals: No. 6 Waddell Canyon View (9-2) at No. 3 Desert View (11-0)
Location:Â 4101 E. Valencia Road
Notable:Â History will be made on Friday at 7 p.m. as one of the "Views" clinches its first semifinal appearance. Desert View previously made the quarterfinals in 1987 and 2021. Canyon View, which opened in 2018, won a playoff game last week when it beat Gilbert Campo Verde 51-19 in its first-ever home postseason game. CV senior quarterback Brady Scott has passed for 2,406 yards this year, while DV senior quarterback Ryan Vasavilbaso has thrown for 2,394 yards.Â
Head coach Jeff Bollnow works with his linemen at Tanque Verde High school Tuesday afternoon as the Hawks prep for the Class 2A state tournament. Bollnow, in his first year at TV, guided the Hawks to a winning record for just the third time overall.
2A state semifinals: No. 9 Tanque Verde (11-2) vs. No. 4 St. Johns (11-1)
Location:Â Tempe McClintock; 1830 East Del Rio Drive, Tempe
Notable:Â After two straight upsets on the road in the playoffs, Tanque Verde gets to face St. Johns at the neutral site Tempe McClintock on Saturday at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the Redskinsâ road to the final four was a couple of road games, and they have played four home games in a row. The Hawks have won nine straight while St. Johns has won eight consecutive. St. Johns is 4-1 away from home this year, TV 6-1.
