High school football: Sabino's shining moment, Canyon del Oro's aim for a Southern Arizona title two-fer

The Arizona high school football season comes to a close this weekend, and for teams from Southern Arizona, there's just one game left (Canyon del Oro in the Class 4A state championship. The Star looks back at the best of last week (including Sabino winning a 3A crown) while charging ahead to Friday's 4A final.

Team of the week

Although Surprise Paradise Honors senior quarterback Gage Baker set a couple records, it was Sabino that took home the hardware.

The Sabercats beat Paradise Honors 68-46 to win the Class 3A state championship this past Saturday night in Phoenix.

Sabino senior Mason Cade rushed 23 times for 374 yards and five touchdowns, while senior quarterback Cameron Hackworth passed 116 yards and had two touchdowns. That was enough from Hackworth to set the Southern Arizona career passing record, according to AllSportsTucson.com, with 8,797 yards. He also has the SAZ career passing touchdown record with 97.

It’s Sabino’s fourth state championship but first since 1998, and the first for any Southern Arizona team since Pusch Ridge Christian Academy won the Division IV championship in 2015.

The Sabercats’ other three titles were at the 4A level.

Baker tied the national record with 91 touchdowns in a season and set the state record for career passing touchdowns with 169.

Stat book

Canyon del Oro had two players with interception returns of at least 58 yards in their 23-7 win over Mica Mountain in the 4A semifinals last week. Senior free safety Chase Laux returned one interception 58 yards, and senior defensive lineman Aaron Ramirez returned a pick 60 yards.

Mica Mountain sophomore punter Riley Carson booted it 5 times for 260 yards for an average of 52 yards per punt. His longest was 71 yards, and he pinned the Dorados inside the 20 twice.

Salpointe Catholic junior Morgan Quiri caught 4 passes for 92 yards in the Lancers’ 42-24 loss to Scottsdale Saguaro in the 6A semifinals on Friday night.

Recruiting trail

CDO senior tackle/defensive tackle Sa'Kylee Woodard visited ASU last week for its game against the UA. Although Arizona crushed the Sun Devils 59-23, Woodard is set to return on Friday for the 4A state championship game.

Next level

Since the college football regular season ended, Central Michigan freshman quarterback Treyson Bourguet and Arizona sophomore running back Stevie Rocker Jr. announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal. Bourguet went to Salpointe and Rocker to CDO.

Quotable

“No one can take anything away from what you accomplished,” said Mica Mountain head coach Pat Nugent to the Thunderbolts after the CDO game, as reported by the AIA. “We are a powerhouse because of our seniors. It’s not easy to do what you did. You took us from nothing to the semifinals. You put this school on the map.”

Mica Mountain reached the state semifinals in its fourth year overall and second season playing a full varsity schedule. In 2021, the Thunderbolts played six varsity games. In 2022 they went 6-4, winning the 4A Kino Region, and in 2023, they went 11-2 with a state semifinal appearance.

Going social

"As was just mentioned on @AZPreps365 morning show, parking next weekend for the football championships at Arizona State will be $20. ... The AIA does not control parking. This is an ASU/parking management company thing."

— East Valley Tribune sports editor Zach Alvira, on X (Twitter). Maybe ASU is trying to recoup some losses after a rough football season? Admission prices are $20 for adults and $7.50 for students.

Game of the week

Who: No. 2 Canyon del Oro (13-0) vs. No. 1 Yuma Catholic (13-0)

When: 4 p.m. Friday

Where: ASU's Mountain America Stadium; 500 E. Veterans Way, Tempe

Notable: The top two teams in 4A face off for a title. No. 2 CDO looks for its fourth state championship after previously winning it all in 1976, 1977 (both AA) and 2009 (4A Division I). Yuma Catholic also goes for its fourth, but its previous three, 2011, 2013 and 2014, were all at the smallest 11-man football level, Division V.

Yuma Catholic would have been the sixth seed in Arizona's "Open" tournament, but the Shamrocks are a 3A school (517 enrollment) that is playing up in 4A for football; 3A schools are ineligible for the Open. Meanwhile, CDO has an enrollment of 1,766 so the Dorados will be moving up to 5A next year in all other team sports, while football alignments are determined after the season.

In 2015 CDO moved up to what was then known as Division IV, which is about equivalent to 3A. The Shamrocks moved up to 4A in 2022 after finishing second in the 3A in 2021 to Snowflake and going 12-2.

Tickets: Adults $20; Students $7.50; buy online at gofan.co/AIA

Watch: NFHSnetwork.com (subscription)

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Video Vault I

Sabino scored an Arizona state championship record (for 11-man football) 68 points in defeating Surprise Paradise Honors Saturday in Phoenix for the Class 3A title. A handful of key plays, and a few postgame interviews after the Sabercats' fourth title overall, and first since 1998:

Video Vault II

CDO's win over Mica Mountain didn't have the same dramatic finish as the first time the teams met this season, but it had the look and feel of a heavyweight bout nonetheless. Key plays from the Dorados' semifinal victory, sending CDO to Friday's championship match:

Picture This I:

Photos from Sabino's 3A state championship victory Saturday in Phoenix:

Photos: Sabino outguns Paradise Honors 68-46, wins Arizona 3A high school football championship

The Sabino High School Sabercats came out on top in a track meet with the Surprise Paradise Honors Panthers to win the Arizona Class 3A state …

Picture This II:

Images from Canyon del Oro's 23-7 4A semifinal victory over Mica Mountain Friday night in Oro Valley:

Photos: Canyon del Oro takes down Mica Mountain 23-7, high school football state semifinals

Canyon del Oro (13-0) defeated Mica Mountain (11-2) 23-7 in an Arizona Class 4A state semifinal matchup Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, at Canyon del O…

Picture This III:

Images from Salpointe's 42-24 6A semifinal defeat to Scottsdale Saguaro Friday night in Tucson:

Photos: Salpointe Catholic falls to 42-24 to Saguaro, high school football state semifinals

Salpointe Catholic (10-3) fell to Scottsdale Saguaro (8-5) 42-24 in an Arizona Class 6A state semifinal matchup Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, at Salp…