After a surprise transfer, Walden Grove High School quarterback Gauge Abalos got the call and has led the Red Wolves to the brink of the state playoffs.
Over the summer projected Walden Grove starter and senior quarterback Kaleb Layton transferred to Sierra Vista Buena. Layton was first team All-4A Kino as a flex player.
Layton, who didnβt have to sit out the usual half-season for transfers, is fourth in the 5A Sonoran in passing with 1,196 yards.
Abalos, currently a junior at Walden Grove, had to bulk up and get ready to be a starter over the summer as he also played American Legion baseball. In addition to baseball at Walden Grove, Abalos plays basketball.
βIt was like, βGo, go, go,β I was prepared,β Abalos said. β(Walden Grove head coach Corey) Noble gave me the call and I was prepared for it and I was excited, I was like, βIβm ready to do this, Iβm going to be your guy,β give them all I have and do everything I could for the team and the program.ββ
Abalos leads the 4A Kino in passing (1,060 yards) and total yards (1,313) and is eighth in rushing with 253 yards.
βGauge is a freaking stud, man, Gauge is a dude, heβs a great athlete and heβs doing everything right,β Noble said. βHas there been some ups and downs? Yeah, absolutely, as there should be in his first year at the helm, but he has a great attitude, he is trying to do all the things right, not just with the outcomes, obviously throw touchdowns, throw completions, donβt throw interceptions, donβt throw incompletions, do those things, but with the process of being a quarterback, being a quarterbackβs not just about throwing the football, itβs about everything else and heβs really attacking that process on a day in day out basis and he has ever since last spring for us.β
Abalos played a game on varsity as a freshman and then four last year, throwing 11 passes.
βItβs been great, I love being a leader, I love being a leader of this team,β Abalos said. βThis is a great team this year and I love being a part of it, I love being one of the main guys to control it, itβs an honor; I bless God for giving me the opportunity and I bless his coaches and I bless everyone around for giving me the opportunity.β
Red Wolves eye another playoff run
Although Walden Grove surprisingly debuted at No. 22 in the first 4A rankings last week, it expects another playoff run if it makes the postseason.
This season, the 4A playoffs expanded to 24 teams.
Noble, who is also Walden Groveβs athletic director, said being No. 22 was βa little puzzling.β
βCoach speak, in the grand scheme of things, itβs all going to take care of itself, weβll be much more concerned within week 10 than we are right now,β Noble said. βBut yeah, man, I was not expecting to be 22 and have a team that we beat be No.6.β
βThe MaxPreps rankings were a little wonky a couple weeks ago, too. Weβll see, (thereβs) a lot of football left to be played, a lot of teams are playing each other in the spots above us and all we can do is take care of business.β
The Red Wolves opened the season with a win over local rival Sahuarita before falling at Mesa Eastmark 16-14 and to 5A Tucson High. Eastmark was 10th in the first rankings.
Walden Grove then won three in a row, including over No. 6 Sahuaro 25-15, before it lost 20-14 to No. 9 Mica Mountain. Walden Grove rebounded with a 35-10 win at Catalina Foothills.
Last season, Walden Grove defeated Phoenix Northwest Christian in the first round of the playoffs. Northwest Christian had beaten the Red Wolves three straight times including in the first round in 2023.
Walden Grove fell to Yuma Catholic in the quarterfinals, 28-13, who would lose to eventual state champion Mica Mountain.
The AIAβs reporters ranked Walden Grove No. 4 in the 4A in the preseason rankings, though that was written before Layton transferred.
βI think when weβre playing good football we can play with anybody in 4A and we are an experienced group, weβre bringing back a lot of guys from last yearβs team that lost in the second round, some guys that have been in the playoffs a couple years in a row, a lot of experience coming back,β Noble said. βAnd we played in a handful of big games this year.β
