As the Arizona high school football season enters Week 9, the Star presents 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 Thursday and Friday night.
Team of the week
Amphiโs 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.
Long live the Empire.
The Ravens, ranked No. 46 at the time, upset then-No. 26 Amphitheater 27-20 on Friday. Although Empire was 2-4 at the time, they have won two straight to move into a tie for second place in the Class 4A Gila Region. Rio Rico leads the region with a 2-0 mark, while the Ravens are 2-1.
Empire senior receiver-turned-quarterback Jared Ahuero passed for 129 yards, going 11 for 16 and throwing for three touchdowns with no interceptions. EHS junior running back Ngonkra Fuangunyi rushed for 104 yards and one score on 17 carries.
Ironwood Ridge's Dominic Norris (10) fires between rushers in the first quarter against Buena at Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 1, 2023.
Stat book
Ironwood Ridge senior quarterback Dominic Norris passed for 502 yards and four touchdowns, going 23 for 41. His brother, junior Aiden Norris, had 115 yards receiving, senior Conrad Tuffly had 124 yards receiving and junior Matthew Kroner had 143 yards receiving.
Three Mountain View players rushed for at least 97 yards in the Mountain Lionsโ 35-14 win over Flowing Wells last week. Senior Justin Holguin had 97 yards on 3 carries, junior Travis Martinez had 116 yards on 17 rushes and junior Nicholas Horrocks ran for 181 on 23 attempts.
Walden Grove senior Gabriel Smith passed for 292 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, going 19 for 23 in the Red Wolvesโ 51-8 win over Sahuaro. WG has won four in a row.
ALA Gilbert North wide receiver Brandon Phelps, a UA commit, is tackled by Lake Havasu on Dec. 2, 2022.ย
Recruiting trail
ALA Gilbert North senior receiver Brandon Phelps broke two state records on Friday. The UA commit broke the career receiving yards record of 3,943 and the career receiving touchdown mark of 53. Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk held those records and congratulated Phelps.
Next level
Marana alum Trenton Bourguet nearly led undermanned ASU to a win over highly-touted Colorado last week. The Tucson native passed for 355 yards and ran for his first career rushing touchdown against CU.
Mica Mountain head coach Pat Nugent watches the game against Pueblo at Pueblo High School, 3500 S 12th Ave, Tucson, Ariz., October 6, 2023.
Quoteable
“This is the match up we wanted for a long time,” Mica Mountain head coach Pat Nugent said to AllSportsTucson.com. "I think our kids took a little chip on their shoulder after we beat them by 20 last year and CDO got ranked No. 1. This is 11 games in a row with a group of kids we’ve been putting on the field. It’s going to be a great high school football game, two great teams and great coaching staffs. It’s going to be really exciting, it’s going to be a great Friday night in Tucson.”
Nugent faces a protรฉgรฉ in Canyon del Oro head coach Dustin Peace, who played for Nugent at Flowing Wells and coached under him at CDO.
Going social
"BREAKING: Salpointe HS has decommitted from the City of Tucson."
โ @ASUDave posted on X (Twitter) on Sunday night โ the timing not-so-coincidentally correlating with Salpointe Catholic five-star edge rusher Elijah Rushing decommitting from the UA. As it sits, in addition to decommits, Salpointe actually won't play any more schools from Tucson this season (that is unless they meet a side like Mica Mountain in The Open tournament).
Canyon del Oro's Grant Young (33) slams into Marana's Andres Taylor (7) after his catch in the second quarter of their game at Marana High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 22, 2023.
Games of the week
4A: No. 2 Mica Mountain at No. 3 Canyon del Oro
Location: 25 W Calle Concordia
Notable: MM coach Pat Nugent has won, to some degree, virtually everywhere heโs been. That includes some time ago at CDO. Now, one of his protรฉgรฉโs, Dustin Peace, has the Dorados ready for this unbeaten showdown with the Thunderbolts.
Salpointe stretches before its game against Valley Vista High School at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E. Copper Street, Tucson, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2023.
6A: No. 10 Salpointe Catholic (6-0) at No. 2 Peoria Liberty (5-1)
Location: 9621 West Speckled Gecko Drive, Peoria
Notable:ย Liberty, Liberty, Liberty is undefeated against Arizona teams and ranked No. 2 in the Open. The Lionsโ only loss was 42-35 at Corona (Calif.) Centennial, which is ranked No. 22 in the nation according to MaxPreps. Salpointe (No. 10 in the Open) may be the underdog, but the Lancers are loaded with stars themselves.
Sabino High School football coach Ryan McBrayer talks to his players during practice on Aug. 14. 'Itโs been a while since we held up a gold ball,' McBrayer said. 'Thatโd be very exciting, not only for us and our community but the entire city of Tucson.'
3A: No. 3 Waddell ALA-West Foothills (6-1) at No. 6 Sabino (5-2)
Location: 5000 North Bowes Road
Notable:ย After Sabino was shocked last week by then-.500 Thatcher 27-20, the Sabercats have an immediate chance to redeem themselves. ALA-West Foothillsโ only loss was 28-20 at No. 1 Bullhead City Mohave, who Sabino will see to close out the regular season.
Video Vault
Ironwood Ridge 37, Tucson 22
One of the feel-good stories of the year, Ironwood Ridge, continued its impressive 2023 turn, improving to 6-1 with the Nighthawks' win over Tucson High last Friday night.
A handful of the highlights for both the Nighthawks and Badgers:
VIDEO:ย Ironwood Ridge junior WR Aiden Norris catches the ball over the middle and completes the 69-yard touchdown play during the Knighthawks' 37-22 win over Tucson High School Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Ironwood Ridge junior WR Aiden Norris records a 36-yard touchdown reception during the Knighthawks' 37-22 win over Tucson High School Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Tucson High School sophomore QB Derek Mesa keeps it himself and runs it in for the 10-yard score during the Badgers' 37-22 loss to the Knighthawks Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Tucson High School senior DB James Diaz intercepts an Ironwood Ridge pass during the Badgers' 37-22 loss to the Knighthawks Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Tucson High School sophomore DB Ollie Simmers corrals and interception during the Badgers' 37-22 loss to Ironwood Ridge Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Ironwood Ridge junior DB Colton Britt intercepts a pass during the Nighthawks' 37-22 win over Tucson High School Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Ironwood Ridge junior WR Matthew Kroner catches the end zone fade for a 20-yard touchdown during the Knighthawks' 37-22 win over Tucson High School Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Ironwood Ridge sophomore kicker Isaac Rhonehouse connects on a 45-yard field goal as part of the Nighthawks' 37-22 win over Tucson High School Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Tucson High School sophomore WR Noah Chanez scores on a 68-yard touchdown reception on the long bomb from sophomore quarterback Derek Mesa in the Badgers' 37-22 loss to Ironwood Ridge Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
VIDEO:ย Ironwood Ridge junior WR Matthew Kroner scores on a 68-yard catch-and-run as part of the Nighthawks' 37-22 win over Tucson High School Oct. 6, 2023 in Oro Valley. (James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
Picture This:
Empire 27, Amphi 20
Empire improved to 3-4 on the year (dropping Amphi to 4-3) by holding on to win this matchup on Mary Ann Cleveland Way last Friday.
For aย full photo galleryย from this game by Star photographer Kelly Presnell:
The Panthers can't quite make the comeback late on the Ravens, losing 27-20 in a 4A Gila match-up, Empire High School, Tucson, Ariz., October …
Mica Mountain 57, Pueblo 0
The Thunderbolts took care of business in improving to 6-0 and setting up their unbeaten showdown at Corona del Sol (also 6-0) next week.
For aย full photo galleryย from this game by Star photographer Grace Trejo:
Photos: Mica Mountain continues undefeated season after a 57-0 win over Pueblo, high school football
The Mica Mountain Thunderbolts (6-0) continue an undefeated season after a 57-0 shut-out win over the Pueblo Warriors (3-3)ย Friday night at Pu…
