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High School Football Roundup: Sabino QB Hackworth shines in opening win

3A Sabino 28, 3A Chandler AZ College Prep 6

  • Sabino sophomore QB Cameron Hackworth had a significant performance in his first varsity start, completing 15 of 21 passes for 259 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed 32 yards on seven carries and a touchdown.
  • WR Savaughn Berryhill, also a sophomore and the younger brother of Arizona’s Stanley Berryhill, had six receptions for 100 yards.
  • RB Ken Blackman, a senior, caught three passes for 79 yards with a touchdown and also rushed for 31 yards on six carries with a touchdown.
  • LB Mason Cade, a sophomore, and senior SS Levi Miranda (formerly of Tucson High) led the Sabercats with nine tackles each and senior LB Marius Lester added eight tackles.
  • WR/CB Derek Sanchez, a senior, had a fumble recovery and a 20-yard touchdown recepion.
  • “None of what Sabino did surprised us,” Arizona College Prep coach Myron Blueford told the East Valley Tribune. “They are well coached, and they executed better than we did. We knew we could match them, which is what showed in the first half, but we just have to put the ball in the end zone.”


3A Thatcher 53, 3A Sahuarita 7

  • Sahuarita is in transition with new coach Jake Price taking over a team that is sophomore heavy.
  • QB Alex Valdez, taking over for the graduated Gabe Elias, connected with WR Joe Loveall for a 40-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for Sahuarita’s lone score in the game. Valdez passed for 69 yards and rushed for 24.

3A Pusch Ridge 34, 2A Benson 21

  • QB Ryan Fontaine, a senior, completed 14 of 17 pass attempts for 250 yards with three TDs, including a 54-yard strike to WR Bubba Mustain on a 4th-and-11 play with 2:35 left to put Pusch Ridge ahead.
  • Mustain, a sophomore in his first extended varsity appearance, had six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
  • WR Cody Rafacz, a junior, had three catches for 80 yards, including a 66-yard TD.
  • RB Devin Bowling, a senior, led Benson with 92 yards rushing on 17 carries with two touchdowns.


2A Bisbee 46, 2A Catalina 0

  • Catalina played its first game since the 2019 season with new coach Greg McKinstry. The Trojans’ 2020 season was canceled because of low turnout and COVID-19 protocols.
  • Bisbee RB/LB Diego Chavez scored three touchdowns, RB Geoffrey Gribble added two more and PK prospect Camden Miller made a 46-yard field goal.
  • Chavez rushed for 83 yards on four carries with two touchdowns and also had nine tackles (two for loss including a sack) with an interception, fumble recovery with an 18-yard scoring return.
  • Gribble had a 25-yard touchdown run and 61-yard return on a free kick for a touchdown. He also had a 28-yard TD reception and 23-yard scoring run called back because of penalties.


2A Eloy Santa Cruz Valley 36, 2A Gilbert San Tan Charter 6

  • RB Ricardo Alaniz, a senior, rushed for 265 yards on 16 carries with four touchdowns to lead Santa Cruz.
  • QB Max Rodriguez, a junior, gained 125 yards on six rushes in his first career start for the Dust Devils. Santa Cruz rushed for 499 yards as a team on 34 carries.

2A Tombstone 42, 2A Santa Rita 0

  • Veteran coach Tom Joseph, 63, started the challenge of building Santa Rita’s struggling program.
  • First-year coach Dominik Bonilla, 29, won his first game leading his alma mater.
  • RB Jaremy McCoy celebrated his birthday with 133 yards rushing with touchdowns of 35, 36 and 46 yards.

2A Tanque Verde 50, 2A Laveen Heritage Academy 8

  • Jay Dobyns improved his career coaching record to 4-0 with another impressive win.
  • Tanque Verde scored 82 points when it lost 15 straight games between 2018 and 2019. In Dobyns’ 4-0 start (including a 3-0 record last year when COVID-19 cut the season short), Tanque Verde has outscored opponents 174-45.
  • Tanque Verde RB Rory Maciulla finished with 155 yards on 13 rushing attempts and three touchdowns.


2A Willcox 57, 2A Globe 0

  • Willcox QB/LB Ayden Fuentes, only a junior, rushed for 106 yards on nine carries with four touchdowns. He also passed for 59 yards, completing 4 of 9 attempts. He also had a sack.
  • RB/LB Cristian Pando, a junior, compiled 101 yards on eight rushes with a touchdown. He also had seven tackles, one for loss, an interception and a fumble recovery.


1A San Manuel 66, 1A Kearny Ray 6

  • San Manuel begins its 2021 season with an impressive victory behind the play of QB Ncolas Velasquez and RB Mathias Medina.


1A St. David 69, 1A Cibecue 0

  • Freshman RB Jadon Gill led St. David with 54 yards on six carries with a touchdown.
  • RB/LB Marek Haynie finished with 50 yards on six rushes and had six tackles, one for loss.
  • LB Brayden Merrill tallied six tackles, four for loss.


1A Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated 69, 1A Valley Union 22

  • Valley Union is 1-1 after losing at Bullhead City, Ariz., an 8-hour drive from Elfrida.
  • QB Jace Mitchell had two TDs for Valley Union and RB Kolby Gilbreth, son of head coach Brandon Gilbreth, had the other score.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

5A Flowing Wells at 4A Amphitheater, 7 p.m.
4A Pueblo at 4A Sahuaro, 7 p.m. (Region Game)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

5A Maricopa at 6A Tucson, 7 p.m.
5A Cienega at 5A Sunrise Mountain, 7 p.m.
5A Desert View at 5A Sunnyside, 7 p.m.
5A Cholla at 5A Rincon/UHS, 7 p.m.
5A Buena at 5A Goldwater, 7 p.m.
5A Mountain View at 5A Marana, 7 p.m.
5A Ironwood at 5A Ironwood Ridge, 7 p.m.
4A Canyon del Oro at 5A Salpointe, 7 p.m.
4A Walden Grove at 3A Pusch Ridge, 7 p.m.
4A Empire at 3A Sahuarita (0-1), 7 p.m.
3A Sabino (1-0) at 4A Catalina Foothills, 7 p.m.
3A Coronado at 2A Catalina (0-1), 7 p.m.
2A Santa Rita (0-1) at 2A Benson (0-1), 7 p.m.
2A Bisbee (1-0) at 2A Miami (0-1), 7 p.m.
2A Tanque Verde (1-0) at 2A Willcox (2-0), 7 p.m.
2A Highland Prep (0-1) at 2A Santa Cruz (1-0), 7 p.m.
2A Chandler Prep (1-0) at 2A Tombstone (1-0), 7 p.m.
1A Duncan (1-1) at 1A San Manuel (1-0), 7 p.m.
1A Bagdad (1-1) at 1A St. David (1-0), 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

1A Valley Union (1-1) at 1A Cibecue (0-1), 4 p.m.

BYE: 5A Nogales, 4A Douglas, 4A Rio Rico, 1A Baboquivari

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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019 and he is a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com

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