Octavio Audry-Cobos looks to take the QB spot for Ironwood Ridge. (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
Per the AIA, there is no “Zero Week” this year, just straight at it with Week One. Tucson is the only 6A team from Southern Arizona and the Badgers need to start hot because their first game will be a region battle at Maryvale on Friday. Sahuaro moved down to 4A and the Cougars will also open up with a region game against Vista Grande.
The top 16 teams in 5A and 6A will make the state playoffs so winning a region will not save a team from losses in freedom games but the region champions from 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A will still earn an automatic berth.
Mountain View and Ironwood Ridge start the year off on Thursday. As stated before, every game in the 5A Conference is important and this is a big one for both teams. The winner will have a head start in the rankings.
WEEK ONE
(All games at 7 p.m. unless noted)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
IRONWOOD RIDGE at Mountain View
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
TUCSON at Maryvale, (Region game)
CATALINA FOOTHILLS at Buena
CANYON DEL ORO at Flowing Wells
MARANA at Horizon
Cholla at NOGALES
RINCON/UHS at Sierra Linda
CAMPO VERDE at Sunnyside
Amphitheater at BUCKEYE
Casa Grande at PALO VERDE
PUSCH RIDGE at Rio Rico
Vista Grande at SAHUARO (Region game)
DOUGLAS at Tanque Verde
SANTA CRUZ at Sahuarita
BAGDAD at Valley Union, 6 p.m.
FORT THOMAS at Baboquivari
ST. DAVID at Bowie/San Simon
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
San Manuel at YUMA CATHOLIC, 7:30 p.m.
WEEK TWO
FRIDAY, AUG. 24
Salpointe at Dobson
Pueblo at Tucson
Cienega at Cholla
Rio Rico at Empire
Walden Grove at Flowing Wells
Fairfax at Marana
Buena at Sahuaro
Desert View at Sunnyside
Prescott at Canyon del Oro
Sabino at Casa Grande
Palo Verde at Catalina
Bisbee at Douglas
Amphitheater at Vista Grande
San Tan Foothills at Santa Cruz
Santa Rita at Morenci
Tombstone at San Carlos
Benson at San Manuel
Lordsburg (NM) at Willcox
San Pasqual at Baboquivari
St. David at Mayer
Superior at Valley Union
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. 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. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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