1A South: Baboquivari Warriors
2021 record: 2-4 overall, 2-4 1A South (fifth)
Head coach: Pete Delgado, 6-8 in fourth season at Baboquivari and overall (2020 season canceled due to COVID-19). Delgado, also the head coach of Babquivari’s baseball program the last five seasons, had success leading the football team in 2019 with a 4-4 record — the first non-losing season at the school since 2004. Delgado also serves as the basketball operations manager for the Sunnyside girls basketball team, which is coached by his son Justin Delgado, a former Baboquivari boys basketball coach.
Key returners:
- RB/DB Seth Castro, Sr.
- QB/DB Jesus Buendia, Sr.
- OL/DL Harlan Secundino, Jr.
- DB/WR Quentin Juan, Jr.
- QB Xavier Mease, Jr.
- RB/LB Jesse Buendia, So.
- RB/DB Jarell Buendia, So.
“Last year was a learning process for a lot of the guys because we missed the year before with COVID. We didn’t play in 2020, So a lot of the guys when they came back last year was a little bit of a push to get them back physically fit (and) learn the game. We had a lot of young guys on the team that had not played since junior high. Getting from junior high and level up to high schools, it’s a huge change for them. But that core that’s coming back — I think we have 10 returning players, the majority of our starters are all coming back — we’re looking forward to this season. They have a good chemistry. They already know what is expected of them and they’re able to perform that daily in practice.” — Delgado
“Dedication and time — put in the work.” — Buendia on getting back to how the program was rising in 2019 with a 4-4 record before COVID-19 hit
“I really like our chemistry. We built a bond together. Everybody who built a bond last year came back this year. We lost four solid players but that’s okay. I know we have some freshies (freshmen) who are ready to work.” — Castro
Coaching staff:
- Head coach/offensive coordinator: Pete Delgado
- Defensive coordinator: Richard Garcia
Notes: Senior QB/DB Jesus Buendia has 687 rushing yards and 91 tackles in his previous two varsity seasons. He was an All-Region First Team pick in offense and defense last season as voted on by 1A South coaches. … Baboquivari coach Pete Delgado lives in the Tanque Verde area so he must make a three-hour roundtrip drive to Sells each day during the week. … Eli Pablo, who was Baboquivari’s leading rusher last season with 249 yards as a sophomore, has moved to Oklahoma.
Keep an eye out for: Mease at quarterback. Has good size at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. Very athletic. Plays baseball and basketball and is also a quality distance runner. His father is longtime Baboquivari girls basketball coach Joseph Mease.
13. BABOQUIVARI (4-3, 3-2)
Head coach: Cody GarciaWarriors compete in the 1A South (8-man football). *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Ovr | Reg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/18 | at Fort Thomas* | W, 44-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| 8/25 | St. David* | L, 47-8 | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| 9/1 | at Valley Union* | L, 50-48 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| 9/8 | at Cicero Prep | L, 50-6 | 1-3 | 1-2 |
| 9/15 | Ray* | W, 28-24 | 2-3 | 2-2 |
| 9/22 | at Duncan* | W, 42-32 | 3-3 | 3-2 |
| 9/29 | Desert Heights | W, 64-46 | 4-3 | 3-2 |
| 10/13 | San Manuel* | -- | -- | -- |
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District
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