No. 4 Sabino (9-3) vs. No. 1 Mohave (11-1)
Date: Saturday
Where: Mesa High School
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Stream: NFHS Network (ONLY live streaming)
Sabino coach: Ryan McBrayer (55-20, seventh year at Sabino and overall)
Mohave coach: Rudy Olvera (36-49, ninth year at Mohave and overall)
When Sabino has the ball:
Run percentage: 45.3 percent (263 rushes)
Pass percentage: 54.7 percent (317 passes)
QB Cameron Hackworth is one of the most prolific-passing quarterbacks in Southern Arizona history, passing for 8,472 yards in his career while completing 69.4 percent (545 of 785) of his passes. He trails former Catalina Foothills quarterback Rhett Rodriguez by only 222 yards for the Southern Arizona record. Rodriguez, son of former Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez who went on to play with the Wildcats, finished with 8.694 yards from 2013-16. Hackworth holds the Southern Arizona record with 94 career touchdown passes. His season total of 3,546 yards passing is a Southern Arizona record. He has completed 68.5 percent of his passes (217 of 317) with 37 touchdowns and six interceptions. He is the top dual-threat quarterbacks to ever play in the Tucson area as well. He leads Sabino with 786 yards rushing on 82 carries with 12 touchdowns. He has 2,128 rushing yards in his career on 224 carries with 30 touchdowns. The AIA does not keep track of total offense records. Hackworth would be right at the top with 10,600 combining his passing and rushing in his career. … In Sabino’s 34-29 upset of No. 1 Mohave at Sabino in the regular-season finale, Hackworth completed 18 of 22 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 122 yards on eight carries with two touchdowns. … The running back with the most rushing yards is sophomore Zachari Haley with 540 yards on 96 carries with two touchdowns. … Junior WR Shamar Berryhill is an Arizona recruiting target who has 66 receptions for 1,225 yards and 18 touchdowns. … Six receivers have at least 271 yards receiving, including Berryhill’s older brother Savaughn, a senior who has 43 catches for 547 yards. WR Britt Roberson, a junior, has 38 receptions for 573 yards.
Mohave’s defense features defensive ends Jonathon Williams and Blake Moore who have combined for 28 tackles for loss. Williams, a senior, has a team-leading 91 tackles with 10 tackles for loss. Moore, a junior, has 18 tackles for loss among his 48 tackles. … Williams led Mohave with 12 tackles and a sack in the previous meeting with Sabino. … Moore also has 11 sacks and 12 quarterback hurries. … Mohave has 20 interceptions, led by S Isac Urias’ four. He had three of his four interceptions last week in the 54-14 win over Blue Ridge in the quarterfinals. … LB Deegan Perry, a sophomore, led the Thunderbirds with eight tackles in that game.
When Mohave has the ball:
Run percentage: 62.2 percent (332 rushes)
Pass percentage: 37.8 percent (202 passes)
QB Joe Yoney Jr. has completed 136 of 201 pass attempts for 2,078 yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. He completed 9 of 16 passes for 95 yards in the previous meeting against Sabino while rushing for 113 yards on 20 carries with three touchdowns. … Much like Hackworth, Yoney, a sophomore, makes his offense go as a dual-threat out of the backfield. Yoney leads the team with 1,197 rushing yards on 127 carries with 17 touchdowns. … The Thunderbirds’ top-producing running back is Williams, who has gained 693 rushing yards on 85 carries with seven touchdowns. … Urias is the leading receiver with 38 catches for 649 yards and five touchdowns.
Sabino LB Dashawn Engram leads the Sabercats with 76 tackles and Shamar Berryhill, a linebacker, is next with 73. Mason Cade, another talented linebacker, leads Sabino with three sacks. … Hackworth, a cornerback, leads the Sabercats with three interceptions. He made a game-saving touchdown as time expired with Mohave at the Sabino 1-yard line in the previous meeting.
Common opponent
Safford — Mohave defeated visiting Safford 28-14 in the opening round of the 3A playoffs two weeks ago. Sabino won at Safford 50-21 on Sept. 15.
ALA-West Foothills — Mohave beat visiting ALA-West Foothills 28-20 on Sept. 1. Sabino topped the Guardians 42-21 at home on Oct. 13.
River Valley — Mohave routed River Valley 48-6 at home on Oct. 20. Sabino defeated the visiting Dust Devils 46-31 in the opening round of the 3A playoffs on Nov. 3.
Series record
Second meeting between the schools with Sabino upsetting No. 1 Mohave 34-29 at home in the regular-season finale Oct. 27.
FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER!
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
Recommended for you
