We have 78 days until the high school football season gets underway in Southern Arizona and we will attempt to relive the state championship teams over the last 80 days starting with 1944. The AIA started to recognize state champions in 1959 but teams like Tucson High claimed ten “mythical” state championships before then, starting in 1911 under Pop McKale.
Like last year, the season will roll out with 1A, 2A and 3A starting early on Aug. 23 and the bigger school will start a week later. Flag Football will start on Sept. 17 with Sunnyside, Buena, Tucson, Mountain View and Palo Verde playing on that Tuesday.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
3A CONFERENCE
Coolidge at Sabino, 7 p.m.
2A CONFERENCE
Phoenix Christian at Tanque Verde, 7 p.m.
Willcox at Arizona Lutheran, 7 p.m.
Catalina at Highland Prep, 7 p.m.
Benson at Shadow Mountain, 7 p.m.
1A CONFERENCE
Lincoln Prep at San Manuel, 7 p.m.
Fort Thomas at Baboquivari, 7 p.m.
Desert Christian at Bagdad, 7 p.m.
St. David at Cicero Prep, 7 p.m.
1946: BENSON (7-0)
CHAMPIONSHIP: NOVEMBER 8 ST. DAVID AT BENSON
News of the Day: America informs the Untied Nations that it will keep the Pacific Islands.
Notable: Future Arizona baseball coach Frank Sancet of Douglas coached the South Football All-Stars. Sancet went 30-15-1 at Douglas including a 9-1 record in 1946 before moving over to Arizona in 1947. Douglas was one vote shy of the mythical state championship in 1946. The vote with AP editors was 5 for Mesa, 4 for Douglas and 1 for Prescott. Prescott lost its final game.
BENSON SCHEDULE
Patagonia (37-26)
Willcox (32-14)
Tombstone (45-6)
Willcox (39-6)
St. David (58-32)
Patagonia (58-19)
St. David (54-8)
Elton Harper earned the first mythical championship for Benson by securing 54-8 victory over St. David on Friday, Nov. 8. The Southern Arizona Small School League consisted of Benson, Patagonia, St. David, Tombstone and Willcox.
