FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1973: PUEBLO 22, CAMELBACK 20
Played at ASU, Pueblo was down 20-15 to Camelback with 34 seconds left but quarterback Chuck Helms ran the ball in from one yard out to put the Titans up 21-20 and a kick from Paul Swank put the team up 22-20.
Head coach Van Howe was 65 and he faced a mandatory retirement according to TUSD rules at the time. Howe was an assistant at Arizona and he was an assistant at Pueblo when the Warriors won the 1961 state championship. He was also Palo Verde’s first head coach (1962-1973). He went 2-8 in 1972 before going 13-0 in 1973.
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS BY YEAR
1911: Tucson
1912: Tucson
1919: Bisbee
1929: Tucson
1937: Tucson
1941: Bisbee
1942: Tucson and Amphitheater
1943: Tombstone
1944: Tucson and Tombstone
1945: Tucson
1946: Benson
1947: St. David
1948; St. David
1949: Benson and Willcox were runners-up
1950: St. David
1951: Tucson
1952: Tucson
1953: St. David
1954: Benson and Bisbee
1955: Benson
1956: Douglas runner-up
1957: Patagonia
1958: St. David
BEGINNING OF AIA PLAYOFFS
1959: Patagonia runner-up
1960: St. David (Douglas runner-up)
1961: Pueblo
1962: Tucson and Patagonia runners-up
1963: Rincon and Patagonia runners-up
1964: Marana (Flowing Wells, Willcox and Patagonia runners-up)
1965: Tucson and Santa Cruz
1966: Tucson and Santa Cruz (St. David runner-up)
1967: Marana (Pueblo and Valley Union runners-up)
1968: Marana (Douglas and Flowing Wells runners-up)
1969: Santa Cruz (Ajo Runner-up)
1970: Tucson
1971: Tucson (Flowing Wells and Ajo runners-up)
1972: St. David (Flowing Wells and Santa Cruz runners-up)
1973: Palo Verde (Flowing Wells runner-up)
1974: Douglas runner-up (Douglas runner-up)
1975: Amphitheater and Flowing Wells (Valley Union runner-up)
1976: Canyon del Oro and ASDB (Douglas runner-up)
1977: Canyon del Oro and St. David (Willcox runner-up)
1978: Santa Cruz (Willcox and Benson runners-up)
1979: Amphitheater, Santa Cruz and St. David
1980: Santa Cruz
1981: San Manuel (Salpointe runner-up)
1982: Willcox and Suffolk Hills (Flowing Wells runner-up)
1983: Flowing Wells runners-up
1984: Sahuaro runner-up
1985: Valley Union
1986: Valley Union (Willcox runner-up)
1987: Patagonia (Valley Union runner-up)
1988: Patagonia
1990: Sabino and Santa Cruz (Amphi and Valley Union runners-up)
1991: Patagonia (Salpointe and Sahuaro runners-up)
1992: Sabino (Patagonia runner-up)
1993: Sahuaro runner-up
1994: Sahuaro (Benson runner-up)
1997: St. David (Amphi and Sabino runners-up)
1998: Sabino and St. David
1999: Sabino and Sahuaro runners-up
2000: St. David (Sunnyside runner-up)
2001: Sunnyside and St. David
2003: Sunnyside
2005: Palo Verde (Sabino runner-up)
2006: Sunnyside and Sabino runners-up
2007: Valley Union (Canyon del Oro runner-up)
2008: Santa Rita runner-up
2009: Canyon del Oro (Sabino, Santa Rita and Willcox runners-up)
2010: Canyon del Oro runner-up
2011: Cienega runner-up
2012: Ironwood Ridge
2013: Salpointe
2015: Pusch Ridge (Benson and Valley Union runners-up)
2016: Catalina Foothills and Sabino runners-up
2017: Salpointe, Pusch Ridge and Santa Cruz runners-up
2018: Salpointe runner-up
2020: Santa Cruz (Benson runner-up)
2021: Salpointe and St. David runners-up
2023: Canyon del Oro and Sabino
We have 7 days until the high school football season gets underway in Southern Arizona and we are attempting to highlight some of the championships won over the last 112 years. 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.
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