2024 High School Football

Frog & Firkin Friday Football: Marana Tigers keep roaring, showdown against Higley next

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Marana’s captains head to midfield for the coin toss before the game against Tucson (Javier Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

If the first two weeks are a reliable indication, Marana is on track for one its most successful seasons, harkening memories of the 1960s when the program won its three state titles.

Marana (2-0) has defeated traditional power Salpointe Catholic and awakening sleeping giant Tucson High after Week 1 and Week 2.

The Tigers went from winning a dramatic comeback against Salpointe at home last week to subduing the Badgers 56-7 at Gridley Stadium on Friday night, knowing full well one of the most signficant regular-season games in program history is coming up against Gilbert Higley at home.

Higley is coming off a 13-2 season in which it won the 5A state championship. One of its wins was a 29-24 struggle over Marana at Gilbert, a game in which the Tigers led 24-15 at halftime.

“It’s going to be big game; last year was a big game and we had them down,” third-year coach Phillip Steward said. “I think this year going into the game we know we can play with those guys.

“We showed what we did last week (against Salpointe). We can play with those big teams. We’ve just got to put it together and hopefully come out with a victory next week.”

Higley traveled to San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and defeated San Juan Hills 25-20 on Friday night. San Juan Hills went 11-2 last season.

Higley includes Arizona quarterback commit Luke Haugo and wide receiver prospect J.D. DeCausmaker, both Class of 2025 talents.

Marana features Class of 2025 record-breaking Washington wide receiver commit Dezmen Roebuck and rising star — junior quarterback Colten Meyer.

A matchup to watch: Roebuck against Higley cornerback Justice Brathwaite, a Class of 2026 prospect who had four interceptions and 13 pass break-ups last season.

ROEBUCK RECORD WATCH

Roebuck was one of six receivers Meyer spread the ball to in the win over Tucson.

His four catches for a team-high 96 yards included three touchdowns — two of which he leaped high among a throng of defenders in the back of the end zone to haul in the pass and remain inbounds and the other a 73-yard catch-and-run play in which he out-juked and outran two defenders.

He is now at 276 career receptions, six shy of the state record set by ALA-Gilbert North’s Brandon Phelps from 2020-23. Phelps is now a freshman at Arizona.

“That’s a big part of my game,” Roebuck said of outleaping opponents for the ball. “If the ball’s thrown up in the air, it’s my job to come down with it.”

Roebuck wears the “C” on his uniform indicating he is a team captain.

He said the way Marana was able to take care of business against the Badgers ahead of playing Higley “means a lot.”

“Never take any team lightly,” he said. “It does not matter who they are, never play down to anybody’s level. Give 100 percent every Friday.”

Of the matchup with Higley, he mentioned: “It’s a really big game, it’s going to be fun. They have a really good team. They went to state back-to-back years. It’s going to be a fun game. … When I play against better teams, it makes me want to make more plays.”

Roebuck also had an interception against Tucson on Friday night.

State career receptions leaders:

1. 282 — Brandon Phelps, ALA-Gilbert North, 2020-23

2. 276 — Dezmen Roebuck, Marana, 2021-24

3. 241 — Kade Warner, Desert Mountain, 2014-16

4. 217 — Trevor Russell, Casa Grande, 2013-16

5. 214 — Calvin Dacus, Sahuaro, 1997-99

State career receiving yards leaders:

1. 4,971 — Brandon Phelps, ALA-Gilbert North, 2020-23

2. 3,943 — Christian Kirk, Saguaro, 2011-14

3. 3,851 — Josh Weeks, Show Low, 2008-11

4. 3,674 — Mark Andrews, Desert Mountain, 2011-13

5. 3,665 — John Henderson Yuma Catholic, 2016-18

6. 3,629 — Gunner Romney, Chandler, 2015-17

7. 3,537 — Cameron Denson, Salpointe Catholic, 2010-13

8. 3,492 — Elijah Marks, Desert Edge, 2012-13

9. 3,471 — Colbie Dickie, Perry, 2016-18

10. 3,468 — Trevor Russell, Casa Grande, 2013-16

11. 3,392 — Spencer Schuller, Bisbee, 2012-15

12. 3,367 — Jalen Brown, Mountain Pointe, 2010-13

13. 3,348 — Jacob Brown, Paradise Valley, 2013-15

14. 3,333 — Damian Segovia, Greenway, 1993-95

15. 3,324 — Dezmen Roebuck, Marana, 2021-24

OH MY, MEYER

An indication of how dangerous Meyer is as a passer — each of the six receivers had at least 36 yards.

The distribution:

Roebuck: 4 catches, 96 yards, three touchdowns

Roebuck’s brother Sean, a sophomore: 7 catches, 75 yards

Dominic Cillitto, a senior: 5 catches, 75 yards, one touchdown

Donnell Bridges, a junior: 2 catches, 70 yards

Andres Barrios, a senior: 2 catches, 39 yards

Jaxsun Sharp, a sophomore: 3 catches, 36 yards, one touchdown

After thowing his second interception of the game, Meyer regrouped and completed his last nine pass attempts, going for 193 yards and two touchdowns in that span.

A cousin of the famed Bourguet family in football (Trenton, Coben, Treyson and Rylen), he completed 23 of 30 passes overall for 401 yards.

“I felt like coach (Seward) put a great gameplan going into this week,” he said. “I think we executed pretty good.”

He mentioned that Marana has to establish the run game more to have success against Higley.

Jeffrey Smith III led Marana rushers against Tucson with 21 rushes for 103 yards. Five other rushers combined for 31 yards on 13 carries.

TUCSON STILL ON RIGHT PATH

Tucson’s loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Badgers and second-year coach Zach Neveleff dating to last season.

Neveleff has made great strides with a program that was in disarray before his arrival, going 4-16 in the two previous seasons.

The Badgers are 6-6 under Neveleff, a former Salpointe player and assistant coach under legendary Dennis Bene.

Bene and his brother Rocco, who also coached at Salpointe, were on the field at Gridley Stadium lending support to Neveleff.

Ezra Spivey had a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Badgers.

Tucson all-purpose back Noah Chanez is a tough-as-nails Class of 2026 prospect to keep an eye on.

PRE-VAIL

All three schools based in Vail are 2-0 — Cienega, Empire and Mica Mountain — after each won their game in the Phoenix area on Friday night.

Cienega won 40-17 at Phoenix Paradise Valley, Mica Mountain beat Gilbert Mesquite 42-0 and Empire took care of Avondale La Joya Community 31-12.

Cienega is 2-0 for the first time under coach Justin Argraves, who is in his fourth season coaching the Bobcats.

Mica Mountain is 18-2 in its last 20 games under Pat Nugent, who is now 22-9 in his fourth season with the Thunderbolts and 160-66 in his 22nd season overall.

Empire has a seven-game winning streak dating to last season, under sixth-year coach George Kelly.

The Ravens are 2-0 for the first time since 2012, when Jorge Mendivil, now Amphi’s coach, led the program. They last started 3-0 in 2010, when they won their first six games en route to a 7-4 season.

Empire plays at Ironwood Ridge (1-1) on Friday.

BISBEE WINS “THE PICK” TROPHY BACK FROM DOUGLAS

Bisbee won the 154th meeting Douglas 26-20 on Friday night at home. The victory snapped the Bulldogs’ three-year run claiming “The Pick” Trophy, symbolizing the mining history in Cochise County.

Bisbee earned The Pick six of nine seasons before Douglas’ 3-0 stretch.

Douglas leads the series 84-62-8 since it began in 1906 at the old Don Luis Park in Bisbee.

FRIDAY’S FINALS

5A
Buena 49, Ironwood Ridge 21
Horizon 52, Mountain View 0
Casa Grande 49, Nogales 3
Desert View 25, North 7
Cienega 40, Paradise Valley 17
Sunnyside 34, Flowing Wells 7
Marana 56, Tucson 7

4A
Mica Mountain 42, Mesquite 0
NW Christian 42, Sahuaro 7
CDO 38, Bradshaw Mountain 7
Deer Valley 21, Sahuarita 0
Vista Grande 53, Pueblo 0
Cholla 32, Maryvale 26
Arcadia 24, Walden Grove 21
Independence 23, Amphitheater 0
Empire 31, La Joya Community 12
Yuma Catholic 54, Catalina Foothills 13
Douglas 35, 2A Bisbee 28
Palo Verde 16, Rincon/UHS 15

3A
Franklin 31, Pusch Ridge 7
Sabino 13, Crismon 0
Thatcher 31, Valley Christian 13
Florence 34, Safford 13

2A
3A Morenci 35, Benson 19
Tanque Verde 40, Glendale Prep 26
Show Low 21, Willcox 7
ALA-Anthem South 28, Catalina 26
San Pasqual 48, Santa Rita 14
Tombstone 58, San Carlos 6

1A
Valley Union 24, Baboquivari 13
Duncan 22, San Manuel 16
St. David 65, Ray 0

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 in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.

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