2024 High School Football

PODCAST: Sonoran House Football Week 8 Preview

By Javier Morales

Posted on October 11, 2024

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WEEK 8 SCHEDULE (Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

BYES: 5A No. 10 Buena (5-1) and 5A No. 25 Sunnyside (2-4).

THURSDAY

1A SOUTH
No. 5 St. David 50, No. 16 Ft. Thomas 6 … St. David has clinched the 1A South title and automatic bid to the 1A state playoffs at 7-1 overall and 6-0 in the region.

3A SOUTH
No. 4 Thatcher 41, No. 25 Sabino 12 … Thatcher is 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the 3A South. Sabino is 2-5 and 0-3. Thatcher plays at Safford next week before hosting Pusch Ridge on Oct. 25.

FRIDAY

6A CENTRAL
No. 13 Salpointe (3-1, 1-0) at No. 25 Corona del Sol (1-4, 0-0) … Salpointe must avoid looking ahead to to the big non-region game against Liberty at home next week. The Lancers going for a strong start in region play against Corona del Sol in their third straight game on the road in the Phoenix area.

5A SOUTHERN
No. 17 Casa Grande (4-2, 0-1) at No. 1 Marana (6-0, 1-0) … Marana plays its first game since rated the No. 1 overall team in the state by the AIA this week. The game features two of the top quarterbacks in the state — Marana’s Colten Meyer and Casa Grande’s Luke Keeton.
No. 23 Cienega (2-3, 0-0) at No. 36 Desert View (2-3, 0-0) … Cienega is coming off a bye week and Desert View a victory at home over Nogales last Thursday. Bobcats will try to snap a three-game losing streak after starting 2-0.

5A SONORAN
No. 6 Ironwood Ridge (5-1, 1-0) at No. 7 Tucson (4-1, 0-0) … One of the biggest games in the state involving two top 10 teams in the 5A and the Nighthawks and Badgers were listed in the Open Division rankings at No. 15 and No. 16, respectively. This is likely a game for the region title as well with both teams at the top.
No. 20 Mountain View (2-3, 0-0) at No. 24 Flowing Wells (3-3, 0-1) … Mountain View’s non-region schedule is behind it with a game at Flowing Wells important for the Mountain Lions to start 1-0 in the 5A Sonoran. Flowing Wells is in search of achieving its first winning season since 2018 when the Caballeros finished 8-3 under Mark Brunenkant with current coach Brian Hook the offensive coordinator of that team.
No. 21 Maricopa (3-2, 0-0) at No. 45 Nogales (0-5, 0-0) … Maricopa has to take the 300-mile roundrip trek from the south of Phoenix to Nogales for the region opener for both teams.

4A KINO
No. 42 Pueblo (2-3, 0-0) at No. 6 Mica Mountain (5-0, 0-0) … Mica Mountain is 21-2 in its last 23 games over the last three seasons with the two losses last year to 4A state champion CDO. Pueblo plays its first region game under first-year coach Sly Lewis.
No. 11 Walden Grove (3-2, 0-0) at No. 25 Sahuaro (3-3, 0-1) … Walden Grove is on a three-game winning streak, beating 5A teams Cienega, Desert View and Mountain View in the process. Sahuaro will try to shake off losing its last two games, including an 18-7 setback last week at home against Catalina Foothills in the region opener.

4A GILA
No. 37 Sahuarita (2-3, 1-0) at No. 23 Rio Rico (3-2, 1-0) … Sahuarita, under first-year coach Jake Allen, can start 2-0 in region play with both wins on the road after the Mustangs finished 0-10 last season. Rio Rico, also under a new coach, Carlos Duran, is trying to start 2-0 in region play, and a win can help the Hawks in their quest for a winning season for the first time since 2013.
No. 30 Douglas (2-4, 2-0) at No. 53 Cholla (1-5, 0-2) … Douglas, under former Arizona lineman Hunter Long, will try to start 3-0 in region play after starting 0-4 overall.
No. 36 Empire (3-3, 0-2) at No. 45 Amphitheater (2-4, 1-1) … Empire looks to bounce back after starting 3-1 while Amphi is looking to overcome its injury concerns.

4A NON-REGION
No. 43 Rincon/UHS (2-3) at No. 10 Vista Grande (4-1) … Non-region game in Casa Grande with Rincon/University looking to build off last week’s 8-6 win at Cholla against a very good Vista Grande team.

3A SOUTH
No. 9 Pusch Ridge (5-1, 1-0) at No. 20 Morenci (2-4, 0-1) … The Lions have never played at Morenci, a small mining town with a population under 2,000 with many of them attending games on Friday night.

3A NON-CONFERENCE
No. 12 Safford (4-3) at No. 16 Round Valley (3-3) … Safford plays on the road before the much-anticipated game at home next week against Thatcher.

2A SAN PEDRO
No. 6 Bisbee (5-1, 3-0) at No. 32 Palo Verde (3-3, 1-2) … Tucsonans have a chance to watch three-sport star Sebastian Lopez, a senior at Bisbee who is one of the top quarterbacks and safeties in the state.
No. 11 Willcox (3-3, 2-1) at No. 9 Tanque Verde (4-2, 2-1) … Very important game for both teams to try to keep pace with Bisbee in the 2A San Pedro standings. Tanque Verde has a significant game next week at Bisbee, especially if it gets by Willcox.
No. 51 Santa Rita (0-6, 0-3) at No. 13 Benson (3-3, 2-1) … Benson is in position to make the 2A state playoffs although the game against the struggling Eagles will not help the Bobcats with power points.
No. 25 Tombstone (3-3, 1-2) at No. 43 Catalina (1-5, 1-2) … Tombstone is coming off a huge win at home last week against Tanque Verde to remain relevant in the standings. Catalina has showed promise under first-year coach Andy Fetsis.

1A SOUTH
No. 11 Valley Union (4-2, 4-1) at No. 20 Duncan (1-5, 1-4) … Valley Union lost big at home against St. David last week in what amounted to the 1A South region title game, but the Blue Devils are still in position to make the state playoffs.

1A NON-REGION
No. 17 San Manuel (2-5) at No. 10 Desert Heights (4-3) … San Manuel has a chance to still make the 12-team 1A state playoff field and needs a win at Desert Heights to keep that hope alive.
No. 18 Baboquivari (1-6) at No. 6 Desert Christian (6-1), 6 p.m. … Desert Christian is in a good spot to not only make the 1A playoffs in its inaugural season but the Crusaders may host a first-round game.

SATURDAY

4A KINO
No. 34 Catalina Foothills (1-5, 1-0) at No. 16 Canyon del Oro (3-2, 0-0) … CDO, coming off a bye week, looks to start the 4A Kino schedule with a victory. Catalina Foothills, under first-year coach Greg McKinstry, is coming off a surprise 18-7 victory at Sahuaro last week — the first win for McKinstry with the Trojans.