2024 High School Football

PODCAST: Sonoran House Football Week 11 Preview

By Javier Morales

Posted on November 1, 2024

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*Jimmy Leon and Mica Mountain will try to attack Walden Grove on Friday night in a big 4A Kino matchup (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)*

WEEK 11 (All games start at 7 p.m.)

BYE: 4A No. 53 Cholla (1-8, 0-5).

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

6A NON-REGION
No. 25 Saguaro (1-7) No. 10 Salpointe (5-2) … Rematch of last year’s 6A semifinals at Salpointe won by Saguaro en route to the Sabercats’ state championship. Plenty of Southern Arizona connections on Saguaro’s coaching staff including head coach Darius Kelly (Buena and Pima College standout), offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach B.J. Denker (former Arizona QB), offensive line coach Derek McClure (Sahuarita alum) and trainer and defensive line special Keith Brigham (former Pima lineman). … Lancers are looking for revenge from last year and to win only their third home game this season.

5A SOUTHERN: MARANA CHAMPION
No. 1 Marana (9-0, 4-0) at No. 35 Desert View (2-6, 0-3) … Marana will go for an unbeaten regular season and cap a historic run to a No. 1 seed in the Open Division, becoming the first Southern Arizona school to achieve that feat.
No. 26 Sunnyside (3-5, 0-3) at No. 10 Buena (6-2, 2-1) … Buena proved it belongs among the state’s best after challenging Marana into the fourth quarter on the road. Now the Colts will try to not suffer a letdown and work toward possibly hosting in the first round of the 5A playoffs.
No. 16 Casa Grande (6-3, 2-2) at No. 19 Cienega (4-4, 2-1) … This is quietly one of the biggest games in the state because each school still has a shot at making the 5A state playoffs, especially with three 5A teams presently in position to make the Open Division bracket. That means Casa Grande would actually be the No. 13 seed and Cienega No. 16. The top 16 comprise the playoff field in the 5A bracket.

5A SONORAN
No. 24 Maricopa (4-4. 1-2) at No. 5 Ironwood Ridge (7-1, 3-0) … Ironwood Ridge would be the No. 2 seed in the 5A state playoffs if the season ended today because of three 5A teams in position to make the Open Division. The Nighthawks have won six consecutive games.
No. 9 Tucson (6-2, 2-1) at No. 17 Mountain View (5-3, 3-0) … Tucson High’s resurgence this season under second-year coach Zach Neveleff is one of the top stories of Southern Arizona. The Badgers’ rise has coincided with the improved play of junior QB Derek Mesa. Mountain View’s young, yet solid, defense will be put to the test. The Mountain Lions have 11 players with double-digit tackles (only three of them senoirs), led by junior defensive end Caden Rudy (47 tackles, 16 for loss).
No. 44 Nogales (0-8, 0-3) at No. 27 Flowing Wells (3-5, 0-3) … Nogales needs a win badly and Flowing Wells, with a very respectable power rating of No. 27, is playing to keep its hopes for at least a .500 season.

4A KINO
No. 5 Mica Mountain (8-0, 3-0) at No. 10 Walden Grove (6-2, 3-0) … The Thunderbolts can win their second region title in the last three years (they’re in their fourth varsity season). Walden Grove needs a win against Mica Mountain and then over CDO the following week (both games at home) to assure itself of its first 4A Kino title. The Red Wolves won the 4A Gila titles in 2018, 2019 and 2022 under coach Corey Noble.
No. 15 Canyon del Oro (5-3, 2-1) at No. 28 Sahuaro (3-5, 0-3) … CDO coach Scott McKee returns to Sahuaro, where he coached from 2009 to 2021 and compiled a 71-62 record.
No. 38 Pueblo (2-6, 0-3) at No. 31 Catalina Foothills (1-7, 1-2) … Catalina Foothills may be the best 1-7 team in the state if there is such a thing. In the last three games, the Falcons beat Sahuaro 18-7 on the road, nearly beat CDO on the road but lost 18-17 after allowing the Dorados all 18 points in the fourth quarter, and last week, they challenged Walden Grove on the road before losing 28-21.

4A GILA
No. 33 Amphitheater (5-4, 4-1) at No. 29 Sahuarita (5-3, 4-0) … Amphi and coach Jorge Mendivil have put together a solid season despite injury problems this season. They conclude their season in this game with a chance to finish with a winning record. Sahuarita, under coach Jake Allen, has made one of the top turnarounds in the state, after going 0-10 in 2022 and 2-8 last season. The Mustangs’ four-game winning streak is their longest since the 2014 season when they won their first 12 games and finished 12-1 under David Rodriguez.
No. 49 Rincon/UHS (2-6, 1-3) at 4A No. 26 Douglas (4-4, 4-0) … Douglas is setting itself up for a showdown next week at Sahuarita for the 4A Gila championship. The Bulldogs were in a three-way tie for the championship last year but Amphi won the tie-breaker.
No. 35 Empire (4-4, 1-3) at No. 43 Rio Rico (3-5, 1-3) … Empire and Rio Rico are playing for the opportunity to either finish with a winning season or have a non-losing season.

3A SOUTH
No. 2 Thatcher (7-2, 2-1) at No. 24 Morenci (3-6, 0-3) … Thatcher will look to bounce back after last week’s upset loss at home to Pusch Ridge. The Eagles still have a seeding that can keep them at home the first couple of weeks of the 3A playoffs.
No. 20 Safford (4-5, 2-1) at No. 4 Pusch Ridge (8-1, 3-0) … The Lions can finish 9-1 in the regular season for the second time in the last three years. A win will give the Lions their first region title since 2020.

3A NON-REGION
No. 21 Sabino (3-6, 1-3) at No. 5 Mohave (7-2, 4-0) … Defending 3A state champion Sabino has played arguably the most arduous schedule in the state this year, especially at the 3A level. Coach Ryan McBrayer and his staff can take some positives into next year, including the play of junior running back Zachari Hayes and freshman quarterback Bodhi Sanford.

2A SAN PEDRO REGION: BISBEE CHAMPION
No. 6 Bisbee (8-1, 6-0) at No. 50 Santa Rita (0-9, 0-6) … Bisbee will likely rest most of its starters, especially with the state playoffs starting next week. No. 17 Tanque Verde actually moved up two spots after beating Santa Rita last week. Bisbee is hoping for the same this week.
No. 44 Catalina (1-8, 1-5) at No. 11 Willcox (6-3, 5-1) … Willcox is in the same boat as Bisbee this week, trying to keep all its players healthy heading into the postseason next week. The Cowboys will likely be traveling in the first round.
No. 16 Benson (5-4, 4-2) at No. 17 Tanque Verde (5-4, 3-3) … This is similar to a playoff game with each team needing a victory to strengthen their chance to make the 16-team 2A state playoff field and finish with a winning record.
No. 23 Tombstone (5-4, 3-3) at No. 34 Palo Verde (4-5, 2-4) … Palo Verde is in position to achieve its first full non-losing season since 2013 when the Titans finished 5-5 under Todd Mayfield.

1A CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS: QUARTERFINALS
No. 5 Mohave Accelerated (8-2) at No. 4 St. David (8-1) … The winner will likely travel to No. 1 Hayden next week for a very difficult semifinal matchup.
No. 8 Desert Christian (6-3) at No. 1 Hayden (9-0) … Desert Christian will have a rough matchup on the road at Hayden but the Crusaders should be proud of the kind of season they experienced in their first year.