Following the best season in program history, Walden Grove football is looking to maintain that standard with a new quarterback in a reshuffled region.
Despite the changes, head coach Corey Noble is optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead, calling this potentially the fastest team in his nine seasons leading the program. That optimism is bolstered by a wealth of experience, with eight starters returning on defense and six on offense.
“We graduated a lot of seniors last year, but we’re bringing back the lion’s share of our starters,” Noble said.
Ultimately, Noble believes this season’s success will be determined in the trenches, especially on the offensive line
He also cautioned that, “Last year’s successes aren’t going to win this year’s games.”
After winning the first playoff game in program history last season — a decisive victory over Phoenix-Northwest Christian — the Walden Grove football program is facing a new challenge.
Noble called the win a “huge weight off the back” of the program. But after quarterback Kaleb Layton, a first-team all-region selection as a junior, moved to Sierra Vista in the offseason, the Red Wolves are turning to a new leader.
Junior Gauge Abalos will take over under center. Abalos has spent the offseason gaining 15 pounds and learning the offense, even while juggling a summer commitment to his American Legion baseball team.
“I definitely did not expect it. I just got the call right before summer hit, and I had to start preparing and just do what I could do: go out there every day early, stay late, just working,” Abalos said.
His rapid development has impressed Noble.
“He’s really grown so much since the start of the summer,” he said. “Every week, we’ve seen him grow… and he really continues to rise to the occasion.”
Abalos paid close attention to how Layton carried himself on and off the field.
“I definitely learned from Kaleb how he takes the field—his attitude, how he carries himself. His leadership was really great.”
He’s worked most on his footwork and accuracy in the offseason.
Abalos sees leadership as one of his primary responsibilities as he takes over the offense.
“The role I’m playing is to be a leader on the team. To pick the guys up around us, and through the ups and downs, make sure to keep a positive or neutral attitude,” he said.
Defensive linemen Steven Michael Valdez Jr., a 4A Kino second-team all-region player in his junior season, headlines a list of key returners for the Red Wolves.
Valdez made history by becoming the program’s first student-athlete to commit to an FBS program on a full scholarship when he signed with New Mexico State.
“It’s huge for him, it’s huge for our program and it’s huge just to show people you don’t have to go somewhere else to get recruited,” Noble said. “If you’re willing to put in that work, you don’t have to go somewhere else to be found. That opportunity is here.”
Noble expects a dominant final season from Valdez, who still reflects on last year’s quarterfinal run with pride.
“It definitely meant the world to me,” Valdez said. “Being a big part of that on the defensive side, I felt so much joy seeing all my guys succeed… It didn’t go the way we wanted to, but we definitely put up a good fight.”
Joining Valdez as a key playmaker is senior Kylian Knight, a dominant two-way standout at defensive back and receiver. After moving to the area from Texas last season and battling an early-season injury, Knight emerged as a force, earning all-region honorable mention honors and high praise from Noble.
“He stepped in at our corner spot and dominated,” Noble said. “He’s physical, he’s so athletic, he’s aggressive, he’s heady and he’s just a competitor. He is that high school version of a lockdown boundary corner.”
Knight, who is still developing his skills on defense, has also embraced his role as a mentor.
“Last year was my first time playing DB, so my main goal is to work on my footwork,” he said. “I feel like I’m a strong leader. I try to help (the underclassmen) out as much as I can.”
The Red Wolves also return all-region second-team players Angel Armenta (defensive end/linebacker/tight end) and Jaxsen Philistine (defensive back), along with a host of honorable mention recipients, including Wheeler Delancey (receiver), Trey Forbregd (defensive end/tight end), Jordan Dobson (cornerback/receiver), Miguel Aboyte (defensive back/receiver), Dominic Sanchez (defensive line,running back), Issac Sanchez (offensive line), Issak Gonzalez (offensive line) and AJ Slape (offensive line/defensive line).
Walden Grove will renew its rivalry with Sahuarita High School in the Aug. 28 season opener.
The game was moved from Friday to Thursday to showcase both programs a day ahead of many other schools in Southern Arizona.
This will be the first time the two varsity programs have faced each other since the Red Wolves’ 56-7 victory in 2022. After an on-field skirmish in 2015, the rivalry was put on hold for six seasons and then again when Walden Grove left the 4A Gila region and joined 4A Kino following the 2022 season.
Noble and Sahuarita head coach Jake Allen played pivotal roles in getting the rivalry game back on the schedule. The plan is to keep the rivalry game on the schedule each season going forward.
“The goal, long term, will be that this becomes an every-year thing, and that this becomes something that the community can really rally around. It’s something that is more than just a football game,” Noble said.
The last two 4A state champions have come from the 4A Kino region, with Canyon del Oro winning the title in 2023 and Mica Mountain winning last season.
The region has changed heading into the 2025 season. CDO and Pueblo were moved to different regions, replaced by Douglas and Amphi. Despite the changes, Noble expects the top of the region to be “very, very tough.”
He believes the region title may be determined by the outcome of Walden Grove’s game against the defending state champions, Mica Mountain, on Oct. 10. Last season, the Red Wolves lost to Mica Mountain, 16-6, and finished second in the region behind the Thunderbolts.
“You’ve got to take it one at a time, and not to overlook people. But we know it’s going to come down to that October 10 match-up with us and Mica for the region,” Noble said. “That’s our goal. That’s our plan.”
Walden Grove hosts Sahuarita on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.
2025 Schedule
Aug. 28: vs. Sahuarita Mustangs
Sept. 4: at Eastmark Firebirds
Sept. 12: vs. Tucson Badgers
Sept. 19: at Vista Grande Spartans
Sept. 26: at Empire Ravens
Oct. 3: vs. Sahuaro Cougars
Oct. 10: vs. Mica Mountain Thunderbolts
Oct. 17: at Catalina Foothills Falcons
Oct. 24: at Douglas Bulldogs
Oct. 31: vs. Amphitheater Panthers
All games begin at 7 pm.
FOLLOW @KEVINMURFEE ON TWITTER! ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com writer Kevin Murphy was born and raised in Tucson, and has followed Arizona Wildcats athletics since childhood. Murphy is a journalist product manager with the Green Valley News & the Sahuarita Sun. He has a bachelor’s degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU.
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