Raul Soto-Romero of Jet Sports Network talked with Jet Sports Training owner Bobby Rodriguez and me about this week’s matchups in the Southern Arizona high school football season in our weekly video podcast show.
VIDEO PODCAST
AUDIO PODCAST
TACKLE WEEK NINE SCHEDULE
Games at 7 p.m. unless noted
6A SOUTHERN
No. 12 (Open Division) Salpointe (4-2, 0-1) at No. 1 (Open Division) Chandler Basha (6-0, 1-0)
Salpointe will attempt to avoid an 0-2 start in region play while upsetting top-ranked Basha on the road. An interesting twist to the game is former Salpointe coach Eric Rogers is an assistant coach with Basha, and his son Jake, who was at Salpointe as a freshman, is now a junior backup quarterback with the Bears. Win or lose, this will boost Salpointe’s power points and likely keep them in the Open Division regardless. The last time the Bears faced Salpointe in 2022, they traveled to Tucson to play at Ed Doherty Stadium. They won 46-14 behind the production of quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (now a standout at Washington). Basha went 11-2 last year when the Bears lost to Liberty 35-17 in the Open Division state championship. The Bears have four of the top Class of 2026 college prospects in the state — QB Broderick Vehrs (North Texas commit), CB Mason Lewis (Cal), LB Eli Cramer-Cronin (New Mexico) and WR Kash Brock (Colorado State).
5A SONORAN
No. 25 Tucson (4-3, 3-1) at No. 7 Marana (6-1, 4-0)
The Badgers are on a three-game winning streak after starting 1-2 and Marana is on a six-game run following a close season-opening loss at Salpointe. This game could come down to which defense holds up the best with plenty of offensive firepower on both sides with Tucson quarterback Derek Mesa, running back Noah Chanez and receivers Isaac Fieros and Malaki Cunningham and and Marana quarterback Colten Meyer, running back Jeffrey Smith III and receivers Jaxsun Sharp and Sean Roebuck. This will be Senior Night for Marana. Although Tucson High is the most historic program in Southern Arizona (starting in 1919) and Marana began its football operations in 1951, this will be only the seventh meeting between the schools, and four of those games have come in the last five years. The only other meetings were in 2011 and 2012. Marana has won the last four games, including 56-7 at Gridley Stadium last year. Tucson High is one spot out of the 24 teams that will qualify for the 5A state playoffs this season but playing a high seed like Marana will boost the Badgers’ power points.
No. 17 Buena (4-3, 2-1) at No. 31 Casa Grande (3-4, 1-2)
No. 40 Ironwood Ridge (1-6, 1-2) at No. 39 Vista Grande (2-5, 0-3)
5A SOUTHERN
No. 23 Cienega (4-3, 2-1) at No. 16 Flowing Wells (6-1, 2-1)
Flowing Wells will try to bounce back after suffering its first loss of the season last week in a 47-14 setback at Mountain View. Cienega has won four of its last five games after an 0-2 start. Two prospects for the next level will be on the field with Flowing Wells senior running back Jayden Simmons (84 rushes for 912 yards and 16 touchdowns) and Cienega senior receiver Jaden Rodgers (29 receptions, 538 yards, seven touchdowns).
No. 21 Maricopa (4-3, 1-2) at No. 20 Sunnyside (4-3, 1-2)
This is for all intents and purposes a playoff game with both teams trying to keep their postseason hopes alive on Sunnyside’s homecoming. The winner clinches a non-losing season and avoids a 1-3 start in region play.
No. 41 Nogales (2-5, 0-4) at No. 18 Mountain View (4-3, 2-2)
Mountain View’s Senior Night will be held although the Mountain Lions host rival Marana next week. Mountain View coach Matt Johnson wanted his seniors to be at the forefront in this game because the hype around the Battle of the Boot next week.
4A KINO
No. 6 Sahuaro (5-2, 1-1) at No. 25 Douglas (4-2, 1-1)
The winner will keep step with the hope of winning the region title. Sahuaro is trying to keep its loft ranking to earn a potential by in the first round of the upcoming 4A state playoffs by being one of the top eight seeds.
No. 22 Walden Grove (4-3, 1-1) at No. 31 Catalina Foothills (3-4, 1-1)
Walden Grove can’t afford to slip the rest of the way in order to be one of the top 24 teams in the 4A to qualify for the state playoffs.
No. 55 Amphitheater (2-5, 0-2) at No. 9 Mica Mountain (5-2, 2-0)
The Lightning Bolts have won three straight games after slipping against ALA-West Foothills and Sunnyside on the road.
4A GILA
No. 54 Rio Rico (1-6, 0-2) at No. 29 Pueblo (4-3, 2-0)
Sly Lewis’ Warriors have won four straight games and have their last three games at home.
No. 33 Sahuarita (3-4, 2-0) at No. 37 Empire (2-5, 2-0)
The winner of this game will keep in step with Pueblo for the region title. Sahuarita plays at Pueblo next week while Empire ends its regular season at Pueblo two weeks from now.
No. 48 Cholla (2-5, 0-2) at No. 43 Rincon/University (2-4, 0-2)
3A EAST
No. 15 Sabino (3-4, 2-1) at No. 14 Florence (3-4, 1-2)
This is similar to a playoff game with each team trying to stay in the top-16 qualifying spots for the 3A state playoffs.
No. 4 Pusch Ridge (7-1, 4-1) at No. 24 Safford (2-5, 1-2)
Pusch Ridge can not win the 3A East title but the Lions can finish strong. After a bye week next, the Lions host Benjamin Franklin in an anticipated matchup Oct. 31. The teams met in the 3A state semifinals last year when Pusch Ridge emerged as the state champs.
2A SOUTH I
No. 10 Tanque Verde (6-2, 3-0) at No. 44 Tombstone (1-6, 1-2)
The Hawks, on a four-game winning streak, are already in the championship game of the 2A South next week against either 2A South II representative Benson or Willcox. Tanque Verde will host that game next week.
No. 33 Bisbee (3-5, 2-1) at No. 28 Palo Verde (5-3, 2-1)
With a victory, the Titans will clinch their first winning season since 2009 when they finished 11-2 with a loss in the state semifinals. Palo Verde also has an outside shot to make the 24-team 2A state playoff field. This success under coach Jamal Chatman is occurring only four years after the school did not field a varsity team coming off COVID-19.
2A SOUTH II
No. 16 Benson (5-3, 2-0) at No. 6 Willcox (7-1, 2-0)
The winner of this game advances to the 2A South championship with the chance to earn the region’s automatic bid to the state tournament. Tanque Verde awaits the winner next week as the host team.
No. 17 Eloy Santa Cruz Valley (3-5, 0-2) at No. 36 Desert Christian (3-4, 0-2), 6 p.m.
NON-REGION
5A: No. 2 Desert View (7-0) at No. 37 Canyon del Oro (3-4)
Desert View is off to a school-record 7-0 start looking to stay in the top 8 of the 5A so it can get a first-round bye in the state tournament. Sophomore RB Jaylee Abraham is only 47 yards from reaching 1,000 rushing yards in his first full season at the varsity level. Senior QB Ryan Vasavilbaso is completing an impressive 72.5 percent (100 of 138) of his passes for 1,290 yards with 12 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
3A: No. 6 Payson (6-1) at No. 5 Thatcher (6-1)
Payson was 8-3 last season with a loss in the first round of the 3A state tournament, while Thatcher was 10-3 with a trip to the semifinals. This late-season non-region game in the third-to-last week of the regular season should be a significant power-point booster for both teams. Payson and Thatcher, separated by almost 155 miles, have only played once before — in the first round of the 1976 state playoffs with Payson winning 28-0.
3A: No. 2 Round Valley (6-1) at No. 28 San Tan Foothills (0-7)
2A: No. 50 Santa Rita (0-8) at NR San Carlos (4-3)
2A: NR Catalina (3-4) at No. 20 Globe (4-4)
If Catalina can win this game and finish with a win at San Carlos next week, the Trojans would achieve a winning season for the first time since 2007.
1A: No. 3 St. David (7-1) at No. 2 Bagdad (7-0)
These two teams can very well meet in the 1A semifinals in early November. St. David leads the series 5-4.
1A: No. 11 San Manuel (3-5) at No. 20 Baboquivari (0-7)
1A: No. 8 Valley Union (5-2) at No. 29 Valley Lutheran (0-7)
BYE: 3A No. 19 Coolidge (4-4)
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.
Recommended for you
