Canyon View High School is located in Waddell, far to the west of the Phoenix area, which means the Jaguars will not face the Desert View Jaguars in the regular season over the next couple of years.
But their coach Manuel Alcantar knows that a 5A title in 2026 and 2027 will potentially have to go through Robert Bonillas’ program.
Alcantar witnessed first hand in his team’s 38-28 5A quarterfinal victory at Desert View the talent of sophomore running back and safety Jaylee Abraham and the Jaguars’ sophomore-heavy roster.
Abraham scored four touchdowns and snagged an interception for the second consecutive week — he achieved the exact same feat in the first-round win over Phoenix Mountain Pointe — and almost carried Desert View to victory over Alcantar’s team.
“I told (Abraham) after the game that he’s going to be a pain in the butt for the next couple years,” Alcantar said. “He’s going to be the next greatest running back out of Tucson, if not all of Arizona. He’s a heck of a player, man, and he’s a good kid. He plays both ways, and he has a high motor.”
Abraham rushed for 179 yards on 34 carries with three touchdowns against Canyon View. He also had five receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown. His interception in the end zone that thwarted a potential score for Canyon Vlew was his fifth of the season.
In his first full varsity season, Abraham finished with 1,716 yards on 196 carries with 33 touchdowns. As a skilled receiver out of the backfield, he had 30 receptions for 574 yards and five touchdowns.
His production at such a young age is indicative of Desert View’s roster.
Abraham and fellow Division I prospect Greg McMinstry III are sophomores in the backfield and defensive secondary. Top receiver Anthony Rodarte (54 receptions for 769 yards with nine touchdowns) is a freshman who took an unofficial visit of Washington two weeks ago.
Of their 15 top tacklers, 14 are juniors or sophomores.
Abraham (42 tackles) and McKinstry (45) are among the nine sophomores in that group. McKinstry’s tackling total accumulated after he sat out the first five games per transfer rules coming from Catalina Foothills, where his dad was the head coach in 2024.
Marco Morando, a sophomore linebacker who is a cousin of Abraham’s, was one of the team leaders with four sacks.
Abraham, Robert Medrano, Kenny Sonnah, and Keanu Romero combined for 13 interceptions. They are all sophomores.
“They are a heck of a team, man, being that young and that talented,” Alcantar said. “I told their coach (Bonillas), ‘It’s going to be tough playing you guys the next few years.’ That’s a young team.
“For a young team like that to hang with Mountain Pointe and us … it’s pretty amazing because just how young they are. You could tell they have played together forever and play for each other.”
BONILLAS, DESERT VIEW EXPERIENCE HISTORIC SEASON
Bonillas, the former Nogales standout who went on to play tight end for Dick Tomey at Arizona from 1995 to 1998, coached Desert View (11-1) to the most wins in program history. The Jaguars also won their first region title since 1987.
He has coached Desert View to the quarterfinal round of the 5A state playoffs twice in the last five years.
A few minutes after Friday’s loss to Canyon View, Bonillas already had his thoughts on preparing for next season with a majority of his talent returning. His mind was also on his senior class, which included quarterback Ryan Vasavilbaso, that helped established greatness within the Desert View program.
“I feel bad for the seniors for all the work they put in,” Bonillas said. “We are young. I guess I didn’t prepare them enough for the atmosphere of playoff football.
“They did show promise (rallying after Canyon View took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter). They’ll get a week off and then get back in the weight room. Semester grades are coming up, so hopefully everything works out there. We’ll get back to work.”
DESERT VIEW PLAYER RECOVERING
Morando suffered a head and neck injury during the second half of Friday’s game and had to be carted to a hospital in ambulance for precautionary reasons. All of his scans came back positive and he’s recovering at home.
In a classy move, Alcantar went to the field to check on Morando’s status and remained on the field for at least 10 minutes.
Morando, who played alongside Abraham with the Tucson Seminoles’ youth-football team, recorded a safety on a tackle against Mountain Pointe last week.
MICA MOUNTAIN RETURNING TO YUMA FOR 4A SEMIFINALS
Similar to last season, when Mica Mountain advanced to the 4A state championship at Tempe, the Thunderbolts will have to go through Yuma first.
Mica Mountain beat Yuma Catholic on the road in last year’s 4A semifinal matchup.
The Thunderbolts, 10-2 and on an eight-game winning streak, will play at Yuma Gila Ridge (11-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.
Mica Mountain’s playoff winning streak dating to last season is six games.
Legendary coach Jay Campos will coach in his sixth semifinal game, including five during his 14-year tenure at Sabino from 2003 to 2016. His record in the five semifinal games at Sabino: 4-1.
Defensive coordinator Brett Darling is at it again with his unit. The Thunderbolts allowed Snowflake only 171 yards of total offense in Friday’s 21-14 victory.
SALPOINTE, THE ROAD WARRIORS
SHOUT OUT TO OUR LAST @Burritoexp PLAYER OF THE GAME, @SCLancerNation DT #0 @BanhieNoah He helped hold @PinnaclePioneer to just 7pts tonight helping his team get the W 10-7!! What a Game! Congrats Noah! @EpiSportsTV @JP_Bcast @edcole43 #FridayNightLights pic.twitter.com/Q03OJOuitM
— Sonya Tellez (@stellez34) November 22, 2025
This is incredible: Salpointe (7-5) will hit I-10 to the Phoenix area for the seventh time this season, and third straight week, when the Lancers play at Queen Creek Casteel (7-5) on Friday at 7 p.m. in a 6A semifinal game.
It will be the third game Salpointe will play in Queen Creek this season. The Lancers won at ALA-Queen Creek 21-17 on Sept. 26 and at Queen Creek 23-8 in the first round of the 6A tournament.
The unsung hero for the Lancers: senior defensive tackle Noah Banhie.
Banhie, 6-foot and 290 pounds, has continuously faced double-team blocking, and opponents have routinely ran to the other side of the field to avoid him. He still has 36 tackles, 14 for loss. He also has 5.5 sacks and nine quarterback-hurries.
With an anchor like that on the line, leading the defensive front, Salpointe is in good shape facing Casteel.
EMPIRE IN SEARCH OF A NEW HEAD COACH
Former Pima College standout defensive back George Kelly, who went on to play at UTEP, is not returning as Empire’s head coach after a seven-year tenure at the Vail school.
Kelly coached at Pima under Jim Monaco before taking the Empire job in 2019.
He was 24-38 in his tenure at Empire.
Kelly owns Interception Counseling Services. His education background at Pima, UTEP and Arizona — and his close to 10 years as a coach — makes him a qualified counselor who adults and young students and athletes can turn to for assistance.
Interception Counseling Services’ mission statement: “Passionately work to help individuals, families, and children to accomplish their goals and to increase overall well-being. Provide specialized support in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, relationships, self-esteem, child behavior, grief and loss, and parenting. Explore emotions, gain insights, develop coping strategies and tools. Together, we’ll improve well-being, relationships, confidence, behaviors and increased coping strategies. Let’s strive for personal growth and healing.”
SOUTHERN ARIZONA IN THE PLAYOFFS
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
6A QUARTERFINALS
No. 8 Salpointe 10, No. 1 Phoenix Pinnacle 7
5A QUARTERFINALS
No. 5 Scottsdale Horizon 30, No. 4 Marana 20
No. 6 Waddell Canyon View 38, No. 3 Desert View 28
4A QUARTERFINALS
No. 7 Mica Mountain 21, No. 2 Snowflake 14
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
3A SEMIFINALS
No. 1 Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin 47, No. 5 Pusch Ridge 14
2A SEMIFINALS
No. 4 St. Johns 29, No. 9 Tanque Verde 16
No. 2 Scottsdale Christians 28, No. 6 Willcox 25
FRIDAY’S GAMES AT 7 P.M.
6A SEMIFINALS
No. 8 Salpointe (7-5) at No. 4 Queen Creek Casteel (7-5)
4A SEMIFINALS
No. 7 Mica Mountain (10-2) at No. 6 Yuma Gila Ridge (11-1)
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