ALLSPORTSTUCSON.COM CONTINUES ITS 50 POSTS FOR THE 50-DAY COUNTDOWN TO THE 2025 SEASON THAT STARTS AUG. 22 FOR SOME SCHOOLS WITH A LOOK AT THE 4A GILA SCHEDULES. CATCH UP WITH ALL THE POSTS BY CLICKING HERE.
The realignment of football programs going into this school year includes Pueblo leaving the 4A Kino for the 4A Gila region and Amphitheater and Douglas doing the opposite.
The switch creates a six-team 4A Gila region rather than seven last year. That means an extra non-region game had to be scheduled this season by the returning teams of the region — Cholla, Empire, Rincon/University, Rio Rico and defending champion Sahuarita.
Although the Mustangs finished 7-3 overall and 6-0 in the 4A Gila last season, they did not qualify for the state tournament based on power points. Jake Allen’s team was impressive in his first year leading a program that won only two games the previous season, but it was rated No. 25 at season’s end. The top 16 qualify for the state playoffs. Sahuarita tried to correct this in 2025 in a big way with its schedule as noted below.
4A Gila scheduling notes:
— No weeks off. That’s what every team in the 4A Gila is facing after opening the season Aug. 29, a week after most of the 1A through 3A schools start their seasons.
— Cholla, under first-year coach Roland Youngling, a former Amphi standout, plays at Youngling’s alma mater Sept. 26 in the Chargers’ last non-region game. Youngling played at Amphi under the legendary Vern Friedli before graduating in 2011, and he coached there as an assistant under Jorge Mendivil through last season. Many of his former coaching mates at Amphi are with him at Cholla, including former Arizona offensive lineman David Watson Sr. Cholla will play two struggling programs from Yuma in the non-region portion of the schedule — at Yuma (2-8 last year) to begin the season and at home against Kofa (0-10) in the fourth week.
— George Kelly, in his seventh season at Empire, looks to build off the promise of the last couple of years when the Ravens went 12-8, including 11 wins out of their last 15 games. Empire is doing what Sahuarita did with its scheduling this year, upgrading it to improve the chance for a postseason berth. The Ravens play three 4A Kino programs, all at home — Sahuaro to open the season, Douglas (week four) and Walden Grove (week five). The Ravens play at 5A Southern’s Maricopa and then at Phoenix St. Mary’s in the second and third weeks of the season. Empire faces a challenging October, playing three of the last four games on the road with the lone home game against Sahuarita.
— Pueblo, in its second year under Sly Lewis, plays its first three games on the road but finishes with three straight home games. Not playing at home until Sept. 19, when Glendale Copper Canyon visits, allows more time for the new turf field to be installed at Pueblo. The Southside rivalry between Pueblo and Sunnyside is rekindled with a game at Sunnyside in the second week of the season. They haven’t played since 2019, when they completed a four-year run in which both teams split with all the games decided by a touchdown or less.
— Johnny Chan’s second season at Rincon/University includes three home games to start the season, including against San Tan Valley Combs in the second week of the season. Combs (6-5 last year) plays its first three games against 4A Gila opponents — Rio Rico at home to start the season and then at Rincon/University and Cholla. In the fourth week, the Rangers travel to Somerton, a new 4A school located at the very southwest part of the state near the California and Mexico borders. Amphi plays at Somerton the week before the Rangers visit. After Rincon/University travels to Somerton, it then goes to the very southeast part of the state to face Douglas in the last non-region game.
— Dominik Bonilla makes the shift from 2A school Tombstone, his alma mater, to coaching Rio Rico, becoming the third coach in as many seasons to lead the program. Three of the Hawks’ first four games are on the road, with the home game against rival Nogales (0-10 the last two seasons). Rio Rico has won the last three games against the Apaches after losing the first 13 matchups between the schools. The Hawks also have two manageable non-region games on the schedule at Sierra Linda (3-7 last year) and at home against North Canyon (0-10).
— Allen is counting on a tough schedule to parlay into a postseason berth. Sahuarita begins its season at 4A Kino power Walden Grove and ends the non-region slate at defending 4A state champion Mica Mountain. The game against Walden Grove is a rekindling of the crosstown rivalry between the schools. Sahuarita has played Walden Grove only four times, once in the last nine years. They last met in 2022 with Walden Grove winning 56-7. Sahuarita won the first three matchups from 2013 to 2015. Sahuarita also hosts Sahuaro of the 4A Kino in the fourth week. The other non-region games against Desert Sunrise (2-8 last year) and Nogales won’t help the power points, but are needed to boost confidence and get the system in place before facing Sahuaro and Mica Mountain.
4A GILA SCHEDULES
CHOLLA (2-0)
Head coach: Roland Youngling (2-0, first year at Cholla and overall)Chargers compete in the 4A Gila. *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Cho | Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/29 | at Yuma | W | 21 | 6 |
| 9/5 | Maryvale | W | 26 | 18 |
| 9/12 | Combs | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/19 | Kofa | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/26 | at Amphi | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/3 | at Empire* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/10 | Pueblo* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/17 | at Rincon/UHS* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/24 | Rio Rico* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/31 | at Sahuarita* | -- | -- | -- |
EMPIRE (0-2)
Head coach: George Kelly (21-33, seventh season at Empire and overall)Ravens compete in the 4A Gila. *Region game. Games are at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Emp | Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/29 | Sahuaro | L | 3 | 41 |
| 9/5 | at Maricopa | L | 7 | 35 |
| 9/12 | at St. Mary's | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/19 | Douglas | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/26 | Walden Grove | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/3 | Cholla* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/10 | at Rio Rico* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/17 | Sahuarita* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/24 | at Rincon/UHS* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/31 | at Pueblo* | -- | -- | -- |
PUEBLO (0-2)
Head coach: Sly Lewis (2-10, second year at Pueblo and overall)Warriors compete in the 4A Gila. *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Pue | Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/29 | at Youngker | L | 28 | 39 |
| 9/5 | at Sunnyside | L | 12 | 40 |
| 9/12 | at Douglas | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/19 | Copper Canyon | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/26 | Catalina Foothills | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/3 | at Rincon/UHS* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/10 | at Cholla* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/17 | Rio Rico* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/24 | Sahuarita* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/31 | Empire* | -- | -- | -- |
RINCON/UNIVERSITY (0-2)
Head coach: Johnny Chan (2-10, second year at Rincon/University and overall)Rangers compete in the 4A Gila. *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Rin | Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/29 | Cibola | L | 6 | 42 |
| 9/5 | Combs | L | 0 | 52 |
| 9/12 | Palo Verde | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/19 | at Somerton | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/26 | at Douglas | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/3 | Pueblo* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/10 | at Sahuarita* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/17 | Cholla* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/24 | Empire* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/31 | at Rio Rico* | -- | -- | -- |
RIO RICO (0-2)
Head coach: Dominik Bonilla (0-2, first year at Rio Rico; 21-22, fifth year overall)Hawks compete in the 4A Gila. *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | RR | Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/29 | at Combs | L | 0 | 56 |
| 9/5 | Nogales | L | 18 | 38 |
| 9/12 | at Sierra Linda | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/19 | at Amphi | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/26 | North Canyon | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/3 | at Sahuarita* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/10 | Empire* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/17 | at Pueblo* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/24 | at Cholla* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/31 | Rincon/UHS* | -- | -- | -- |
SAHUARITA (0-2)
Head coach: Jake Allen (7-5, second year at Sahuarita, 22-20, sixth year overall).Mustangs compete in the 4A Gila. *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Sah | Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/28 | at Walden Grove | L | 10 | 36 |
| 9/5 | Desert Sunrise | L | 38 | 40 |
| 9/12 | at Nogales | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/19 | Sahuaro | -- | -- | -- |
| 9/26 | at Mica Mountain | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/3 | Rio Rico* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/10 | Rincon/UHS* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/17 | at Empire* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/24 | at Pueblo* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/31 | Cholla* | -- | -- | -- |
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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.
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