Desert View sophomore running back Jaylee Abraham, Sabino senior running back Zachari Haley and Buena senior linebacker Cooper Kraus earned Ed Doherty Award nominations for their Week 5 performances last week.
The Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission (ASEC) and its managed entity, the Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club (GCSGC), announced the recipients of the Doherty Award nomination medallions, recognizing their outstanding performances.
Abraham, Haley and Kraus were part of a group of nominees announced, including Mesa Westwood junior running back Keshawn Barkus, Goodyear Millennium junior running back D’Mari Bryant, Scottsdale Cactus Shadows senior quarterback Donivan Dixon, Phoenix Brophy College Prep senior receiver Devin Fitzgerald, Mesa Westwood senior safety Dallin Hansen, Phoenix Thunderbird sophomore receiver/defensive back Daryl Little, Chandler Hamilton sophomore receiver Roye Oliver III, Chandler Hamilton sophomore quarterback Jax Sculley, and Mesa Skyline senior running back Caleb Wheeler.
Each nominee will be presented his medallion at his respective school this week and is now in the running for the 2025 Ed Doherty Award, annually recognizing Arizona’s most outstanding high school football player. This year’s recipient will be announced at a special luncheon for the Top 10 nominees on Saturday, Dec. 13. For more information on the award, please visit www.azsportsent.com, or call 480.517.9700.
Marana senior quarterback Colton Meyer and Salpointe junior quarterback Matthew Avelar earned nomination medallions last week.
Outstanding performances from this week’s nominees include:
Jaylee Abraham — Desert View sophomore running back
Abraham rushed 18 times for 222 yards and four touchdowns, adding another 20 yards on two receptions, in a 54-26 win over Mountain View.
Zachari Haley — Sabino senior running back
In a 40-6 win over San Tan Foothills, Haley picked up 206 yards on 12 carries with three touchdowns, adding another 15 yards on two receptions.
Cooper Kraus — Buena senior linebacker
Kraus had 18 total tackles (11 solo) with one tackle for a loss in a 42-28 win over Tucson High.
Keshawn Barkus — Westwood junior running back
Barkus had 20 carries for 257 yards and four touchdowns in a 75-36 victory over Tempe McClintock.
D’Mari Bryant — Millennium junior running back
In a 63-28 win over Apollo, Bryant had 12 carries for 282 yards and three touchdowns.
Donivan Dixon — Cactus Shadows senior quarterback
Dixon was 20 of 29 in passing for 350 yards and five touchdowns; adding 24 yards on four carries in a 35-0 win over Phoenix Camelback.
Devin Fitzgerald — Brophy College Prep senior receiver
Fitzgerald recorded 14 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns in a 70-33 loss to Hamilton.
Dallin Hansen — Mesa Westwood senior safety
In a 75-36 win over McClintock, Hansen had seven total tackles (three solo), a 37-yard interception returned for a touchdown, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 1 pass defended.
Daryl Little –Thunderbird sophomore receiver/defensive back
In a 43-42 win over Phoenix Greenway, Little had eight receptions for 231 yards and three touchdowns, adding another 45 yards and one touchdown on three carries. On defense, Little recorded six total tackles, with one tackle for a loss and a pass defended.
Roye Oliver III — Hamilton sophomore receiver
In a 70-33 win over Brophy, Oliver had nine catches for 141 yards and three touchdowns.
Jax Sculley — Hamilton sophomore quarterback
Sculley was 21 of 30 for 327 yards and four touchdowns while adding another rushing touchdown in a 70-33 victory over Brophy.
Caleb Wheeler — Skyline senior running back
In a 48-19 win over South Mountain, Wheeler rushed for 353 yards on 41 carries with three touchdowns.
Marana’s Dezmen Roebuck, now a freshman receiver with Washington, earned the Doherty Award last year.
Southern Arizona has nine different Doherty Award winners. Salpointe legend Bijan Robinson earned the honor as a junior and senior.
1988 – WR/DB Eric Drage, Santa Rita
1989 – OL Mike Ciasca, Sahuaro
1990 – RB Mario Bates, Amphi
1993 – RB Kevin Schmidtke, Mountain View
2008 – WR/DB/KR Adam Hall, Palo Verde
2011 – RB Ka’Deem Carey, CDO
2012 – WR/DB Tyler Williams, Ironwood Ridge
2018 and 2019 – RB Bijan Robinson, Salpointe
2024 – WR Dezmen Roebuck, Marana
About the Ed Doherty Award
The Ed Doherty Award serves as the State of Arizona’s highest individual high school football honor, annually recognizing the most outstanding player on and off the field. Recipients are selected for demonstrating remarkable ability combined with diligence, perseverance, hard work, and integrity in their pursuit of excellence, while also celebrating a commitment to academics, community, and school pride.
About the Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club
The Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club is Arizona’s leading advocate for high school football, dedicated to recognizing the state’s top student-athletes. The club presents the prestigious Ed Doherty Award to the most outstanding prep football player at the end of each season, and in 2024 introduced the Arizona High School Flag Football Player of the Year Award, now given annually to the state’s top girls’ flag football player. Through these initiatives, the club celebrates individual athletic, academic, and leadership achievements, promoting Arizona’s rich football tradition on a national stage.
About the Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission
The Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission (ASEC) is a non-profit organization created in 1988. The Commission collaborates with hundreds of partners to help fulfill the mission of bringing national and international sporting events to the state; assisting in the promotion of existing events and Arizona sports teams; providing volunteer recruitment and organization for large-scale sporting events; and developing youth sports programs. In 2009, it assumed oversight of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2012, the Grand Canyon State Games and the Lori Piestewa National Native American Games. The ASEC was also the founding organization and owner of the 2015 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Earlier this year, the Commission was named co-owner and strategic partner for Section 7, one of the most prestigious boys’ and girls’ high school basketball recruiting events in the country. For more information on the ASEC, please call 480.517.9700 or visit www.azsportsent.com.
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