PREVIOUSLY IN OUR LOOK AT 2026 SCHEDULES
— Salpointe Catholic in the 6A Southern
— 4A Kino
— 4A Gila
— 3A East
1A EAST
SAN MANUEL
Last year: 4-6, lost in the first round of the 1A state playoffs 50-6 at Williams
Head coach: Ernest Ivy (36-29, eighth year at San Manuel and overall)
— Ivy’s team has a difficult start to the season with four out of its first five games on the road. After playing at Phoenix Valley Lutheran (0-8 last year) in the opener, the Miners will play at region opponents Kearny Ray (6-4), host Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (7-4), play at Joseph City (4-4) and travel to defending state champion Hayden (12-0). Hayden is also in the region.
— With the Miners for the second year out of the 1A South and in the 1A East, the only Southern Arizona school they play is against Baboquivari at home in the final regular season Oct. 16.
— The last two region games are at home against a co-op of Cicero Prep and North Phoenix Prep (first year) and Superior (8-3).
1A SOUTH
BABOQUIVARI WARRIORS
Last year: 0-8
Head coach: Cody Garcia (6-20, fourth year at Baboquivari and overall)
— With Elfida Valley Union canceling its varsity season because of a lack of enough participants, only two schools from Southern Arizona are part of the 1A South — Baboquivari and St. David. Those teams face each other at St. David to open Baboquivari’s season Aug. 28. Baboquivari is 0-8 against St. David with the series dating to 2016. The Warriors’ average margin of defeat is 40 points against the Tigers.
— Baboquivari plays four of its only seven games scheduled on the road, including the last two games against Phoenix Desert Heights Prep and San Manuel — both playoff teams last year that lost in the first round. Desert Heights finished 6-4 and San Manuel 4-6.
— Baboquivari and San Manuel are former 1A South rivals who have continued to play each other despite the Miners shifting to the 1A East. The Warriors have also struggled against San Manuel, going 1-12 against the Miners since 2007.
ST. DAVID
Last year: 7-3
Head coach: Braden Davis (57-30, 10h year at St. David and overall)
— St. David had to shift its schedule with the cancellation of its game with Valley Union, adding a team from Colorado. The game at Mancos on Sept. 4 is the first for St. David against a team outside of Arizona since the Tigers played at Animas (N.M.) in 2006 (a 22-14 loss). Mancos is an 8-man football power in Colorado, going 48-11 over the last five seasons. It won a state title in 2023.
— The game at Mancos starts a stretch of four games out of five on the road for the Tigers. The last game of that stretch is at Hayden on Oct. 2. St. David has lost five consecutive games against Hayden, including twice in the postseason in 2023 and 2024.
— St. David closes with two home games against region foe Fort Thomas and freedom opponent Bagdad. St. David lost to Bagdad in 2023 and 2025 after beating the Sultans twice in 2022, including the semifinals of the state playoffs.
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