Eloy Santa Cruz Valley junior running back Diego Ibarra achieved his fourth game of more than 200 yards rushing this season, and for the seventh time in his career, in the Dust Devils’ significant 38-28 victory at previously unbeaten Benson on Friday night.
Ibarra rushed for a career-high 268 yards on 33 carries with a touchdown in the victory that helped Santa Cruz Valley improve to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the 2A South 2 region. The victory sets up a big showdown with another unbeaten team, Willcox, which is 7-0 and 1-0. The game is at Willcox on Friday at 7 p.m.
Ibarra has rushed for 1,415 yards on 142 carries with 13 touchdowns. He averages a first down with each carry — 10 yards a rush.
For his career, Ibarra, is close to eclipsing 3,000 yards rushing. He is at 2,813 yards on 281 carries with 28 touchdowns.
Ibarra is also a high-profile wrestler, coming off a state championship at 175 pounds.
For his dominating rushing performance, especially in a high game of magnitude at Benson, Ibarra is the APS Digital Print/Frog & Firkin Week 6 Player of the Week.
Banners from APS Digital Print will be presented to the player and coach at an end-of-season awards gathering at Frog & Firkin.
2026 APS DIGITAL PRINT/FROG & FIRKIN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
- WEEK 0: CATALINA QUARTERBACK CADEN OZMENT
- WEEK 1: PUEBLO RECEIVER JESUS ENRIQUEZ
- WEEK 2: SUNNYSIDE RUNNING BACK AYDAN TAPIA
- WEEK 3: IRONWOOD RIDGE QUARTERBACK MAXIMUS HARDER
- WEEK 4: TUCSON SAFETY/RECEIVER/PUNTER EZRA SPIVEY
- WEEK 5: DESERT VIEW QUARTERBACK ANDREW GODOY
- WEEK 6: ELOY SANTA CRUZ VALLEY RUNNING BACK DIEGO IBARRA
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