Photos: Buena clinches the 5A Sonoran Region crown with a 45-10 win over Ironwood Ridge
The Colts were too much for the visiting Nighthawks, rolling to a 45-10 win in the 5A Sonoran Region title game that also held far ranging playoff implications, October 30, 2026, Sierra Vista, Ariz.
Buena's Tariq Howard gets hoisted in the air by Riley Guerra after his icing-on-the-cake touchdown against Ironwood Ridge in the fourth quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game in Sierra Vista on Oct. 30, 2026.
Buena's James Lesueur (7) sheds the arms of Ironwood Ridge's Jacob Knauer (3) on sweep in the first quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Ironwood Ridge's Zarin Robbins celebrates his diving catch in the corner on Buena’s Hutson Johnson for a touchdown in the first quarter on Oct. 30, 2026.
Ironwood Ridge's Braxton Murphy-Karnap (1) collides with Buena's James Lesueur (7) in the defensive backfield during the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region title game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Hutson Johnson sidesteps Ironwood Ridge's Elijah Flores to pick up a few more yards on a run up the middle in the second quarter on Oct. 30, 2026.
Ironwood Ridge's Maximus Harder (15) puts up the long bomb from a collapsing pocket in the second quarter of the 5A Sonoran Region game against Buena, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Jorge Martinez (50), left, James Lesueur (7) and Hutson Johnson (34) swarm over Ironwood Ridge's Gabriel Frazier (4) in the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Ironwood Ridge's Zarin Robbins (2) does just enough to keep Buena's Tariq Howard (5) from picking off the pass in the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Giovanni Henderson (15) keeps Ironwood Ridge's Zarin Robbins (2) from making the grab along the sidelines but gets called for pass interference in the effort in the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Ironwood Ridge's Maximus Harder (15) gets hammered by Buena’s Jaxon Kraus (44) on his scramble up the gut in the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Lucas Portis (10) hits Ironwood Ridge's Zarin Robbins (2) and keeps him from recovering his fumbled kick-off reception in the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026. The Nighthawks managed to fall on the ball and retain possession.
Ironwood Ridge's Ian Dahl (11) drags Buena's James Lesueur (7) along for a few more yards on a kick-off in the third quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Jake Richardson (62) gets enough of a hold on Ironwood Ridge's Maximus Harder (15) to force a sack in the third quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Ironwood Ridge's head coach Dale Stott talks to quarterback Maximus Harder (15) as the Nighthawk offensive unit heads out for a possession in the third quarter at Buena, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Giovanni Henderson (15) launches into Ironwood Ridge's Alex Harder (9) and jars the ball out of his hands to prevent a reception in the third quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Jaylen Ward (33) rumbles by Ironwood Ridge's Maximus Harder (15) after scooping up his fumble in their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Colton Garrett (16) tries to force a pass to Tariq Howard (5) through Ironwood Ridge's coverage in the first quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Aydan Fregoso (20) lies on the goal line after being stopped inches short of pay dirt on a run in the first quarter against Ironwood Ridge, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Jaylen Ward signals his short TD run that put the Colts back into the lead for good during the second quarter against Ironwood Ridge on Oct. 30, 2026.
Buena’s Hutson Johnson (34) switches directions enough to slip out of range of Ironwood Ridge's Drew Robisch (28) and net some positive yardage in the second quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena's James Lesueur turns the corner on Ironwood Ridge's Levi Rehrmann in the second quarter of their Class 5A Sonoran game in Sierra Vista on Oct. 30, 2026. Buena won 45-10.
Buena’s head coach Chris Determan makes his point very clear to Aydan Fregoso after a Colt touchdown against Ironwood Ridge on Oct. 30, 2026, in Sierra Vista.
Buena’s Hutson Johnson (34) pulls out of the grip of Ironwood Ridge's Kaiden Becker (56) to get inside the 10-yard line, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Hutson Johnson (34) breaks the plane but is already down on a run against Ironwood Ridge in the fourth quarter of their 5A Sonoran Region game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s head coach Chris Determan gets soaked by the Colts as they celebrate their 5A Sonoran Region title following a 45-10 win over Ironwood Ridge on Oct. 30, 2026, in Sierra Vista.
Buena's James Lesueur (7) waits to lead the Colts onto the field to face Ironwood Ridge in their 5A Sonoran Region title game, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026.
Buena’s Joshua Gross (18) kneels at the goal post after the Colts rolled over Ironwood Ridge 45-10 for the 5A Sonoran Region title, Sierra Vista, Ariz., October 30, 2026. The region title was the first in more than 50 years for the Buena program.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
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