Photos: Sabino falls to Valley Christian 7-0, high school football
High school football kicked off with the Sabercats dropping their home opener in a defensive fight to the Trojans 7-0, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Gabe Warren (6) gets a hand in the face of Valley Christian's quarterback Austin Schuder (2) in the first quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026. Warren got his hand off the face mask in time to avoid a flag.
Valley Christian's Cody Broek lays a hit on Sabino's quarterback Bodhi Sanford that knocks him out of his helmet early in the first quarter of their game on Aug. 21, 2026, in Tucson. No penalty was given on the play.
Sabino's Randy Ahmed (3) makes the stretch but can’t find the handle on the throw after getting a step on Valley Christian's AJ Payne (21) in the second quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Anthony Dimas (0) gets stuffed on a scramble by Valley Christian's Cody Broek (24) and Titus Mueller (72) in the first quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's head coach Ryan McBrayer can’t believe Valley Christian didn’t get assessed a penalty after a late hit on a Sabercat receiver without the ball in the second quarter of their game on Aug. 21, 2026.
Sabino's Anthony Dimas shows off the ball after beating Chandler Valley Christian's Austin Schuder to a deep throw for a first down in the second quarter of their game in Tucson on Aug. 21, 2026.
Sabino's Shaundon Harris (7) flushes Valley Christian's Austin Schuder (2) but can’t drag him down behind the line on a sweep in the third quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Valley Christian's Austin Schuder (2) steps over the dive from Sabino's Gabe Warren (6) as he scrambles up the middle during the third quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Valley Christian's Robert Arnold (6) manages to up end Sabino's running back during the third quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Randy Ahmed (3) gets a hand on the ball but can’t reel in the catch in front of Valley Christian's Justen Bradford (14) in the third quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Spencer Martinez (51) and Kaden Ganz (42) team up and manage to drag down Valley Christian's Dandre Dickerson Jr. (23) in the third quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Randy Ahmed gets enough of Valley Christian's Austin Schuder to upend the quarterback and stop his keeper up the middle in the third quarter of their game in Tucson on Aug. 21, 2026.
Valley Christian's Noah Lewis (4) tries to claim the interception after tangling with teammate Justen Bradford (14) and Sabino's Cassius Gooding (2) for the ball in the fourth quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026. The play was ruled an incompletion.
Sabino's Bodhi Sanford gets chased from the pocket but slips away from Chandler Valley Christian's Wesley Platt in the fourth quarter of their game on Aug. 21, 2026.
Sabino's quarterback Bodhi Sanford (19) slides for the first down under Valley Christian's Lane Russell (3), left, and Hudson Morgan (77) in the fourth quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Jakob Gigstad (88) just barely secures the ball as Valley Christian's linebacker Corben Cecil (9) nearly strips him after a catch over the middle in the first quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Valley Christian's Justen Bradford (14) manages to claw away the desperation heave intended for Sabino's Randy Ahmed (3) in the dying seconds of the second quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Valley Christian's Titus Higginbotham cradles the catch for the only score of the night after getting wide open on the first play of the fourth quarter of their game at Sabino on Aug. 21, 2026.
Sabino's Jaydon Elliott (18) slips past the reach of Valley Christian's Titus Mueller (72) on his carry in the fourth quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Bodhi Sanford (19) stands in to get off the throw over Valley Christian's Brayden Voss (18) late in the fourth quarter of their game, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Sabino's Shaundon Harris (7) hops his way through a pre-game drill as the Sabercats prepare to face Valley Christian for the third time in two years, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026. The game was a defensive grind with the visiting Trojans eking out a 7-0 win.
Sabino's head coach Ryan McBrayer consoles Patrick Polanco (5) as his son Jameson watches after the Sabercats wrenching 7-0 loss in their season opener to Valley Christian, Tucson, Ariz., August 21, 2026.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
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