Super 7: Cienega, Catalina Foothills battling it out for the Star's No. 1 spot
- Updated
The Star's picks for the top seven high school football teams in Southern Arizona.
- Arizona Daily Star
The Star ranks the top seven high school football teams in Southern Arizona each week. Here is this week's power poll, with last week's rankings in parentheses:
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Cienega train just keeps rolling. The Bobcats are still undefeated after taking down Sierra Vista Buena 62-17 last week. While it's worrying that Cienega gave up 17 points to a winless team that hasn't won a game since the 2014 season, a win is a win.
Here's where the fun begins. Cienega has two games left, and they'll be the two toughest games the Bobcats will play all year. They finish with games at No. 3 Ironwood Ridge and at No. 4 Mountain View, respectively.
Although Cienega faces those two ranked opponents on the road, we predict the Bobcats will still win both of the tilts and finish the regular season unbeaten — and the numbers back that prediction up. The Bobcats have won their three toughest games to date — against Marana, against Tucson High and at Salpointe Catholic — by a combined margin of 169-68. The Nighthawks and Mountain Lions might put up big points on Cienega, but expect the Bobcats to come out on the winning side of both games.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Catalina Foothills won its sixth straight game last week, rolling past Cholla 65-22. Since Week 3, the Falcons are undefeated and averaging 54.3 points per game.
The Falcons are led by a trio of tremendous seniors: Quarterback Rhett Rodriguez and receivers Bryan Beckon and Jimmy Stewart. RhettRod has completed a whopping 66.7 percent of his passes this year for 1,566 yards and 20 touchdowns. Beckon has amassed 557 receiving yards and seven scores and Stewart has accounted for 414 yards and seven touchdowns.
This week is Catalina Foothills' last true test of the regular season: The Falcons travel to take on No. 6 Salpointe Catholic. But behind their productive threesome, expect the Falcons to come home with the win and head into the final week of the regular season 8-1.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Nighthawks barely edged out Tucson High last week for a 20-17 win, their smallest margin of victory this year. Ironwood Ridge's 20 points were the fewest its scored in a victory all season.
I-Ridge hosts No. 1-ranked Cienega this week, and it doesn't look good for the home team. No team has found any answers for the Bobcats' high-powered offense. Cienega has only scored less than 40 points in one game this year, so expect the Bobcats to come out on top of this one.
The Nighthawks will probably drop a few spots in our rankings next week. They'll get a nice rebound game next week, against 2-6 Sahuaro.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
For the last couple weeks we've written that Mountain View might be the most unpredictable team in Southern Arizona, and last week proved that's true. The Mountain Lions squeaked out a 35-28 win over a Sahuaro team that's now 2-6.
This week will almost certainly be a win for the Mountain Lions, as they travel to take on winless Sierra Vista Buena. Mountain View will end the regular season against Cienega, which has the potential to be one of the best games of the year.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Sabercats just keep finding ways to win ballgames and look dominant while doing it. Since its only loss of the season in Week 3, Sabino has won every game by an average of 46.2 points. The Sabercats also have Drew Dixon, who is one of the most versatile players in all of Southern Arizona. Dixon plays three of the most important positions on the field — quarterback, running back and wide receiver.
Dixon completed 11 of 16 passes for 283 yards and five touchdowns (and no interceptions), rushed eight times for 16 yards and caught one pass for another 20 yards in last week's win over Sahuarita.
The Sabercats should have no problem whatsoever winning their final two regular-season games to head into the postseason 9-1.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Last week, Salpointe Catholic blew out Nogales 57-0 on the road to improve to 6-2. That's two straight shutouts for the Lancers, who scored 56 points and 57 points in those two games, respectively. Salpointe's defense is the real story of the season; the Lancers' D only gives up an average of 16.5 points per game.
Salpointe's offense has been clicking on all cylinders in recent weeks, too. Last Friday, sophomore running back Mario Padilla scored five touchdowns — four rushing and one on a punt return.
This week the Lancers host No. 2 Catalina Foothills and will likely drop that game to the Falcons. Salpointe then finishes the regular season with a game against Canyon del Oro.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Desert View suffered its first loss of the season two weeks ago against Mountain View but promptly got back on track last week with a win over Flowing Wells. The Jaguars rolled past the Caballeros 42-7 last Friday to improve to 7-1.
This week should be a tough outing for the Jaguars, as they host a surging Marana team that's riding a six-game winning streak. Expect Marana to get the better of Desert View this week and knock the Jaguars out of our rankings for next week.
- Arizona Daily Star
Click the photo below to check out this week's high school football matchups.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Click the photo below to check out Tucson's top 10 high school quarterbacks so far this season.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Click the photo below to check out Tucson's top 10 high school running backs so far this season.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Click the photo below to check out Tucson's top 10 high school wide receivers so far this season.
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- Arizona Daily Star
The Cienega train just keeps rolling. The Bobcats are still undefeated after taking down Sierra Vista Buena 62-17 last week. While it's worrying that Cienega gave up 17 points to a winless team that hasn't won a game since the 2014 season, a win is a win.
Here's where the fun begins. Cienega has two games left, and they'll be the two toughest games the Bobcats will play all year. They finish with games at No. 3 Ironwood Ridge and at No. 4 Mountain View, respectively.
Although Cienega faces those two ranked opponents on the road, we predict the Bobcats will still win both of the tilts and finish the regular season unbeaten — and the numbers back that prediction up. The Bobcats have won their three toughest games to date — against Marana, against Tucson High and at Salpointe Catholic — by a combined margin of 169-68. The Nighthawks and Mountain Lions might put up big points on Cienega, but expect the Bobcats to come out on the winning side of both games.
- Arizona Daily Star
Catalina Foothills won its sixth straight game last week, rolling past Cholla 65-22. Since Week 3, the Falcons are undefeated and averaging 54.3 points per game.
The Falcons are led by a trio of tremendous seniors: Quarterback Rhett Rodriguez and receivers Bryan Beckon and Jimmy Stewart. RhettRod has completed a whopping 66.7 percent of his passes this year for 1,566 yards and 20 touchdowns. Beckon has amassed 557 receiving yards and seven scores and Stewart has accounted for 414 yards and seven touchdowns.
This week is Catalina Foothills' last true test of the regular season: The Falcons travel to take on No. 6 Salpointe Catholic. But behind their productive threesome, expect the Falcons to come home with the win and head into the final week of the regular season 8-1.
- Arizona Daily Star
The Nighthawks barely edged out Tucson High last week for a 20-17 win, their smallest margin of victory this year. Ironwood Ridge's 20 points were the fewest its scored in a victory all season.
I-Ridge hosts No. 1-ranked Cienega this week, and it doesn't look good for the home team. No team has found any answers for the Bobcats' high-powered offense. Cienega has only scored less than 40 points in one game this year, so expect the Bobcats to come out on top of this one.
The Nighthawks will probably drop a few spots in our rankings next week. They'll get a nice rebound game next week, against 2-6 Sahuaro.
- Arizona Daily Star
For the last couple weeks we've written that Mountain View might be the most unpredictable team in Southern Arizona, and last week proved that's true. The Mountain Lions squeaked out a 35-28 win over a Sahuaro team that's now 2-6.
This week will almost certainly be a win for the Mountain Lions, as they travel to take on winless Sierra Vista Buena. Mountain View will end the regular season against Cienega, which has the potential to be one of the best games of the year.
- Arizona Daily Star
The Sabercats just keep finding ways to win ballgames and look dominant while doing it. Since its only loss of the season in Week 3, Sabino has won every game by an average of 46.2 points. The Sabercats also have Drew Dixon, who is one of the most versatile players in all of Southern Arizona. Dixon plays three of the most important positions on the field — quarterback, running back and wide receiver.
Dixon completed 11 of 16 passes for 283 yards and five touchdowns (and no interceptions), rushed eight times for 16 yards and caught one pass for another 20 yards in last week's win over Sahuarita.
The Sabercats should have no problem whatsoever winning their final two regular-season games to head into the postseason 9-1.
- Arizona Daily Star
Last week, Salpointe Catholic blew out Nogales 57-0 on the road to improve to 6-2. That's two straight shutouts for the Lancers, who scored 56 points and 57 points in those two games, respectively. Salpointe's defense is the real story of the season; the Lancers' D only gives up an average of 16.5 points per game.
Salpointe's offense has been clicking on all cylinders in recent weeks, too. Last Friday, sophomore running back Mario Padilla scored five touchdowns — four rushing and one on a punt return.
This week the Lancers host No. 2 Catalina Foothills and will likely drop that game to the Falcons. Salpointe then finishes the regular season with a game against Canyon del Oro.
- Arizona Daily Star
Desert View suffered its first loss of the season two weeks ago against Mountain View but promptly got back on track last week with a win over Flowing Wells. The Jaguars rolled past the Caballeros 42-7 last Friday to improve to 7-1.
This week should be a tough outing for the Jaguars, as they host a surging Marana team that's riding a six-game winning streak. Expect Marana to get the better of Desert View this week and knock the Jaguars out of our rankings for next week.
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