After a mini first week of high school football that featured some of the Tucson region’s 2A and 3A schools playing, a full slate of games return across the state this week.
This first full week of play features the start of 4A, 5A and 6A, some big games, a rivalry, a game in a dome and lots of Tucson versus Phoenix match ups.
All listed games kick off at 7 p.m.
Marana Tigers Jason Wood (5) and Dermain Linen (14) are happy after scoring against Phoenix Sunnyslope in the second half of their high school football game at Marana High School, Tucson, Ariz., November 18, 2022.
CLASS 6A
Marana (10-2 in 2022) at Salpointe Catholic (7-5 in 2022)
Location: 1545 East Copper Street
Notable: Salpointe enters the season ranked No. 1 in Tucson according to Maxpreps with Marana coming in at sixth.
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CLASS 5A
Flowing Wells (3-7 in 2022) at Avondale Agua Fria (1-9 in 2022)
Location: 530 East Riley Drive, Avondale
Notable: The Owls beat the Caballeros 22-14 last season at home.
Sunnyside (7-3 in 2022) at Glendale Apollo (6-4 in 2022)
Location: 8045 N 47th Avenue, Glendale
Notable: The Blue Devils ended 2022 with a three game win streak.
Sunnyside's head coach Thomas Romack talks over the next play with quarterback Diego Arellano (1) in the third quarter of their game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., October 21, 2022.
Phoenix Betty H. Fairfax (5-5 in 2022) at Buena (7-3 in 2022)
Location: 5225 E Buena School Blvd, Sierra Vista
Notable: Last year the Colts enjoyed their first winning season since 2019.
Cienega (5-5 in 2022) at Mesa Desert Ridge (3-7 in 2022)
Location: 10045 East Madero Avenue, Mesa
Notable: Last year was the first the Bobcats didn’t have a winning record since 2015.
Surprise Willow Canyon (7-3 in 2022) at Desert View (6-3 in 2022)
Location: 4101 East Valencia Road
Notable: The Jaguars host the second leg of the Coaches For Charity Kickoff Classic, raising scholarship money for student athletes.
Mountain View (4-6 in 2022) at Gilbert (6-5 in 2022)
Location: 1101 East Elliot Road, Gilbert
Notable: The Mountain Lions open the season with three straight Phoenix area teams before playing cross town rival Marana.
Pueblo (6-4 in 2022) at Nogales (3-7 in 2022)
Location: 1905 Apache Blvd, Nogales
Notable: It’s the first time since 2014 that these two Southern Arizona Native American themed schools have faced off.
Ironwood Ridge (1-9 in 2022) at Chandler Seton Catholic Prep (2-8 in 2022)
Location: 1150 North Dobson Road, Chandler
Notable: The Nighthawks ended last season with a five game losing streak
Phoenix South Mountain (5-5 in 2022) at Tucson High (3-7 in 2022)
Location: 400 North Second Avenue
Notable: Last year the Badgers beat the Jaguars 20-12 at home.
CLASS 4A
Sahuarita (0-10 in 2022) at Phoenix Alhambra (1-9 in 2022)
Location: 3839 West Camelback Road, Phoenix
Notable: The Mustangs’ last win was Oct. 1 2021 in overtime over Rio Rico 26-23.
Mesa Eastmark (13-1 in 2022) at Canyon del Oro (10-3 in 2022)
Location: 25 West Calle Concordia
Notable: Last year Eastmark notched three wins against Tucson area schools, Sabino twice and Pusch Ridge.
Catalina Foothills cheerleader Lauren Sita, sophomore, flips in air during the first half of Catalina Foothills' game against Pusch Ridge Christian at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 9, 2022.
Catalina Foothills (6-4 in 2022) at San Tan Valley Combs (6-4 in 2022)
Location: 2505 East Germann Road, San Tan Valley
Notable: Foothills went 6-4 in both 2022 and 2021.
Amphitheater (2-8 in 2022) at Phoenix Maryvale (3-7 in 2022)
Location: 3415 North 59th Avenue, Phoenix
Notable: Amphi beat the Phoenix Panthers 23-22 in 1975 to win the Tucson Panthers’ first state championship.
Walden Grove (8-2 in 2022) at Phoenix Northwest Christian (8-3 in 2022)
Location: 16401 North 43rd Avenue, Phoenix
Notable: Walden Grove won seven straight after starting last year 1-2.
Mica Mountain (6-4 in 2022) at San Tan Valley Poston Butte (6-5 in 2022)
Location: 32375 North Gantzel Road, San Tan Valley
Notable: Mica Mountain, which opened in 2020, has never had a losing season at the varsity level, going 3-3 in 2021 and 6-4 last year.
Sabino (1-0) at Sahuaro (5-5 in 2022)
Location: 545 N Camino Seco
Notable: According to allsportstucson.com, Sabino has won three in a row in the Eastside rivalry, six of the last eight and lead the all-time series 30-17-2
Sabino High School football coach Ryan McBrayer talks to his players during practice on Aug. 14. 'It’s been a while since we held up a gold ball,' McBrayer said. 'That’d be very exciting, not only for us and our community but the entire city of Tucson.'
Empire (3-7 in 2022) at Phoenix Sierra Linda (4-6 in 2022)
Location: 3434 South 67th Avenue, Phoenix
Notable: Sierra Linda beat the Ravens 14-12 last year on the road.
Rincon/University (1-9 in 2022) at Phoenix Washington (2-8 in 2022)
Location: 2217 West Glendale Avenue
Notable: The combined enrollments of Rincon and University put them in 6A in other sports but their rough seasons in 5A the last couple of years put them in 4A.
CLASS 3A
Pusch Ridge Christian (11-2 in 2022) vs. Show Low (11-2 in 2022)
Location: NAU Walkup Skydome; 1705 South San Francisco Street, Flagstaff
Notable: Although their 3A peers started their season last week, PRCA and SL kickoff on Friday.
CLASS 2A
Catalina (1-9 in 2022) at Phoenix NFL YET (0-1)
Location: 222 East Olympic Drive, Phoenix
Notable: NFL Youth Education Town is a chain of educational and recreational centers in cities that hosted Super Bowls. The Trojans won’t have to play against Zach Ertz.
Tanque Verde (1-0) at Gilbert San Tan Charter (0-1)
Location: 3959 East Elliot Road, Gilbert
Notable: The Hawks open the season with two straight road games in the Phoenix area.
Dolphins to Dorados: Oro Valley youth football pipeline to Canyon Del Oro HS pays off
Sabino football coach Ryan McBrayer discusses his lofty expectations for his Sabercats this upcoming 2023 season. Video by Michael Lev/Arizona Daily Star
