As the Arizona high school football season enters Week 6, the Star presents our weekly look back at the best of last week while charging ahead toward what we might be able to expect from programs across Tucson and surrounding communities this Thursday or Friday night.
Team of the week
Sierra Vista Buena beat Pueblo, 3-1 at the time, 34-14 at home on Friday to start the season 5-0 for the first time since 1977.
Buena junior QB/FS Nash Moore was 8 for 12 for 144 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Nine Colts ran the ball, led by junior RB/LB Andres Bonilla, who ran for 90 yards and a score on 13 carries.
On defense, sophomore LB/OL Cooper Kraus made 10 tackles, 4 solo.
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Buena's Nash Moore (9) gets off the pass as the pocket collapses around him at Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 1, 2023.
The Colts went 0-10 in 2015 and 2016 when head coach Joe Thomas first arrived but were 7-3 last year and 8-3 in 2019. Thomas was born in Sierra Vista and grew up in Huachuca City.
According to azfootballarchives.com, the Colts went 9-0 in the regular season in 1977. Buena closed out the regular season that year with a 48-19 win over Salpointe Catholic and then beat the Lancers 15-6 in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Phoenix Maryvale 16-14 in the second round.
The Colts host Marana (1-4) this week.
Recruiting trail
CDO senior OL/DL Sa'Kylee Woodard helped lead the Dorados to the 49-21 win over Marana on Sept. 22, his birthday. Woodard is a three-star recruit that UA, Army, Campbell and NAU have offered, according to arizonavarsity.com.
Stat book
Mica Mountain senior Kason Colbert ran for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns on 12 carries in the Thunderbolts’ 42-27 win over Casa Grande on Friday. On defense, Colbert made 5 tackles.
Marana's Jaelen Collins (4), left, gets a handful of Canyon del Oro’s Kayden Luke’s (30) face mask while he tries to fend off Dermain Linen Jr (2) on a punishing run up the middle in the fourth quarter of their game at Marana High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 22, 2023.
Canyon del Oro senior Kayden Luke ran for 226 yards and 3 touchdowns on 21 carries as the Dorados rallied from a 14-0 half-time deficit to beat Marana 49-21 last week. On defense, Luke had 4 tackles.
Two backs ran for over 100 yards for Amphitheater in their 34-6 win over Cholla on Friday. Junior Malique Maro ran for 113 yards and a score on 13 carries, and junior Jacob Espinoza rushed for 127 yards and four touchdowns on 19 attempts.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace, an alumnus of Tucson High and Alabama, and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson of Salpointe Catholic and Texas, pose for a photo after an NFL preseason game Aug. 24 in Atlanta.
Quotable
"Nice: Levi Wallace in his introduction during tonight's Sunday Night Football Game with the Pittsburgh Steelers: 'Levi Wallace, Tucson High School.' Coulda said, 'Levi Wallace, Alabama.' Stuck with his hometown. Love it."
— Javier Morales of AllSportsTucson.com via X(Twitter) Sunday night. After starring at Tucson High, Wallace walked on at Alabama. He went undrafted before becoming an NFL veteran. The defensive back had two interceptions in the Steelers’ 23-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ohio State's Lathan Ransom (8) celebrates a win after an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina)
Next level
Ohio State senior safety Lathan Ransom won Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Buckeyes’ 17-14 win at Notre Dame. The Salpointe Catholic alum had a career-high 13 tackles at ND. Ransom was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award (best defensive back in the country) last year.
Games of the Week
Pusch Ridge's Noah Secrest (7) gets his hands warmed up as the Lions recover and his teammates get ready to face Catalina Foothills at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, Tucson, Ariz., September 14, 2023.
Pusch Ridge Christian (5-0) at Sabino (4-1)
Location: 5000 North Bowes Road
Notable: Tucson’s 3A powers collide on the Sabino High School campus Friday at 7 p.m. Pusch Ridge Christian Academy comes in with a perfect record and three dominant wins while Sabino recovered from its lone loss to 4A Mica Mountain to rout Safford 50-21 before a bye last week. Sabino leads the all-time series 4-2 but the Lions topped the Sabercats 41-20 last year to snap a three-game losing streak to their eastern 3A rivals.
Tanque Verde High School’s Gavin Gilbert (45) and John Pfleger (58) collapse in on the Catalina ball carrier during TV’s 58-0 win Sept. 22, 2023, at Catalina High School.
Tombstone (4-1) at Tanque Verde (4-1)
Location: 4201 North Melpomene Way
Notable: The team too tough to die lost 23-20 at home to Willcox to suffer its first defeat of the season. It was Willcox’s first regular victory of the season (to go along with a forfeit win over Florence ALA — Anthem South). Meanwhile, Tanque Verde blasted Catalina 58-0 last week in a game vs. two teams coming in at 3-1 on the year. It’s the Hawks’ third straight blowout win. The Yellow Jackets and Hawks square off Friday at 7 p.m.
Video Vault
Check out these highlights from last week's matchup that saw Tanque Verde (now 4-1 on the season) shutout Catalina, 58-0.
VIDEO: Tanque Verde senior Michael McKenna scores from a yard out in the Hawks' 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Tanque Verde sophomore Anthony Torgerson gets the Hawks' defense into the scoring mix, returning an interception for a touchdown in Tanque Verde's 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Gavin Gilbert scores again, this time from eight yards out, in Tanque Verde's 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Gavin Gilbert scores for the third time, this one a 6-yard run, in Tanque Verde's 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Tanque Verde junior Kason White scores a 7-yard touchdown in the Hawks' 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Senior Grayson Bradshaw scores from 11 yards out in Tanque Verde's 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Tanque Verde got the proverbial ball rolling downhill early on Sept. 22, 2023 against Catalina, scoring early on a safety in the Hawks' 58-0 rout at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
VIDEO: Tanque Verde junior Deion Harrison scores on a 33-yard touchdown run to put the Hawks up 9-0 in their eventual 58-0 rout of Catalina on Sept. 22, 2023 at Catalina High School. Video by James Kelley/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Picture This
After Marana's new turf field was damaged by storms just prior to the start of the season, the Tigers had to wait until last Friday night to play their first home game of the year. They led 14-0 over unbeaten Canyon del Oro, but the Dorados were the ones surging in the second half en route to that 49-21 win. Here's the Star's photo gallery from Friday's game:
CDO runs off seven straight touchdowns to erase a 14-point halftime deficit, spoiling the Tigers' delayed home opener on Sept. 22, 2023, in Ma…
... And the night before, Cienega defeated Tempe McClintock, 23-19 to not only improve to 3-2 on the season, but 3-0 at home. Here's the Star's photo gallery from last Thursday's matchup:
The Bobcats bounce back from a loss last week to drop the visiting the Chargers 23-19 at Cienega High School, September 21, 2023, Tucson, Ariz…
Michael Lev column: Like many city schools in Tucson, Rincon/University has struggled to field a competitive football program. Head coach Khyree Copeland is determined to change that narrative.
Victories, participation up at Catalina High School; '23 win total already topping '21, '22Catalina High School won just one game apiece in 2021 and 2022 (and each via forfeit). This year: Three wins in the Trojans' first three games has coach Greg McKinstry, his staff and his players looking toward a brighter football future.
Michael Lev column: Canyon del Oro senior Kayden Luke is atypical in many ways, from his insanely early wakeup calls to his willingness to play both tailback and middle linebacker.
