As far as I can research, there have been 38 Tucson prep football teams to finish a season 0-10 or 0-9, dating back 100 years. You'd be surprised at the “football schools” in that group.
Amphi's Hall of Fame coach Vern Friedli went 0-10 in 2006. Really.
State championship schools Palo Verde (1979, 1983, 1987, 2014), Canyon del Oro (1999), Flowing Wells (1962), Tucson High (2006, 2007), Marana (1956, 1972, 2011), Mountain View (1988), Sabino (1975, 76) and Pueblo (1996, 1997) all have been skunked, winless.
So when Santa Rita ended its 26-game losing streak a week ago, it wasn't as if coach Cam Gaddis' team was the first in such dreaded territory.
The city's longest losing streak was 33 straight, set by Catalina from 1992-95. One record book I examined says that Catalina's losing streak was "only'' 0-28, but in September of 1995 the Star reported the streak to be 33, after it finally won, beating Cholla 20-8.
People are also reading…
Cam Gaddis, Santa Rita football’s new head coach walks his players through warm up drills during a summer practice at Palo Verde High School, June 22, 2026.
Here are the longest losing streaks in Tucson prep history:
33, Catalina, 1992-95. (The Trojans were outscored 520-27 in 1993 alone).
29, Cholla, 2006-09. (The Chargers were outscored 1,117-209 over those 29 games).
26, Santa Rita, 2021-26. (The Eagles fielded only a JV team in 2023, seven losses that didn't count in the streak).
26, Pueblo, 1995-97.(The Warriors only scored 41 points in 1996).
25, Tucson, 2006-08.(Coach Vince Smith's Badgers were shut out 66-0, 55-0, 62-0 and 45-0 in 2006 but fought back to finish 5-5 in 2008.
Fortunately, no Tucson prep football team is now working on a double-digit losing streak.
UA's 1986 Tokyo trip offers lessons for Big 12’s overseas ambitions | Greg Hansen
