Marana football finds hope, happiness on the gridiron

However, under the lights on Friday night, the No. 8 Tigers’ football team (1-2) gave the entire Marana community something to cheer for; something to be proud of.

Down 38-32 to No. 11 Yuma Catholic with just under three minutes to play, the Tigers embarked on a 15-play, 88-yard drive in which they converted on fourth down three times, ultimately concluding with a touchdown on fourth-and-2 from the 8-yard line with 16 seconds left, as sophomore quarterback Isaac Flores found senior receiver Jaxsun Sharp in the end zone to tie the game. Senior kicker Jacob Cards made the go-ahead PAT, sending the Marana faithful into joyful raptures, as the Tigers won on Homecoming, 39-38.

“This win means a lot, not just to us, the boys and the coaching staff, but to the entire town of Marana and our community,” Steward said regarding the Tigers’ Homecoming win. “I told them that winning isn’t going to heal everything, but it should put a smile on everyone’s face.”

Marana’s tumultuous month and a half began on Aug. 5, when Steward announced his resignation from his position as head coach. In response to massive community outreach and support, Steward rescinded his resignation and returned 24 hours later.

That following Sunday, star senior receiver Sean Roebuck Jr. was involved in a single-car rollover near campus, leaving him with season-ending injuries.

While things calmed down at the school, the football team struggled out of the gate. The Tigers lost their opening week contest against rival Salpointe Catholic, then fell to Waddell Canyon View the following week, 34-18.

On Sept. 8, 15-year-old Marana sophomore Corey Roper was found dead on campus by two staff members, causing school to be canceled. Marana Police Department officials said that Roper broke into the campus around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning and died by suicide.

Across the final three minutes of Friday’s game, all the pain and suffering was washed away, as the sport of football gave the Marana community a collective purpose.

The Tigers overcame a 10-point deficit at halftime, making corrections after an incredibly strong second quarter from a resurgent YC team hungry for revenge after the last-second loss last November in the 5A Playoffs. The Tigers surged back in the second half with a 44-yard touchdown pass to senior Jesse Howell, followed by a pick-six from the same distance by junior defensive back Carter Meyer, giving Marana its first lead since the first quarter.

“I think our coaching staff did a really, really good job of seeing what (YC) was doing in the first half and made some really great adjustments,” Steward said. “We made some great adjustments from what we had seen in the first half and found a way to exploit them in the second half.

Stats were not uploaded by the time of writing, but Marana’s backbone throughout the game was the steady presence of junior running back and linebacker Jeffrey Smith III. Smith had three touchdown rushes across the contest and got the Tigers inside the 10 with a long run on their final drive, setting up an opportunity for Flores to find Sharp.

Much like the playoff game where Yuma Catholic scored with just under two minutes to play, the Shamrocks found the end zone to take a 38-32 lead with 2:57 remaining on the clock after a short rush from junior running back Levi Stallworth, his second score of the night.

It’s not the first time the senior receiver has sent the Shamrocks packing. On Nov. 14, 2025, just over 300 days ago, Sharp hauled in a lengthy touchdown reception and broke a tackle to edge past Yuma Catholic and send the Tigers to the quarterfinals. In crunch time against the Shamrocks, there was only one player whom Steward looked to get the ball to.

“He’s our senior captain; he returned from last year, and the guys call him ‘Big Play Jaxsun,’” Steward said. “When the game was on the line, I didn’t hesitate. I already knew where to go with the ball. I went right to him and drew a play up for him, and he made the play. We need a guy like that.”

Sharp spoke of his big-play mentality after the game, citing that he can be a player that his team can rely on in the big moments, something he had already proven and doubled down on with his touchdown catch on Friday.

“I just go into a different mindset,” Sharp said. “We’re losing, we got this. Someone has to step up and get a dub for the team."

“This win means a lot for us. It means more than anything for our community,” Sharp said postgame. “We started off the season 0-2, but this win actually means more to us than anyone can imagine. This was amazing for our team, and I think it will set us up for a lot of success further down the road in the season.”

With new resolve and pride after the Marana win, the Tigers embark on a road trip to Oro Valley to play region foe Canyon del Oro (2-1) on Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.