When MaxPreps released its preseason rankings for all of Arizona's high school football teams last week, it was a bit of a shock.
The highest-ranked Tucson team in the state is No. 20 Salpointe Catholic, followed by No. 25 Marana and No. 38 Mica Mountain.
That's it? No Tucson teams in the Top 10 and only three in the top 38? It's a sobering reminder of how one-time Tucson prep football powers like Sabino, Sahuaro, Amphi and Sunnyside have declined.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association has been granted power to be the official ranking agent of the state's high school football teams. Until now, a murky "power points'' system was used to rank our state's football teams.
The highest-ranked Tucson team in its classification, Mica Mountain, is No. 3 in Class 4A. Jay Campos' team is the defending state champion. How times have changed.
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Mica Mountain head football coach Jay Campos leads his players through an afternoon practice, Dec. 2, 2025.
High school football has changed so much of late. Salpointe, in 6A, does not play a Tucson team in its final eight games, matched strictly against Phoenix-area teams after Sept. 4.
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