FOOTBALL COVERAGE

Principal Heather Patterson and Athletic Director Jennifer Burks told the Varsity Football team that their Head Coach Joseph Ortiz had resigned. Coach Joseph Ortiz coached for Cactus High’s football team from 2018 to 2022. During the 2021-2022 season as the Cobras head coach, Ortiz led them to the Open State Championship, ultimately going 10-0 (W/L) in the regular season, losing in the first round of playoffs to Saguaro Highschool.  Ortiz has been with the Gilbert Highschool

Under the bright Friday night lights, Red Mountain and ALA-Queen Creek delivered the kind of playoff football that shows exactly why November games feel different. The Mountain Lions didn’t just survive the Patriots — they outlasted them, 28–21, in a back-and-forth matchup full of momentum swings, standout performances, and a tense finish that kept the entire stadium locked in. From the opening drive, Red Mountain played with control and confidence. Quarterback Dominic Carmig

Arizona has been a state of 4, a fantastic 4 you could say for high school football this season. Whether you are talking about the Hamilton Huskies, the Basha Bears, the Liberty Lions, or the Chandler Wolves this season, excellence is the standard. Arizona has 4 legitimate top 50 teams in the nation this season, and they all have a chance to hoist the open division trophy this season. These teams have some of the deepest rosters we have ever seen in Arizona, with double digit

Going back to week 7 of this high school football season we were fortunate enough to see two of the most prestigious west valley teams go head-to-head. The Liberty Lions have been one of the most decorated teams in Arizona the last few years winning back-to-back open division state championships with one of them being against a familiar face in the Centennial Coyotes resulting in a 33-21 victory for the Lions. The Coyotes were devastated after making a bold playoff run just t

Heading into the game, both teams carried momentum and motivation. Queen Creek had clawed through a roller-coaster season, while Red Mountain was riding a wave of confidence as a strong program in the region. The match-up was more than just another Friday night — it was a chance for bragging rights and to build playoff positioning. For Red Mountain, it was a chance t o show that their home field advantage and consistent defense could carry them to victory. For Queen Creek, it

It’s been a chaotic and entertaining season on the 5A level for Arizona, but most of the preseason contenders have found a way to make their way to the playoffs. This is one of the deepest playoff brackets for 5A in a while, especially with the expansion of the playoffs from 16 to 24. In this new format, the top 8 ranked teams will receive a first round bye, and the remaining 16 will have to play this week to earn their right to continue their season. 5A saw two teams finish

Combs Comes out on Top

The Chandler Wolves feasted on the Perry Pumas in their matchup as the Wolves routed Perry 39-17. Chandler's Will Mencl slang the pill for over 181 YARDS and 3 TDS. The Wolves also had the ground game going with 3 players posting over 50 YARDS from scrimmage. CHASE OCHOA 20 CAR 160 YARDS 2 TDS WILL MENCL 11 CAR 79 YARDS DAVID DOUGLAS 9 CAR 58 YARDS The Wolves are 5-1 and outscoring opponents by 100 points. Next up is Valley Vista. #chandler #wolves #chandlerwolves #perry #pu

The St. Mary's Bleacher Creature crowd propelled the team to a close win over the Thunderbird Titans, with the Knights winning 24-14. The Knights controlled the pace and the ball for the majority of the game. The Knights offense went up early 7-0 in the first quarter and it was a back-and-forth game until St. Mary's pulled away in the fourth quarter with a decisive 1-yard touchdown run by Branson Brown. St. Mary's is now 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the 4A Skyline Region. Next up

The Millennium Tigers came out on top against the Verrado Vipers, winning 45-38. The contest was tied 17-17 going into the half but the Tigers came out roaring in the second half. The top offensive performances for the Tigers belonged to Rayden Reibel and Dmari Bryant. RAYDEN REIBEL 268 YARDS 3 TDS 82.6 C% DMARI BRYANT 25 CAR 140 YARDS 2 TDS Bryant has been a workhorse on the ground, with the game against Verrado being his lowest rushing tally of the year, currently averaging

Game recap for Maricopa vs. Casa Grande

In their season opener, the Basha Bears defeated the Brophy Prep Broncos in dominant fashion, winning 42-6. The Bears offense marched up and down the field, seemingly at will. Led by a strong running game by Josh Gaines and Noah Roberts. Gaines had 2 touchdowns in the contest, one being a 58-yard run. Noah Roberts: 7 CAR, 73 YARDS, 10.4 AVG, 1 TD Josh Gaines: 13 CAR, 128 YARDS, 9.8 AVG, 2 TD The Basha defense also showed significant strength against the Brophy Broncos. The B

With all of the drastic realignment and changes the AIA has implemented, we will have a completely new landscape in 2025 for Arizona high school football. I will be previewing each region of the 3 major conferences in the AIA. Starting us off, we have the new 6A central region, which comprises Brophy, Higley, Saguaro, Shadow Ridge and Williams Field. Brophy Broncos Starting off with the Brophy Broncos out of Phoenix, the Broncos are returning many star players at the skill po