Santa Cruz head coach Rishard Davis  (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)

 

There are 22 games featuring teams from Southern Arizona coming up this Friday with only Benson and Willcox drawing byes. Let’s take a look at the top game in each conference and my picks for each of the 22 games:

 

Friday, Sept. 22

 

6A CONFERENCE

 

5A Desert View (2-2) at SUNNYSIDE (1-4)

Desert View beat Sunnyside 42-20 last year, ending an 0-9 streak against the Blue Devils dating back to 1989. The initial AIA/MaxPreps power rankings will be released Tuesday, Sept. 26 and both teams should be treating this game as a must-win even beyond the obvious district rivalry.

 

5A CIENEGA (4-0) at Tucson (2-3)

RINCON/UNIVERSITY (1-4) at 4A Palo Verde (1-4)

 

5A CONFERENCE

 

Queen Creek (5-0) at IRONWOOD RIDGE (4-0)

The Bulldogs handled the Nighthawks quite easily last year, winning 37-12 last year in the regular season and then once again, 42-26 in the 5A quarterfinal round.

Jace Koester ran all over the Nighthawks (366 yards and 7 TDs) last year but Koester is now a freshman at Montana State. By contrast, Devin Larsen finished with 2,524 yards passing last year but the Bulldog QB was held to a combined 212 yards passing against Ironwood Ridge in the two meetings. Stop the Queen Creek rushing attack and Ironwood Ridge wins at home to move to 5-0.

 

MARANA (2-2) at 4A Canyon del Oro (3-1)

Deming, NM (2-2) at FLOWING WELLS (1-3)

MOUNTAIN VIEW (3-1) at Poston Butte (3-1)

Sahuaro (1-3) at CHOLLA (3-2)

BUENA (3-1) at 4A Douglas (0-4)

 

4A CONFERENCE

 

CATALINA FOOTHILLS (4-1) at 3A Pusch Ridge (4-0)

A win by the Lions would give Pusch Ridge a 5-0 start and an incredible power-point advantage over regional foes. A 5-1 start for the Falcons would match the start Catania Foothills enjoyed last year. 2001 was the only other time Falcons started a season out 5-1.  

 

Nogales (1-3) at RIO RICO (1-4)

WALDEN GROVE (3-1) at Amphitheater (0-4)

Pueblo (3-1) at SALPOINTE (4-0)

 

3A CONFERENCE

 

CATALINA (3-1) at Tanque Verde (0-5) Region

The Trojans are going for a 5-1 record for the first time since 1974. The 1966 campaign also started out 5-1 and the 1967 squad started out 6-0. The 1967 team finished the year with eight wins and that total has never been matched. The 1966, 1974, 2002 and 2004 teams collected seven wins but the 5-5 team of 2009 made the last playoff appearance for the school.

Tanque Verde beat Catalina 24-6 last year but the Hawks are in danger of going 0-6 for the first time as an 11-man program. Prior to 2011, Tanque Verde competed in 8-man football.

 

Santa Rita (0-3) at SABINO (3-1) Region

EMPIRE (2-2) at Sahuarita (1-3) Region

 

2A CONFERENCE

 

SANTA CRUZ (3-0) at Arete Prep (2-2)

Rishard Davis has built a machine at Santa Cruz. The Dust Devils are on a 25-4 win streak with all four losses adding up to eight points.  

 

Tombstone (0-4) at SAN MANUEL (4-0) Region

Bisbee (2-2) at SCOTTSDALE CHRISTIAN (5-0)

Benson (1-3) BYE

Willcox (2-3) BYE

 

1A CONFERENCE

 

VALLEY UNION (2-2) at Duncan (0-4) Region

The Blue Devils need this win to keep pace with Trivium Prep in the South Region.

 

Salome (1-3) at ST. DAVID (1-3)

Baboquivari (0-4) at TRIVIUM PREP (4-0) Region