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Team of the week

Tucson High rebounded from its 0-2 start to beat Walden Grove 27-16 on the road last week.

The Badgers lost their first game 21-20 to Mountain View and their second to Salpointe Catholic 30-17, so the Walden Grove matchup became all the more important.

Walden Grove was ranked fourth in the AIA’s .

Tucson High senior receiver Noah Chanez ran the ball 11 times for 112 yards and a score and had a 66-yard run. He also caught eight passes for 170 yards, including a 54-yard reception.

Three Badgers had interceptions, including senior linebacker Dominic Drow, who also had 10 tackles.

THMS senior quarterback Derek Mesa threw for 229 yards, going 14 for 27 with a touchdown and an interception.

Tucson High is looking to get back to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1971, when it went three years in a row, according to . The Badgers won state titles in 1970 and 1971.

Stat book

– Senior running back/quarterback/linebacker Myles Richardson of Elfrida's Valley Union ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries in the Blue Devils’ 36-34 loss to Kearny's Ray High last week. He had a 61-yard run. He also had six tackles and caught a 12-yard pass, had 95 yards on kick returns and 66 on punt returns.

– Sabino sophomore quarterback Bodhi Sanford passed for 397 yards in the Sabercats’ 60-12 win over Coolidge on Friday. Sanford was 15 for 30 with a long of 78 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions and a quarterback rating of 107.6

– Flowing Wells senior running back/linebacker Jayden Simmons ran for 123 yards on 11 carries in the Caballeros’ 48-8 win over Phoenix North last week. On defense, he had two tackles and half a sack.

Next level

Carolina Panthers rookie safety Lathan Ransom played his first game in Arizona since high school on Sunday in the Panthers’ 27-22 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Salpointe Catholic alumnus went to Ohio State.

“It always means a lot to me when I come back to Arizona,� . “I always try to shoutout Tucson. People always think Arizona. No it's Tucson, not Phoenix. It's Tucson. Always try to show them love and give a shoutout to them because they have a special place in my heart.�

Ransom faces high school teammate Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Charlotte.

Quoteable

"First career start and this sophomore went off!!! All grit!! GO STANGS" — posted on X (Twitter) about sophomore quarterback Dane Hartnett, who ran for 120 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries in the Mustangs’ 40-3 win over Nogales.

Games of the week

Canyon del Oro (2-1) at Marana (2-1)

Location: 12000 W. Emigh Road

Notable: The two big northwest schools with the most success of late face off in Marana at 7 p.m. Friday. CDO won the 2023 4A state championship and then made the playoffs last year despite losing 28 players and its coach. Meanwhile, the Tigers went 10-0 last year to earn the top seed in the Open. Their lone 2025 loss was at 6A Salpointe Catholic, 20-18. Marana senior Colten Meyer leads the 5A with 1,001 yards passing, and CDO senior Cody Milne is tied for fourth in the conference with four sacks.

Desert View (3-0) at Mountain View (2-1)

Location: 3901 W. Linda Vista Blvd.

Notable: Both squads are off to positive starts. Desert View is 3-0 for the first time since 2021, and Mountain View opened the season with a 21-20 overtime win at Tucson High. The Mountain Lions lost 42-0 last week at Scottsdale's Desert Mountain High, but they have the chance to right the ship with the Jaguars as they open 5A Southern Region play at 7 p.m. Friday. Desert View sophomore Jaylee Abraham is second in the region in rushing with 341 yards on 35 carries, a 9.7 average.