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Team of the week

Trailing 15-0 at halftime, Walden Grove came back to beat Sahuaro 25-15.

Ranked fourth in the AIA’s preseason rankings, Walden Grove started the season 1-2 but has since won three in a row. Sahuaro’s last loss to a Class 4A school was Nov. 1, 2024, to Canyon del Oro.

Walden Grove junior quarterback Gauge Abalos went 6 for 11 for 115 yards and a touchdown. Walden Grove junior running back Sebastian Gallardo ran for 112 yards on 19 carries.

Stat book

–��Pueblo junior receiver/cornerback Darrius Taylor ran for 112 yards and a score on four carries in the Warriors’ 55-6 win over Rincon/University last week. His longest run was 80 yards. Pueblo ran for 321 yards total against the Rangers, with five Warriors rushing for at least 40 yards.

–��Tucson High receiver/slotback Noah Chanez ran for 263 yards and five touchdowns in the Badgers’ 48-33 win over Casa Grande. He also had 8 yards receiving, 10 returning punts and 130 returning kicks.

Next level

BYU junior quarterback Treyson Bourguet returns to Tucson as the Cougars play at UA on Saturday. Bourguet, a Salpointe Catholic alumnus, played at Western Michigan for his first two years in college. Bourguet is also a cousin of Marana senior quarterback Colten Meyer.

Next level II

Washington freshman receiver Dezmen Roebuck modeled the . The Marana alum caught four passes for 61 yards and a in UW’s 24-20 win over Maryland on Saturday.

Quoteable

“We don’t take any game for granted, any win for granted. Obviously, we’re on fall break right now so getting in the bus and driving two hours up here, it’s definitely different for them. Plus, it’s our first Phoenix game this year.” — Cienega head coach Justin Argraves told after the Bobcats’ 34-13 win at 6A Mesa Desert Ridge (0-6) on Friday.

Going social

It took a couple of weeks of scrutiny, distractions and being cast as the bad guys for Mesa to take an hour-and-a-half trip to Tucson and land football win No. 700, beating Salpointe 23-14. — Arizona Republic reporter . Mesa picked up win No. 700 as four transfers from Torrance (Calif.) became eligible. The California Interscholastic Federation ruled 19 players ineligible due to a transfer-for-money scandal, Bishop Montgomery forfeited the season, and their coach was fired. The AIA passed an emergency bylaw in September that made in-season, out-of-state high school transfers ineligible to participate for a year unless they are military kids. New Mesa and former Bishop Montgomery tight end Caleb Tafua, who committed to Texas A&M, had 10 catches for 94 yards.

Games of the week

Canyon del Oro (3-3) at Tucson High (3-3)

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Location:��400 N. Second Ave.

Notable:��Two teams who bounced back face off on Friday at 7 p.m. CDO beat Casa Grande Vista Grande 19-12 last week to get back to .500, while Tucson High has won its last two. Tucson High senior quarterback Derek Mesa is seventh in 5A in passing (1,408 yards). For CDO, senior defensive tackle Cody Milne is fourth in the 5A Sonoran in sacks with four and senior kicker/punter Reece Douglas is third in the region in punting with a 34.2 average.

Mica Mountain (4-2) at Walden Grove (4-2)

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Location:��15510 S. Sahuarita Park Road

Notable:��Mica Mountain has won its last two after losing two in a row for the first time since October 2022. Walden Grove won its last three to recover from its 1-2 start. They’re both only 1-0 in the 4A Kino, but Friday’s 7 p.m. game could go a long way towards determining who wins the region.

MM senior linebacker Broden Schmidt is eighth in the 4A with 57 tackles, and Walden Grove junior cornerback Jordan Dobson is tied for the 4A lead with four interceptions.