By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The Dan Coats-coached Duncan Wildkats (4-3 overall) host the 1A East Region San Manuel Miners (1-6) on Friday, Oct. 9. The kick-off is 7 p.m. on Packer Field.
The pairing is also for Duncan’s 24th homecoming in the 8-man format. The Wildkats have a 16-7 record with an average score of 37-21 (862-489) or 16-point margin for its homecoming game. Although the 2021 game with Kearny Ray (Oct. 8) was not played, a ceremony was held in the gymnasium, a king and queen were crowned, and a picnic followed on Packer Field.
The Wildkats are 4-0 over Saint David (42-20 in 2003, 36-5 in 2006, 66-20 in 2017, 28-18 in 2019), 3-0 over Fort Thomas (26-12 in 2009, 58-14 in 2011, 26-20 in 2016), 2-0 over Sells Baboquivari (70-26 in 2018, 50-20 in 2025), 2-1 over Elfrida Valley Union (60-26 in 2020, 54-12 in 2022, 6-46 in 2023), and 1-0 over Tempe Prep (52-8 in 2004), Phoenix Veritas Prep (48-0 in 2007), Scottsdale Salt River (36-0 in 2010), Superior (72-30 in 2012), and Anthem Prep (36-8 in 2015).
Visiting teams leaving with wins were Clifton in 2005 (22-16), Pima in 2008 (66-14) and 2024 (20-40), Ray in 2013 (14-6), and Gilbert Christian in 2014 (61-12).
San Manuel is 4-2 over Duncan since 2020, with an average score per game of 34-17 (204-102) or a 17-point margin. However, the Wildkats have won the most recent two games 22-16 (Sept. 6, 2024) in Duncan and 28-14 (Oct. 10) in San Manuel with an average score per game of 25-15 (50-30) or a 10-point margin.
This week (Oct. 9) for 1A South Region members, Saint David (5-2) hosts Fort Thomas (1-6) and Baboquivari (0-5) visits 1A West Region Glendale Desert Heights Prep (2-4).
1A No. 11 San Manuel Miners (1-6 seeding, 48.0807 rating)
The Miners (1-6 seeding, 0-4 region) have a seeding win over 1A West Region Phoenix Valley Lutheran (58-6, Aug. 22) as well as losses to Kearny Ray (6-29, Aug. 27), 1A West Region Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (0-42, Sept. 4), 1A North Region Joseph City (14-40, Sept. 11), Winkelman Hayden (6-57, Sept. 18), Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep (14-36, Sept. 18), and Superior (38-44, Oct. 2).
San Manuel visits 1A South Region Duncan (Oct. 9) and hosts 1A South Region Sells Baboquivari (Oct. 16).
There are 20 Miners on the roster, including six seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores, and three freshmen. The seniors are Thomas Bayze (25), Frank Cline (78), Taylor Decker (7), Brody Fletcher (0), Daniel Najera(13), and Santiago Pinedo (12); juniors Anthony Boisvine (18), Elijah Boisvine (44), Damian Cervantes (77),and Nate Holley (2); sophomores Julian Garcia (10), Dillon Loya (3), Gabriel Valenzuela (8), Isaac Zazueta (5), Josh Zazueta (1), Joshua Zazueta (66), and Mikael Zazueta (52); and freshmen Izzy Boisvine (18), Asher Clark(80), and Logan Points (15)..
The Miners are competing in the 5-team 1A East Region with the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the Scottsdale Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep Centurions, the Superior Panthers, and the Winkelman Hayden Lobos.
San Manuel is 24-19 overall under fourth-year (2019-22, 2026) head coach Ernie Ivy.
1A No. 12 Duncan Wildkats (4-3 seeding, 44.0931 rating)
The Wildkats (4-3 seeding, 2-1 region) have seeding wins over Fort Thomas (28-14, Aug. 28), 1A North Region Sedona Red Rock (52-18, Sept. 4), 1A Independent Phoenix Maryvale Prep (74-46, Sept. 18), and Sells Baboquivari (38-0, Sept. 25) along with losses to New Mexico Lordsburg (20-48, Aug. 21), Saint David (8-50, Sept. 11), and 1A East Region Kearny Ray (14-68, Oct. 2).
Duncan hosts the 1A East Region San Manuel Miners (Oct. 9) and the 1A East Region Winkelman Hayden Lobos (Oct. 16).
There are 18 Wildkats on the roster, including seven seniors, four juniors, a sophomore, and six freshmen. The seniors Jacoby Crosby (7), Conner Free (11), Billy Johnson (63), Joe Nandino (52), Dayton Penry (1), Lloyd Wienrich (88), and Aaron Zamora (80); juniors Mark Bejarano (5), Jarren Butler (55), Karsen Lacey (4), and Drake Waters (61); sophomore Max Barker (35); and freshmen Tanner Babers (25), Zane Hancock (36), Charles Lane (24), Vance Lucio (16), Ian Lunt (81), and Chris Nandino (52).
The Wildkats are competing in the 4-team 1A South Region with the Fort Thomas Apaches, the Saint David Tigers, and the Sells Baboquivari Warriors.
The Wildkats are 10-22 overall under fourth-year (2023-26) head coach Dan Coats.
1A No. 4 Saint David Tigers (5–2 seeding, 63.7539 rating)
Saint David hosts the Fort Thomas Apaches (Oct. 9) and the 1A West Region Bagdad Sultans (Oct. 16).
The Tigers have seeding wins over Kearny Ray (30-6, Aug. 21), Sells Baboquivari (90-6, Aug. 28), Duncan (50-8, Sept. 11), 1A West Region Salome (58-14, Sept. 18), and 1A East Region Superior (40-12, Sept. 25) as well as losses to Colorado Mancos (30-32, Sept. 4) and 1A East Region Winkelman Hayden (28-30, Oct. 2).
There are 25 Tigers on the roster, including seven seniors, six juniors, four sophomores, and eight freshmen. The seniors are Emmitt Etter (6), Logan Flake (3), Luke Gorman (8), Tot Pacheco (0),Kaden Parkinson (90), Connor Posey (7), and Keston Richardson (13); juniors Garrett Etter (14), Grant Haymore (1), Vaughan Hennessey (76), Xavier Martinez (11), Champ Pacheco (99), Samson Riesgo (55); sophomores Gabe Davis (36), Landon Hatch (44), Canon Haynie (10), and Porter Wilson (20; and freshmen Collin Glenn (25), Bentley Johnson (22), Case Larson (9), Steven Long (87), Miguel Murzyn (12), Kace Richardson (5), Aaron Schmidt (34), and Jack Wood (63).
The Tigers are competing in the 4-team 1A South Region with the Duncan Wildkats, the Fort Thomas Apaches, and the Sells Baboquivari Warriors.
Saint David is 62-32 overall under 10th-year (2017-26) head coach Braden Davis
1A No. 18 Fort Thomas Apaches (1-6 seeding, 33.8520 rating)
The Apaches (1-6 seeding, 1-1 region) have a seeding win over Sells Baboquivari (18-8, Sept. 4) and losses to 1A West Region Salome (0-50, Aug. 21), Duncan (14-28, Aug. 28), 1A West Region Glendale Desert Heights Prep (22-34, Sept. 11), 1A East Region Superior (6-64, Sept. 18), 1A East Region Kearny Ray (16-62, Sept. 25), 1A North Region Mayer (22-30, Oct. 2).
Fort Thomas visits the Saint David Tigers (Oct. 9) and the 1A Independent Phoenix Maryvale Prep Matadors (Oct. 16).
There are 30 Apaches on the roster, including eight seniors, six juniors, six sophomores, and 10 freshmen. The seniors are Aaden Clyde (3), Antonio Kessay (71), Traeson Mull (33), Mark Nino (22), Brian Sign (30), Tayshaun Stanley (35), Adrian Thorne (73), and Kameron Upshaw (56); juniors Kayson Benally (80), Rigdon Claridge (1), Malachi Johnson (12), Vernon Nofchissey (21), Brannon Stanley (35), and Tavion Williams (34); sophomores Kani Anderson (63), Taiten DeClay (51), Noah Gustina (32), Alonzo Kenton (81), Melvin Rustin (7), and Connor Tessay (4); and freshmen Jeremy Benally (45), Jaron Black (54), Aiden Chatlin-Spez (23), Khierem Goseyun (39), Dylan Quade (55), Carmichael Kindelay (31), Jiovonnie Lang (14), Kenny McCabe Jr. (15), Avanecio Nosie (6), and Andy Yazzie (10).
The Apaches are competing in the 4-team 1A South Region with the Duncan Wildkats, the Saint David Tigers, and the Sells Baboquivari Warriors.
Fort Thomas is 1-6 overall under first-year (2026) head coach Evan Stringfellow
1A South Region
The region standing as of Oct. 3 were Saint David (5-2 overall, 2-0 region), Duncan (4-3, 2-1), Fort Thomas (1-6, 1-1), and Sells Baboquivari (0-5, 0-3).
Region pairings to date include Saint David over Baboquivari (90-6, Aug. 28) and Duncan (50-8, Sept. 11); Duncan over Fort Thomas (28-14, Aug. 28) and Baboquivari (38-0, Sept. 25); and Fort Thomas over Baboquivari (18-8, Sept. 4).
