By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The Dan Coats-coached No. 13 Duncan Wildkats (4-4 seeding, 44.2899) host No. 2 and 1A East Region Winkelman Hayden (8-0, 69.8695) while No. 18 Fort Thomas (1-7, 33.2864) visits No. 16 and 1A Independent Phoenix Maryvale Prep (1-6, 40.3687) on Friday, Oct. 16. The kick-off for both contests is 7 p.m.
Hayden began 2026 with back-to-back-to-back winning seasons (2023-25) with an average score per game of 55-10 (1,968-369) or a 45-point margin through 36 games, while the Wildkats averaged a 24-34 (608-840) score per game or a 10-point deficit through 25 games during the same 3-year span.
The Lobos currently have an 8-0 record with an average score per game of 44-18 (349-146), or a 26-point margin, compared to 4-4 and an average 32-36 (256-290) score per game, or a 4-point deficit, by the Wildkats.
Duncan is 93-95 (.495) in 24 seasons (since 2003) of 8-man football, with 13 of 23 under .500, while Hayden is 105-53 (.665) in 16 seasons with 4-15 below .500 in the same format. Five different head coaches have guided the Wildkats while two have been on the sidelines for the Lobos.
This week (Oct. 16), for 1A South Region members, No. 4 Saint David (6-2, 64.4920) hosts No. 17 and 1A West Region Bagdad (1-6, 38.8307) while No. 19 Baboquivari (0-6, 27.1192) visits No. 11 and 1A East Region San Manuel (2-6, 49.8903).
1A No. 2 Hayden Lobos (8-0 seeding, 69.8695 rating)
The Lobos (8-0 seeding, 4-0 region) have seeding wins over Superior (65-42, Aug. 21), 1A West Region Salome (42-6, Aug. 28), Kearny Ray (43-6, Sept. 4), 1A North Region Heber Mogollon (34-32, Sept. 11), San Manuel (57-6, Sept. 18), 1A North Region Wiliams (14-6, Sept. 25), 1A South Region Saint David (30-28, Oct. 2), and Scottsdale Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep (63-20, Oct. 9).
There are 22 Lobos on the roster, including 10 seniors, six juniors, four sophomores, and 2 freshmen. The seniors are John Aguirre (4), Ryan Garner (1), Luke Gonzales (6), Edward Jaramillo (72), Mj Oropeza (44), Javier Ortega (60), Benjamin Quesada (74), Darren Smith (2), Juni Valenzuela (76), and Blake Vargas (5); juniors Moses Acevedo (30), Alijah Aguirre (0), Marcos Hong (52), Cj Lacey (8), Isaiah Perez (7), and Kaiden Weber (16); sophomores Jade Aguirre (34), Dante Franco (58), Robert Gallego (21), and Nico Lopez (66); and freshmen Octavius Baeza (54) and Cody Vargas (80).
The Lobos are competing in the 5-team 1A East Region with the Kearny Ray Bearcats, the Scottsdale Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep Centurions, the San Manuel Miners, and the Superior Panthers.
Hayden is 127-78 overall under 21-year (2004-23, 2026) head coach John Estrada.
1A No. 13 Duncan Wildkats (4-4 seeding, 44.2899 rating)
The Wildkats (4-4 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), 1A East Region Kearny Ray (14-68, Oct. 2), and 1A East Region San Manuel (22-46, Oct. 9).
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); sophomores Max Barker (35) and Killian Galvin (50); 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.
Maryvale Prep (1-6, 40.3687)
1A No. 16 Maryvale Prep Matadors (1-6 seeding, 40.3687 rating)
The Matadors have seeding a win over 1A West Region Glendale Desert Heights Prep (40-20, Aug. 27) along with losses to 1A West Region Bagdad (24-42, Aug. 21), New Mexico Las Cruces Mesilla Valley Christian (16-42, Sept. 4), 1A South Region Duncan (46-74, Sept. 18), 1A North Region Heber Mogollon (6-54, Sept. 25), 1A East Region Scottsdale Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep (14-52, Oct. 1), and 1A West Region Salome (46-66, Oct. 8).
There are 32 Matadors on the roster, including six seniors, six juniors, 13 sophomores, and seven freshmen. The seniors are Angel Casamiro (52), Abraham Cuellar (77), Izzy Gonzalez (1), Josiah Gonzalez (44), Alfredo Rodriguez (98), and Antonio Nicolaescu Terrones (99); juniors Davian Lovato (35), Nehemiah Amador-Martinez (9), Titus Myers (5), Alejandro Navarro (23), Edwardo Quijas (55), Hussain Sadique (84); sophomores Julian Camacho (72), Kaeden Cannon (42), Damian Gordillo (93), Pedro Guzman (74), Andre Iturbe (12), Timothy Kim (22), Aiden Mercado (2), Christopher Pizzaro-Ramirez (68), Julian Pacheco (10), Miguel Pacheco (24), Julian Ruiz (47), Victormanuel Soto (75), and Chris Vindola (8); and freshmen Alvaro Angeles (80), Adrian Garcia (3), Efrain Heidmann (50), Andres Navarro (30), Dominik Pina (66), Aureliano Portillo (21), and Joshua Jimenez Vargas (65).
The Matadors are competing as an Independent.
Maryvale Prep is 4-17 overall under third-year (2023-24, 2026) head coach Thomas Barringer.
1A No. 18 Fort Thomas Apaches (1-7 seeding, 33.8520 rating)
The Apaches (1-7 seeding, 1-2 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), and Saint David (8-79, Oct. 9).
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 1-7 overall under first-year (2026) head coach Evan Stringfellow
1A State Rankings
The state-wide 1A rankings as of Oct. 13 were Williams (6-1 seeding, 70.9167 rating) No. 1, Winkelman Hayden (8-0, 69.8695) No. 2, Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (7-0, 68.1679) No. 3, Saint David (6-2, 64.4920) No. 4, Heber Mogollon (5-3, 62.8171) No. 5, and Joseph City (5-2, 59.3602) No. 6.
Scottsdale Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep (5-2, 58.0576) was No. 7. Superior (5-3, 56.6371) No. 8, Kearny Ray (3-4, 54.8778) No. 9, Salome (4-4, 51.7808) No. 10, San Manuel (2-6, 49.8903) No. 11, and Mayer (3-4, 44.8193) No. 12.
The Top 12 of 19 teams will advance to the postseason, with Nos. 1-4 having a bye and Nos. 5-12 will play each other at the higher seed in the first round on Oct. 23. The quarterfinals will see the winners advance to face the Top 4 on Oct. 30. The semifinals are Nov. 6-7, and the final is Nov. 14, on the Scottsdale Coronado campus, 7501 East Virginia Avenue.
Rankings for the remaining South Region members were Duncan (4-4, 44.2899) No. 13, Fort Thomas (1-7, 33.2864) No. 18, and Sells Baboquivari (0-6, 27.1192) No. 19.
1A South Region
The final region standings as of Oct. 10 were Saint David (6-2 overall, 3-0 region) first, Duncan (4-4, 2-1) second, Fort Thomas (1-7, 1-2) third, and Sells Baboquivari (0-6, 0-3) fourth.
Region pairings to date include Saint David over Baboquivari (90-6, Aug. 28), Duncan (50-8, Sept. 11), and Fort Thomas (79-8, Oct. 9); Duncan over Fort Thomas (28-14, Aug. 28) and Baboquivari (38-0, Sept. 25); and Fort Thomas over Baboquivari (18-8, Sept. 4).
