By Raymundo Frasquillo
GRAHAM COUNTY – Off-season improvement of individual football skills and techniques was addressed, both by coaches and student-athletes, for the betterment of each team’s success during June. Next week marks the start of competition as season openers begin. The remaining are fine-tuning with a litmus strip being applied through scrimmages this week.
A dozen area teams were among the ones working toward individual off-season improvements by competing against one another during 7-on-7 passing sessions and big man challenges in Graham and Greenlee Counties. It also included hitting the weight rooms daily, each with the goal of being the state’s best team at season’s end in November, after Thanksgiving Day.
The officially listed enrollment levels for the 2024-25 school teams ranged from 141 to 920 for the Arizona teams, as Saint David counted 141 students, Miami 287, Pima 357, Morenci 367, Willcox 411, Benson 460, Globe 514, Thatcher 562, and Safford 920. The range for the New Mexico teams was 100 to 1,299 students, with Class 2A Lordsburg having between 100-234, Class 3A Bayard Cobre 235-549, and Class 4A Silver 550-1,299.
Four 7-on-7 passing sessions as well as big man challenge sessions, one in Pima and three in Safford, were held in Graham County, on Pima’s Edd Hubbard Field (June 3) and on Safford’s Herman BB Andrews Track and Field (June 10, 17, 24).
Squaring off in Graham County were Benson, Globe, Miami, Morenci, Pima, Safford, Saint David, and Thatcher, along with Lordsburg and Silver High.
Additionally, Morenci held a session in Greenlee County on June 19, hosting Benson, Cobre, and Willcox.
BENSON Bobcats
2A South 2 Region
(Home: Jerry P. Lee Athletic Complex)
Benson visits Bisbee (Aug. 22) and Phoenix Christian (Aug. 29), hosts Tombstone (Sept. 5), Tucson Tanque Verde (Sept. 12), Phoenix Veritas Prep (Sept. 19), and Morenci (Sept. 26), visits Eloy Santa Cruz (Oct. 3), hosts Tucson Desert Christian (Oct. 10), and visits Willcox (Oct. 17).
Last season, the No. 22 Bobcats finished 5-5 overall, 4-3 in the 2A San Pedro Region for fourth of eight, and 4-2 at home, averaging a 32-19 (316-186) score per game or a 13-point margin.
Chris Rasmussen begins his third (9-11 overall, 6-7 region, 6-5 home) season as the Bobcats’ head coach.
GLOBE Tigers
2A East Region
(Home: Harbison Field)
Globe welcomes Whiteriver Alchesay (Aug. 22), visits Eloy Santa Cruz (Aug. 29) and San Carlos (Sept. 5), hosts Miami (Sept. 12) and Morenci (Sept. 19), visits Saint Johns (Sept. 26), hosts Pima (Oct. 3), and visits Gilbert Arete Prep (Oct. 10) and Tucson Catalina (Oct. 17).
Brady Hoff begins his initial season as the Tigers’ head coach.
Last season, the No. 29 Tigers finished 5-5 overall, 3-3 in the 2A Black Region for fourth of seven, and 4-2 at home, averaging a 24-21 (239-209) score per game or a 3-point margin.
The Tigers went 14-24 overall, 8-14 in the region, and 7-11 at home under 4-year (2021-24) head coach Talmage Hansen.
MIAMI Vandals
2A East Region
(Home: Nick Ragus Stadium)
Miami hosts Tombstone (Aug. 22) and Tucson Santa Rita (Aug. 29), visits Glendale Trivium Prep (Sept. 5), Globe (Sept. 12), and Glendale Prep (Sept. 18), hosts Pima (Sept. 26), visits Morenci (Oct. 3), hosts Saint Johns (Oct. 10), and visits Gilbert San Tan Charter (Oct. 17).
Last season, the Vandals finished 7-4 overall, 5-1 in the 2A Black Region for second of seven, and 4-1 at home, averaging a 29-24 (317-264) score per game or a 4-point margin. The No. 10 Vandals fell 20-80 to No.7 Arizona Lutheran during the state tourney first round.
Brandon Powell (41-38 overall, 25-17 region, 0-2 state, 24-16 home) is in his eighth season as the head coach.
MORENCI Wildcats
2A East Region
(Home: Lawson Stadium)
The 2024 Wildcats finished as 3A No. 24 with records of 3-7 overall, 0-4 in the 3A South Region for fifth of five, and 2-4 at home, averaging a 16-25 (164-249) score per game or a 9-point deficit.
Morenci returns to the 2A ranks this season following two in 3A, posting marks of 11-11 overall, 3-5 region, 1-1 state playoffs, and 5-6 at home while averaging a score of 22-19 (479-422) per game or a 3-point margin.
The Wildcats welcome Safford (Aug. 22) and Tucson Tanque Verde (Aug. 29), visit Willcox (Sept. 5), host Bisbee (Sept. 12), visit Globe (Sept. 19) and Benson (Sept. 26), host Miami (Oct. 3), and visit Pima (Oct. 10) and Saint Johns (Oct. 17).
Frankie Gonzalez is in his second season as the head coach.
PIMA Roughriders
2A East Region
(Home: Edd Hubbard Field)
Pima kicks travels to Scottsdale Christian (Aug. 21) and Tombstone (Aug. 29), hosts Eagar Round Valley (Sept. 5), Willcox (Sept. 12), and Saint Johns (Sept. 19), visits Miami (Sept. 26) and Globe (Oct. 3), hosts Morenci (Oct. 10), and visits Phoenix Madison Highland Prep (Oct. 17).
Last season, the Roughriders finished 12-2 overall, 6-0 in the 2A Black Region for first place, averaging a 36-14 (499-199) score per game or a 22-point margin. Twelfth-ranked Scottsdale Christian edged the No. 3 Roughriders 28-27 for the state title.
Josh Wilkins is in his fourth season (38-4 overall, 17-0 region, 9-3 state, 23-3 home) as the head coach. The Roughriders have outscored opponents by an average score per game of 42-13 (1,765-541) or a 29-point margin as a 3-time state finalist under Wilkins.
SAFFORD Bulldogs
3A South Region
(Home: Herman BB Andrews Track and Field)
Safford opens in Morenci (Aug. 22), hosts Lakeside Blue Ridge (Aug. 29) and Chandler Seton Catholic (Sept. 5), travels to Winslow (Sept. 12) and Coolidge (Sept. 18), hosts San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills (Sept. 26), visits Thatcher (Oct. 3), s hosts Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (Oct. 17) and Florence (Oct. 24), and visits Tucson Sabino (Oct. 31).
The Bulldogs have a coaching change for 2025 as Ishmael MacNeil follows Robert Park. McNeil was at 3A West Wickenburg for three seasons (2022-24), going 14-17 overall, 5-9 region, 0-1 state playoffs, and 7-8 at home with an average score per game of 20-23 (623-708) or a 3-point deficit through 31 games.
The 2024 Wranglers went 7-4 overall, 2-2 region, 0-1 state playoffs, and 3-2 at home while averaging a 23-13 (253-140) score per game or a 10-point margin.
Last season, the Bulldogs finished 4-6 overall, 2-2 in the 3A South Region for third of five, and 2-3 at home, averaging a 12-24 (121-237) score per game or a 12-point deficit.
The Bulldogs went 18-24 overall, 6-11 region, 0-2 state playoffs, and 8-12 at home with an average score per game of 19-27 (804-1,149) or an 8-point deficit during four seasons (2021-24) under Park.
SAINT DAVID Tigers
1A South Region
Saint David opens at home with Elfrida Valley Union (Aug. 22), travels to Sells Baboquivari (Aug. 29) and San Manuel (Sept. 5), hosts Duncan Sept. (12), visits Salome (Sept. 19), hosts Superior (Sept. 26) and Winkelman Hayden (Oct. 3), and visits Fort Thomas (Oct. 10) and Bagdad (Oct. 17).
Last season, the Tigers went 9-2 overall, 6-0 region for first of seven, 1-1 state playoffs, and 5-1 at home while averaging a 52-18 (576-193) score per game or a 34-point margin. Top-ranked Hayden ousted No. 4 Saint David from the state tourney with a 6-53 semifinal loss.
Braden Davis is in his ninth season (50-26 overall, 6-11 region, 5-6 state, 25-9 home) as the Tigers’ head coach.
THATCHER Eagles
3A South Region
(Home: EAC’s Mickelson Stadium)
Thatcher opens at home with Queen Creek American Leadership – Ironwood (Aug. 22), travels to Apache Junction (Aug. 28), Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (Sept. 5), and Florence (Sept. 12), hosts Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (Sept. 26) and Safford (Oct. 3), visits San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills (Oct. 10), hosts Payson (Oct. 17) and Tucson Sabino (Oct. 24), and visits Coolidge (Oct. 31).
Last season, the Eagles finished 10-3 overall, 3-1 in the 3A South Region for second of five, and 5-2 at home, averaging a 31-13 (402-172) score per game or an 18-point margin. The No. 2 Waddell American Leadership – West Foothills Lobos ended the No. 3 Eagles’ season with a 22-34 state meet semifinal loss.
Thatcher is 43-17 overall, 18-4 region, 7-5 state, and 23-8 at home under sixth-year (2020-25) head coach Daniel Jones. The Eagles averaged a 32-18 (1,922-1,075) score per game during the previous five seasons, and were ranked No. 10 (2020), No. (2021), No. 1 (2022), No. 7 (2023), and No. 3 (2024).
WILLCOX Cowboys
2A South Region
(Home: Cowboys Stadium)
Willcox opens in Tucson against Palo Verde Magnet (Aug. 22), visits Arizona Lutheran (Aug. 29), hosts Morenci (Sept. 5), visits Pima (Sept. 12), hosts Tombstone (Sept. 19), Scottsdale Prep (Sept. 26), and Tucson Desert Christian (Oct. 3), visits Eloy Santa Cruz (Oct. 10), and hosts Benson (Oct. 17).
Last season, the Cowboys finished 7-4 overall, 6-1 in the 2A San Pedro Region for second of eight, and 3-2 at home, averaging a 37-22 (408-240) score per game or a 15-point margin. The No. 8 Scottsdale Prep Spartans ended the No. 9 Cowboys’ season with a 27-21 state meet first-round loss.
Jeston Lotts begins his second season as the Cowboys’ head coach.
BAYARD COBRE Indians, NM
3A District 3
(Home: Cobre Indian Stadium)
Cobre hosts Espanola McCurdy (Aug. 23), visits Las Vegas Robertson (Aug. 29) and Silver (Sept. 12), hosts Hatch Valley (Sept. 26) and Dexter (Oct. 3), visits Roswell New Mexico Military Institute (Oct. 10), Ruidoso (Oct. 17), and Socorro (Oct. 24), and hosts Truth or Consequences Hot Springs (Oct. 31).
Last season, Cobre finished 2-8 overall, 0-6 in the district for seventh of seven, and 0-5 at home, averaging a score of 7-43 (74-428) per game or a 36-point deficit.
Jerry Martinez (66-80 overall, 23-26 district, 7-9 state, 35-33 home) is in his 14th season as the Indians’ head coach.
LORDSBURG Mavericks, NM
2A District 3
(Home: Maverick Stadium)
Lordsburg opens in Duncan (Aug. 22), hosts Cloudcroft (Aug. 30), visits Navajo Pine (Sept. 5), hosts Roswell Gateway Christian (Sept. 12), visits Tatum (Sept. 19), hosts Mescalero Apache (Oct. 3), visits Hagerman/Lake Arthur (Oct. 10), hosts Melrose (Oct. 17), and visits Las Cruces Mesilla Valley Christian (Oct. 24).
Last season, Lordsburg finished 5-6 overall, 1-5 in the district for sixth of seven, 1-1 state, and 3-2 home, averaging a score of 41-37 (456-407) per game or a 4-point margin. The No. 9 Mavericks fell 6-58 to No. 1 Melrose during the state quarterfinal round.
Dale Hooper (35-34 overall, 14-10 district, 3-6 state, 20-15 home) is in his ninth season as the Mavericks’ head coach.
SILVER Fighting Colts, NM
4A District 2
(Home: Fighting Colts Field)
Silver welcomes Santa Teresa (Aug. 22), visits Gallup (Aug. 29) and Deming (Sept. 5), hosts Bayard Cobre (Sept. 12), Los Lunas Valencia (Sept. 19), and Albuquerque Saint Pius X (Sept. 26), visits Portales (Oct. 3), hosts Chaparral (Oct. 10), and visits Albuquerque Academy (Oct. 17) and Albuquerque Manzano (Oct. 25).
Last season, Silver finished 4-7 overall, 2-4 in the district for fourth of seven, and 3-2 at home, averaging a score of 20-16 (216-177) per game or a 4-point margin. Seventh-ranked Grants ended the No. 10 Fighting Colts’ season with a 16-22 state meet first-round loss.
Jerome Ortiz is in his fourth (24-12 overall, 8-4 district, 3-3 state, 15-4 home) season as the Fighting Colts’ head coach.
