By Raymundo Frasquillo
PIMA – The Josh Wilkins-coached No. 16 Pima Roughriders host the Frankie Gonzalez-coached No. 11 Morenci Wildcats on Friday, Oct. 10. It is for a 2A East Region pairing and the 32nd meeting since 1945. Kick-off is 7 p.m.
Although the Wildcats have a 21-10 overall record and averaged a 25-14 (772-419) score per game over the Roughriders in those 31 contests, Pima has won four of the most recent pairings, including two in Lawson Stadium. The Roughriders averaged a 28-17 (110-69) score or an 11-point margin during those four games.
Pima prevailed 20-14 in two overtimes (Sept. 13, 2024) at Lawson Stadium, 19-16 in overtime (Sept. 7, 2023) on Edd Hubbard Field, 50-19 (Nov. 26, 2022) for the state title on Herman BB Andrews Track and Field, and 21-20 (Oct. 28, 2022) in Lawson Stadium.
The teams have played three common opponents in 2025: Willcox, Miami, and Globe. The Roughriders emerged 2-1, falling 0-7 to Willcox and blanking Miami 55-0 and Globe 42-0, with the average score per game being 32-2 (97-7) or a 30-point margin.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats also went 2-1 with the loss being by nine (14-23) to Willcox and the wins by 52-0 over Miami and 43-15 over Globe, with the average score being 37-13 (112-38) or a 24-point margin.
This week in the 2A East Region, No. 4 Saint Johns (6-1, 12.3800 rating) hosts No. 39 Miami (2-5, minus 9.7540), No. 11 Morenci (5-2, 7.2728) visits No. 16 Pima (3-4, 4.2471), and No. 24 Globe (3-4, minus 1.5938) visits 2A Metro 1 Region and No. 30 Gilbert Arete Prep (3-4, minus 5.4185).
No. 11 MORENCI Wildcats (7.2728, rating)
The Wildcats (5-2 overall, 2-0 region) are averaging a score of 27-13 (191-90) per game or a 14-point margin after seven games. The Greenlee County boys defeated Safford (20-14, Aug. 22), Bisbee (26-0, Sept. 12), Globe (43-15, Sept. 19), Benson (20-14, Sept. 25), and Miami (52-0, Oct. 3) plus fell to Tucson Tanque Verde (16-24, Aug. 29) and Willcox (14-23, Sept. 5).
Morenci lists a 38-member roster with 13 seniors, five juniors, 15 sophomores, and six freshmen. Seniors include Julian Aragon (13), Zachary Biggs (66), Michael Chavez (50), Dean Chee (65), Isaiah Cook (77), Jaymz Guzzo (4), Mathew Hernandez (0), Derick Lytle (9), Andre McCauley (12), Richard Rodriguez (7), Anthony Rogers (11), Anthony Roybal (56), and Kiano Torres (3); juniors Joel Baca (28), Mason Clark (17), Camron Dodson (55), Jesse Strickland (70), and Heston Winters (88); sophomores Jacob Bracamonte (21), Brennen Burkhead (5), Jeremya Cruz (8), James Davis (59), Sonny Gobert (33), Eli Laney (1), David Licano (78), Braxton Merrill (18), Deegan Miller (10), Zane Randle (72), Joseph Rodriguez (23), Hunter Roumell (68), Joshwa Sandoval (52), and Loghan Szymanski (75); and freshmen Kyson Abril (6), Andres Aguilera (51), Bryden Herrera (74), Ceejay Madrid (60), Damian Paz (40), and Keston Armstrong (2).
Morenci visits Pima (Oct. 10) and Saint Johns (Oct. 17) to conclude its regular season.
The Wildcats (367) are competing in the 5-member 2A East Region with the Globe Tigers (514), the Miami Vandals (287), the Pima Roughriders (357), and the Saint Johns Redskins (337).
No. 16 PIMA Roughriders (4.2471 rating)
The Josh Wilkins-coached Roughriders had an official student enrollment count of 357 for the 2024-25 school year. A new campus greeted the Graham County students at the start of 2025-26.
Pima (3-4 overall, 2-1 region) is averaging a score per game of 22-13 (157-92) or a 9-point margin after seven games. The Gila County boys have wins over Tuba City (42-0, Aug. 29), Miami (55-0, Sept. 26), and Globe (42-0, Oct. 3) plus fell to Scottsdale Christian (6-33, Aug. 21), Eagar Round Valley (0-36, Sept. 5), Willcox (0-7, Sept. 12), and Saint Johns (12-16).
The Roughriders list a 36-member roster with eight seniors, 12 juniors, seven sophomores, and nine freshmen. Seniors include Rooster Alder (11), Keegan Corona (22), Brett Flowers (61), Bryan Kelly (72), Garth Lunt (71), Dante McCray (73), Wade Peterson (44), and Charles Richardson (74); juniors Adam Bryce (23), Gilbert Bryce (1), Josh Bryce (55), Rhiley Good (60), Cedric Grimes (2), Jonathan Guerrero (52), Hollen Hoopes (78), Colt Lunt (45), Emmet McBiles (3), Case Mullenaux (66), Joe Palmer (42), and Hayden Wilkins (20); sophomores Roddy Allred (50), JoJo Bryce (62), Kaden Davis (8), Keegan Espinoza (7), Jax Haws (75), Ryett McBiles (10), and Mason Skinner (5); and freshmen Tucker Bryce (58), Jace Cameron (64), MacIan Duncan (16), Wyatt Elms (18), Ethan Lunt (81), Graham McBride (12), Landon Miner (25), Tanner Preston (65), and Brady McWhorter (85).
Pima hosts Morenci (Oct. 10), and visits 2A Metro region 2 Phoenix Madison Highland Prep (Oct. 17) to conclude its regular season.
The Roughriders are competing in the 5-member 2A East Region with the Globe Tigers (514), the Morenci Wildcats (367), the Miami Vandals (287), and the Saint Johns Redskins (337).
2A East Region Standings
Region standings as of Oct. 4 were Saint Johns (6-1 overall, 2-0 region), Morenci (5-2, 2-0), Pima (3-4, 2-1), Globe (3-4, 1-3), and Miami (2-5, 0-3).
To date in region play, it was Saint Johns over Pima (16-12, Sept. 19) and Globe (41-0, Sept. 26); Morenci over Globe (43-12, Sept. 19) and Miami (52-0, Oct. 3); Pima over Miami (55-0, Sept. 26) and Globe (42-0, Oct. 3); and Globe over Miami (45-8, Sept. 12).
Remaining region games are Saint Johns at Miami and Morenci at Pima on Oct. 10; and Morenci at Saint Johns on Oct. 17.
2A South 1 Region Standings
Region standing as of Oct. 4 were Tucson Tanque Verde (5-2 overall, 3-0 region), Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (4-3, 1-1), Bisbee (2-5, 1-1), Tombstone (1-5, 1-1), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-7, 0-3).
The region pairings held to date had Tanque Verde over Palo Verde Magnet (69-0, Sept. 5), Santa Rita (59-6, Sept. 26), and Bisbee (62-8, Oct. 3); Bisbee over Santa Rita (54-6, Sept. 19); and Palo Verde Magnet over Tombstone (32-18, Sept. 26).
This week in the 2A South Region 1, No. 10 Tanque Verde (5-2 overall, 7.4372 rating) hosts 2A Metro 4 Region and No. 33 Surprise Highland Prep (2-5, minus 6.6638), No. 27 Palo Verde Magnet (4-3, minus 3.5934) visits No. 50 Santa Rita (0-7, minus 25.0531), and No. 36 Bisbee (2-5, minus 8.2756) hosts No. 45 Tombstone (1-5, minus 13.8621).
Remaining region games are Tombstone at Bisbee, Palo Verde Magnet at Santa Rita on Oct. 10; and Tanque Verde at Tombstone and Bisbee at Palo Verde Magnet on Oct. 17.
2A South 2 Region Standings
Region standings as of Oct. 4 were Willcox (6-1 overall, 1-0 region), Benson (4-3, 1-0), Tucson Desert Christian (3-3, 0-1), and Eloy Santa Cruz (3-4, 0-1).
To date in region pairings, it was Willcox over Desert Christian (58-0, Oct. 3) and Benson over Santa Cruz (28-26, Oct. 3).
This week in the 2A South 2 Region, No. 7 Willcox (6-1 overall, 11.2654 rating) visits No. 17 Santa Cruz (3-4, 1.8324), and Desert Christian visits No. 13 Benson (4-3, 5.9877).
Remaining region pairings include Willcox at Santa Cruz and Desert Christian at Benson on Oct. 10; and Benson at Willcox and Santa Cruz at Desert Christian on Oct. 17.
2A State Rankings
Rankings for the Top 24 of 51 2A teams as of Oct. 7 were Phoenix Veritas Pre (7-0 overall, 18.7830 rating) No. 1, Phoenix Christian (7-0, 18.2732) No. 2, Scottsdale Christian (7-0, 16.5714) No. 3, Saint Johns (6-1, 12.3800) No. 4, Gilbert San Tan Charter (6-1, 11.9843) No. 5, Camp Verde (6-1, 11.9466) No. 6, Willcox (6-1, 11.2654) No. 7, and Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (6-1, 9.6069) No. 8.
Chandler Prep (5-2, 7.8828) was No. 9, Tucson Tanque Verde (5-2, 7.4372) No. 10, Morenci (5-2, 7.2728) 11, Parker (5-1, 6.3997) No. 12, Benson (4-3, 5.9877) No. 13, Glendale Prep (5-2, 5.8204) No. 14, Glendale Trivium Prep (4-3, 5.3058) No. 15, and Pima (3-4, 4.2471) No. 16.
Eloy Santa Cruz (3-4, 1.8324) was No. 17, Chino Valley (4-3, 0.7767) No. 18, Holbrook (4-3, 0.2175) No. 19, Whittman Mountainside (4-3, 0.1359) No. 20, Scottsdale Prep (3-4, minus 0.0525) No. 21, Phoenix Bourgade Catholic (4-3, minus 0.9572) No. 22, Tuba City (4-3, minus 1.3273) No. 23, and Globe (3-4, minus 1.5938) No. 24.
Morenci – 52, Miami – 0
The final result was the 11th time the pairings ended in a shutout since 1961, the fifth since 2000, the fourth in Lawson Stadium, and four consecutive ones from 1974-77, favoring Morenci. Miami has three such wins, with one of four pairings resulting that way in Nick Rugus Stadium.
A running clock went into effect with 4:25 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats led 38-0 as freshman Keston Armstrong bolted 32 yards following a 2nd-and-4 recovered fumble. The 1st-and-10 score made it 44-0, and senior Kiano Torres added the conversion kick for a 45-0 advantage.
The final score came with four minutes elapsed in the second half. Sophomore Braxton Merrill ran in from a yard out on 2nd-and-1. He added the conversion kick for a 52-0 score. The march covered 49 yards in five plays.
Miami turned the ball over four plays later on downs. Morenci punted after six plays on 4th-and-32. Miami was intercepted on first down. Morenci punted on 4th-and-2. And Miami gained 20 of 80 yards before an incomplete 2nd-and-4 pass wound down the clock.
However, it was eight minutes into the game before a score surfaced, and 19-0 when the opening quarter ended, favoring the home team.
Morenci covered 55 yards in six plays using 4:09. Senior Derick Lytle crossed the goal line from 15 yards out on 2nd-and-5. A quarterback sack was recorded on the conversion attempt.
Senior Anthony Rogers recovered an onside kick, and senior Julien Aragon entered the end zone from 40 yards away. A high snap on the conversion attempt resulted in an incomplete pass.
Miami was intercepted on 3rd-and-7 as senior Jaymz Guzzo returned possession to the Wildcats. Morenci covered 68 yards in four plays using 1:13. Sophomore Deegan Miller connected with Aragon for a 39-yard score on 2nd-and-10. Senior Kiano Torres added the conversion kick for a 19-0 advantage with 35 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Vandals went three and out, punting on 4th-and-17 after a 2:13 possession. Morenci struck 12 seconds later as Lytle scampered 65 yards on the first down. The conversion kick bounced off the left upright, but the hosts led 25-0 with 10:05 remaining in the second quarter.
Miami again went three and out, punting on th-and-23 after using 2:41. Aragon covered 25 yards in eight seconds, and Torres added the conversion kick for a 32-point Morenci advantage.
Senior Aundre McCauley intercepted a 1st-and-15 Vandals’ pass and junior Joel Baca weaved 20 yards into the end zone on 2nd-and-10. The conversion kick was wide left, but Morenci covered 30 yards in three plays using 1:22 and led 38-0 with 5:33 left in the half.
For the evening, Morenci totaled 394 yards, averaging 13.6 (26-354) rushing and 40 (1-40) yards on 1-3 passes. The Wildcats scored seven times on the ground and once through the air.
