There were comebacks, statements, big performances and upsets across Arizona in Week 4 of the high school football season. The Arizona Republic looks back — and ahead — as teams start to separate from the pack.

What we learned

Chandler Basha cemented its No. 1 ranking in the state with another punishing performance, a 42-14 rout of No. 4 Gilbert Williams Field on Friday, Sept. 12. The Bears can line up in various formations and strike fast. This time, head coach Chris McDonald, also the offensive coordinator, often flanked out three receivers, including running back Noah Roberts, way outside. He had them bunched together, causing the secondary to adjust.

It was “pick your receiver” for Brodie Vehrs. He would wing it to a target, who followed the blocks from the other two receivers for big gains. Then, lulling the defense, Vehrs would simply hand off to tailback Josh Gaines, who gutted the middle of the defense for scoring runs of 19 and 23 yards in a 21-point third quarter that put the game away.

The Bears sent another team that was feeling great about itself to the film room, seeking answers. Basha will wear down teams with its size, athleticism and depth. McDonald’s defense is so stacked that he’s got guys not starting who have Division I scholarship offers.

Biggest question

How good is Chandler Hamilton?

We know about two-time defending Open state champion Peoria Liberty (2-1) and Basha, but are the three Hamilton blowouts telling us they’re right with those two teams?

The Huskies hung 63 on ALA Queen Creek, 62 on Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor and now 54 on Queen Creek Casteel. What we know now is ALA Queen Creek’s defense is nothing close to last year’s Open semifinal defense. The Patriots are 0-3, giving up 143 points. SDO and Casteel are both 1-2.

The Huskies might get a little more resistance next week against 2-1 Phoenix Brophy, which lost its only game to Basha (42-6) in the season opener. But the sophomore sensations of QB Jax Sculley and WR Roy Oliver III are special, the running game keeps defenses guessing.

Coach Travis Dixon has got something really good going in his second season leading his alma mater. They may have to wait until Oct. 24 to know how great this team is. That’s when the Huskies face Basha.

Biggest takeaway

Maybe the biggest shocker was ALA West Foothills’ 21-14 win over No. 1 (4A) Tucson Mica Mountain.

It was the Guardians’ first signature 4A win since moving up from 3A, where they lost to Tucson Pusch Ridge in last year’s championship game. They came into the season with adversity, losing quarterback Hudson Mitton and head coach Chad Mitton, Hudson’s dad. Hudson is now at Mesa High. Chad Mitton is not coaching. A few key players transferred out. And, after getting dominated by Snowflake in a 30-10 loss last week, there were more questions than answers.

Consider those questions answered.

Mica Mountain, the defending 4A champion, saw its 17-game winning streak end against a more physical, more confident, tougher team. Bryan Rauzan, who took on the head coaching position before the season began, can build off of this. But they still have a brutal 4A schedule remaining with games that include Phoenix Arcadia, Phoenix Northwest Christian, Peoria, Phoenix Thunderbird and improved Phoenix St. Mary’s.

Best bounce back

Chandler junior quarterback Will Mencl has been one of the emerging stars in the first three games. Despite putting up 319 passing yards and 70 rushing yards last week in California, it wasn’t enough in a 24-23 loss to Cathedral Catholic. He bounced back with a career night in a 49-29 win over ALA Queen Creek, completing 31 of 35 passes, piling up 569 yards total offense with seven total touchdowns.

His first two varsity seasons ended with injuries, but Mencl is doing things that are putting him in the early Player of the Year conversation as he tries to make this a big bounce-back year for the Wolves (2-1), who went 5-6 last year and didn’t get into the eight-team Open playoff for the first time.

Hamilton QB Jax Sculley talks team’s win over Casteel

Hamilton High School QB Jax Sculley discusses the team’s 54-14 win over Casteel on Sept. 12, 2025.

Best starts

Tolleson is off to its first 3-0 start in 12 years, behind the special connection between quarterback Youngman Lee and wide receiver Rico Blassingame in a 32-27 win over Avondale West Point. Youngman, a summer move-in from the Seattle area, completed 15 of 29 for 335 yards and four TDs. Blassingame, who has committed to Minnesota, caught nine passes for 153 yards and a TD. In his first three games in Arizona, Lee has completed 37 of 53 passes for 826 yards and nine TDs with two interceptions. Blassingame has 19 catches for 276 yards in three games. How much of a difference has Lee made? Last year, Tolleson went 1-9, following a 3-7 2023 season.

Meanwhile, St. Mary’s is 3-0 for the first time since 2006, behind sophomore QB Luke Horn, who was 15 of 24 for 426 yards and four TDs in a 48-0 win over Tucson Empire. Junior receiver Anthony Cannon had seven catches for 201 yards and one TD. Horn has thrown for 1,021 yards and eight TDs in the first three games.

Advertisement

Best comeback

Scottsdale Saguaro had the host Tucson Salpointe Catholic Lancers in a 17-0 halftime hole. The Lancers took their first lead, 28-24, with six minutes left. Saguaro took the lead back, 31-24, with 2:38 to play. Salpointe drove down the field before starting QB Matt Avelar (26 of 35, 321 yards, four TDs) got knocked out of the game with an injury. Enter senior Rayce Alvarez, who threw a TD pass with 40 seconds left for a 34-31 victory.

Saguaro (1-2) turned the ball over on the second play of its next possession. Saguaro’s two losses (the other to Scottsdale Desert Mountain) have been by a total of six points. R.J Gory had 14 catches for 173 yards and three TDs for the 3-0 Lancers, who now have to make two straight trips to the Valley (Mesa Red Mountain Sept. 19 and ALA Queen Creek Sept. 26) with another trip to the Valley on Oct. 17 to face Basha.

Best final quarter

Watch out for Tempe Marcos de Niza, which improved to 3-0, after a 27-point, fourth-quarter eruption in a 41-28 win over rival Tempe McClintock. The Padres have scored more than 40 points in each of their first three games. They trailed McClintock, 14-7, in the first half. Defense fueled the comeback with interceptions by Keilor Hemmings, Alejandro Gomez and Brian Irick.

“We are going to play for each other and we are going to play for four quarters,” coach Anthony Figueroa said.

Best small-school statement

In a football rivalry that began in 1904, host Eagar Round Valley, now in 3A, outlasted 2A St. Johns 38-21. Round Valley took a 25-7 halftime lead, recovering a pooch kick and scoring on a Brenton Walker 34-yard pass play with four seconds left. Round Valley (4-0) recovered two other onside kicks in the game. Still, St. Johns has inspired the White Mountains community and reignited the rivalry, starting the season 3-0 before suffering its first setback to a team that has a shot at winning the 3A title.

Advertisement

Look ahead

Key 4A games to keep an eye on Thursday, Sept. 18, include Gilbert Mesquite (2-1) against St. Mary’s at Phoenix Washington, and Arcadia (3-0) hosting Glendale Deer Valley (3-0).

On Friday, Sept. 19, Williams Field (2-1) will see how it responds from the Basha loss with a game at Chandler.

Hamilton will travel to Phoenix to take on Brophy Prep (2-1) at Central in another pivotal 6A game.

In a key 5A game, defending champion Goodyear Desert Edge (3-0) travels to play ALA Gilbert North (3-0).

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

Advertisement