The 6A Conference favorites, if they weren’t already, are clear now that Week 3 of the Arizona high school football season has come to a close.
Basha, Liberty and Hamilton – perhaps in that order – are the front-runners as the top teams in the state this season. And it may not be close.
Sure, anything can happen. It’s football and we’ve seen time and time again that if the ball bounces a certain way on any given Friday night, the unthinkable can happen. But the ball just so happens to be bouncing in the direction that has so far benefitted those three teams.
Here’s a look at some of the top storylines from Week 3 of the Arizona high school football season.
Basha, Liberty and Hamilton dominate again
Basha put a beating on Williams Field, which was voted as the No. 5 team in the 6A Conference by the media. And while that may still be true, the Bears showed just how wide the gap may be from the top three teams to the rest of the field.
Basha was methodical, winning in all facets of the game led by the defense giving up only 126 yards of offense for the Black Hawks. The 42-14 win was just another dominant showing for the No. 1 team in the state.
Liberty, meanwhile, returned home after suffering a lopsided defeat to Corner Canyon (UT). The Lions had some aggression to let out, and the Highland Hawks were the unfortunate victims.
Liberty did most of its damage on the ground, rushing for a combined 285 yards and six touchdowns on the Hawks. Brayden Stevens and Jayden Pico combined for 143 passing yards while the Lions defense let up just three points in the 43-3 win.
Hamilton stayed close to home, taking on district-rival Casteel. The Colts were coming off an impressive win out of state, while the Huskies looked to continue a dominant showing. And they did.
Super sophomore Jax Sculley threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns, two of which to fellow sophomore Roye Oliver III. The Huskies also rushed for 159 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-14 trouncing of the Colts.
Somethings gotta give
It’s uncharacteristic to see Highland fall to 0-3 to start the season. But that’s the reality the Hawks face after losing to Higley, Anna (Texas) and Liberty to start the year. Perry, the Hawks Week 4 opponent, opened the season on a high note winning a close matchup with Boulder Creek. But the Pumas have suffered two losses since to Granite Hills (Calif.) and Brophy last week.
Just a year ago, Highland was an Open Division contender that had won two 6A titles in three trips from 2020-22. Now the Hawks are eyeing a “rebuild” status, whether or not that is true. Alternatively, Perry was projected to be a team that continues to rise this season, perhaps cementing itself as a contender alongside its Chandler district foes.
But now, question marks surround the team despite loads of talent. A win Friday would be pivotal for both teams. The loser may very well face an even steeper spiral.
Gilbert quietly becoming a contender in 5A?
The Gilbert Tigers football program has struggled over the years. They’ve had just one winning season since 2008, the year Jesse Parker led the Tigers to a 7-3 regular-season record. The Tigers finished .500 twice from 2009-2024, and the only winning season was a 6-4 campaign in 2022 when Derek Zellner led the program.
Stevann Brown was hired to lead the Tigers last year after Zellner stepped down. They went 4-6.
But this season has been a complete turnaround so far. Gilbert is 3-0 for the first time since 2006 and has started to get the attention from the media in the Arizona Varsity Statewide Media Poll. Wins over Desert Ridge, McClintock and Central have Gilbert riding a wave of momentum as it prepares to face off against Notre Dame in what will likely be its first big test of the season.
Lose and the Tigers are still well in play for the 5A Conference playoffs. Win and they immediately jump into contender status. It’s not a make or break game for Brown and his squad by any means. But it could be a program changer.
Upset at the top in 4A
There will be a new No. 1 in the 4A Conference when the Week 4 media poll is released Thursday.
It will come after ALA West Foothills knocked off Mica Mountain, 21-14, a result that likely shocked most – if not the entire – state.
The Thunderbolts appeared to be untouchable since their title run last season. But the ALA West Foothills team is no slouch. It’s a good group of players led by a good coach in Bryan Rauzan. Their only loss entering Week 3 was to Snowflake, which may be the No. 1 team come Thursday.
The loss by Mica Mountain doesn’t say much other than the Thunderbolts may not run away with the title like they did last season. Parity is always welcome, and ALA West Foothills gave it to us last week.
Sound the alarm, the streak is over
Entering Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, the last win for the Kofa Kings football program came 1,071 days prior, when they beat Alhambra on Oct. 7, 2022.
Kofa was 0-27 since its last win. But the losing streak finally came to an end after the Kings knocked off Alhambra again, 51-20, to finally add a one to the win column.
There’s no telling how the Kings will do the rest of the season, but a win is beneficial nonetheless.
Other notables from Week 3
- Chandler continued to prove it’s back with a 49-29 win over ALA Queen Creek
- Salpointe Catholic outlasted Saguaro 34-31
- Payson continued to roll with a 57-6 win over Apache Junction
- Crismon is a contender after beating Blue Ridge 20-12
- Myron Blueford picks up first win as ALA Ironwood head coach with a 48-0 win over Wickenburg
- Scottsdale Christian continues to dominate and has now outscored opponents 188-27 this season
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