In the opening weekend of Arizona high school football, a pair of well-respected coaches suffered losses in debuts with their new teams and Brophy College Prep took on the No. 1 team in the nation with unflattering results.
Division I
Junior quarterback Tanner Peterson completed 9-of-16 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns to lead Yuma Kofa to a 27-18 win over Phoenix North. Zach Kastenada was Peterson’s primary target, hauling in four passes for 79 yards and two scores to hand coach Bernie Busken a loss in his debut at the helm of the North program.
Francisco Valenzuela hit on 14-of-23 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown for North, which hosts Mountain Pointe next Friday night (7 pm). Kofa visits Central of El Centro, Calif., next Friday night (7 pm).
Brophy College Prep proved to be no match for Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, losing 44-0 in the opener for both teams. Russell Booze and Jonathan Shumaker rushed for a pair of touchdowns apiece to lead the Gaels to the easy victory.
Bishop Gorman led 30-0 at the half. Alize Jones caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Danny Hong on the first play of the second half to extend the lead to 37-0.
The Gaels, who are ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, travel to nationally ranked Servite next week. Brophy College Prep travels to Desert Mountain Friday night (7 pm).
Division II
Weston Barlow rushed for 168 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries to lead Queen Creek to a 43-0 win over Poston Butte. Queen Creek, the No. 2-ranked team in Division III, built a 37-0 halftime lead behind the running of Barlow and the passing of Bryce Dobbs, who finished with 227 yards on 8-of-10 passing.
The game marked the debut of Poston Butte coach Paul Moro, who won over 300 games and 13 state titles in 30 years at Lakeside Blue Ridge.
“That’s a good football team,” Moro told azcentral sports. “We’ll be better.”
Dobbs did most of his work in the first half, completing 7-of-9 for 193 yards and a 44-yard touchdown pass to Skyler Bollman.
“Dobbs had a phenomenal summer and he has progressed for us,” Queen Creek coach Travis Schureman told azcentral sports.
Parker scored on a late touchdown pass from quarterback Cody Esquerra to edge visiting Yuma, 33-26, Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
Esquerra finished 6-of-14 for 85 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score to lead the Broncs. The Criminals were led by running back Chico Gonzales, who rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
In other action ... Jake Schuiteboer rushed for 208 yards and a touchdown to lead Liberty to a 24-20 win over Jefferson Independent … Michael Richeson ran for 108 yards and three touchdowns to lead Gila Ridge to a 21-12 win over Mohave.
Division III
Desert Edge hammered South Mountain, 70-0, in the season opener for both teams. Alex Medrano (8 carries, 93 yards), Tehran Thomas (4, 58) and Roshaun Johnson (4, 54) rushed for two touchdowns apiece to lead the Scorpions, who travel to Liberty next week (Friday, 7 pm).
