High school football fans are in for a full Friday night of action on Sept. 5, with big games across the region and plenty of storylines to follow.
One of the highlights will be Round Valley traveling to Pima. The Elks lead the series 5-0 since the teams first met in 2016, but this one will be extra special as Pima opens its brand-new stadium. “We’re looking forward to playing Round Valley this week. They have a ton of speed, and we have to be able to contain them. We need to be able to establish the run with our guys up front,” said Pima head coach Josh Wilkins. Fans can catch the game live on KATO 1230 AM or streaming at gilavalleycentral.net/kato-sports-broadcasts.
Another marquee matchup has Thatcher facing Benjamin Franklin in their first-ever meeting. Both teams entered the year as preseason favorites, ranked by many as the top two in the state, and both are unbeaten at 2-0. “When we play well, we can outplay any team. We are working hard this week to make that happen against a team many claim are the top team in the state,” said Thatcher head coach Dan Jones.
Seton Catholic heads to Safford in a series that resumes after nearly a decade, with Seton holding a 3-2 advantage since their first matchup in 2001. Safford is still looking for its first win at 0-2, while Seton comes in at 1-1.
Morenci and Willcox meet again in a rivalry that goes back to 1965. Morenci leads the all-time series 25-19-2 and has dominated lately with 10 straight wins. Both teams are 1-1 this season, hoping to gain an early edge in momentum. “We need to bounce back this week. It’s going to be a super physical game with Willcox,” said Morenci head coach Frankie Gonzales.
Salome visits Fort Thomas in what will be just the seventh meeting between the two programs since 1979. They last played in 2019, and both sides come in with 1-1 records. “We hope to bounce back this week and play better football all the way around,” said Fort Thomas head coach Evan Stringfellow.
In another long-running series, Duncan travels to Valley Union. Duncan holds a 22-11 all-time advantage since 1976, but Valley Union has won the last two meetings. Both teams enter the game at 1-1, looking to get above .500. “This week, as we head to Valley Union, the boys have set four goals again. Their primary focus will be to stop any explosive plays on defense against Valley’s offense and to create explosive plays when we have the ball,” said Duncan head coach Dan Coats.
Rounding out the schedule, Globe travels to San Carlos. Globe has controlled the series since it began in 2011, holding a 9-0 record, but San Carlos is off to a strong 2-0 start and will try to finally break through at home. Globe enters the contest 1-1.
With rivalries, first-time meetings, and even a stadium debut on the schedule, Week 3 promises plenty of drama under the Friday night lights.
