Week 4 of the high school football season brings a mix of historic rivalries, rare renewals, and series streaks on the line as teams across the region hit the field on September 11–12.
The action kicks off Thursday night when Fort Thomas (1-2) travels to Joseph City (1-2). The two schools first met in 2010, and their last clash in 2019 was a wild 78-49 Fort Thomas victory. Joseph City still leads the series 3-1. Fort Thomas head coach Evan Stringfellow said his team knows they need to respond after last week’s struggles: “Leading up to last week’s game, our practices weren’t the best, and it showed. We hope we can get that turned around for Joseph City on a short week.”
Friday’s slate opens with Duncan (1-2) heading to St. David (3-0), a series with roots all the way back to 1937. The rivalry went dormant until 2003, and since then, St. David has taken control, winning the last five meetings, including their 2021 matchup. St. David leads the series 10-8 and looks to extend its recent dominance, while Duncan aims to snap the streak.
Another classic pairing sees Bisbee (1-2) visiting Morenci (1-2), a rivalry that dates back to 1931. While Bisbee holds the overall edge at 25-20-1, Morenci has seized control lately with six straight wins. Morenci head coach Frankie Gonzalez said his team is looking to bounce back quickly: “We lost a very physical game to Willcox last week. It was a fun game to watch but we need to bounce back against an athletic Bisbee team.”
In Pima, the Roughriders (1-2) welcome Willcox (2-1) in a matchup that dates back to 1950. Willcox leads the all-time series 17-9, and the two teams last squared off in the 2022 state playoffs. Pima head coach Josh Wilkins acknowledged the challenges his team is facing but stressed the importance of this stretch of the season: “Last week was another learning experience. The team is getting better. We’ve found ourselves in an unfamiliar spot this week vs. Willcox — the injury bug has hit our already shorthanded team, but we are ready to accept that challenge. These next few weeks are going to be very important if we want to play games in November.”
Thatcher (2-1) travels to Florence (1-2) in a series that first kicked off in 1954. Thatcher leads the rivalry 10-5-2 and has won five straight against Florence since 2004. The game will be broadcast live on KATO 1230 AM and streamed at gilavalleycentral.net/kato-sports-broadcasts. Thatcher head coach Dan Jones said his team is aiming to bounce back after last week’s loss: “We are looking to refocus after our loss to Ben Franklin against our first region opponent. Florence is always incredibly tough, a very athletic team. We hope to get healthy and play great football.”
Finally, Safford (0-3) heads north to take on Winslow (1-2). These teams haven’t played in nearly two decades, with their last meeting coming in the 2005 playoffs. Winslow has the upper hand historically, leading the series 3-1 since their first game in 1969. Safford head coach Ishmael MacNeil said his team has battled through adversity but is eager to turn the corner: “Last week was another tough loss. We were down some key guys due to injuries at QB and the OL. We continue to battle and play hard. I am proud of these guys. This week we have a long trip to Winslow. We think we match up well with them. We hope to establish the run game this week and get some flow within the offense. Most of our injured guys are healthy and ready for this week. It will be a battle.”
From high-scoring games to old rivalries, Week 4 has no shortage of storylines across the region. With several teams looking to rebound and others aiming to extend streaks, fans should be treated to another exciting weekend of football under the lights.
