Few rivalries in Arizona high school football have been as tightly wound in recent years as Pima and Scottsdale Christian. The programs have met in the last two 2A state championship games, both won by the Eagles, while Pima has taken every regular season meeting since 2021.
The Roughriders hold a 4–3 edge in the all-time series, winning four straight regular-season matchups, including last October’s 20–17 victory. Scottsdale Christian, however, has owned the postseason, claiming the 2023 and 2024 state titles over Pima as well as the 1983 championship. The two schools collide again tonight in Phoenix to open the 2025 season, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. at Scottsdale Christian Academy.
Pima enters tonight’s matchup in Scottsdale shorthanded after junior quarterback Cedrick Grimes, who threw for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, suffered an arm injury in last week’s scrimmage. He is expected to miss at least four weeks. Sophomore Ryett McBiles will make his first varsity start in Grimes’ place, stepping into one of the toughest assignments in the state.
The Roughriders will lean heavily on the ground game with senior running backs Rooster Alder and Wade Peterson, along with junior Joe Palmer, who combined for nearly 900 yards last season behind departed star Jeremiah Martinez. Defensively, Palmer, who posted 124 tackles a year ago, and Alder, who added 87, anchor a unit that produced 21 interceptions last fall and showed the ability to change games with turnovers.
Scottsdale Christian counters with one of the top passers in 2A, senior quarterback Sean Helgeson. He threw for 1,896 yards and 28 touchdowns last season while completing more than 60 percent of his attempts. His top returning target is senior Isaiah Steffen, while juniors Kyle Olafson, a 6-foot-5 presence on the outside, and Caleb Murphy are expected to step into bigger roles in the passing game. The Eagles will also look to rebuild their backfield after the graduation of 1,000-yard rusher Caleb Randall, with juniors Isaiah Phifer and Nathaniel Elrod likely to carry much of the load.
On defense, Scottsdale Christian is led by senior linebacker London Olsen, who finished with 83 tackles and 10.5 sacks last season. He will be supported by veterans up front in Bennett Libby, Logan Liston, and Cade McKee. The Eagles forced 20 interceptions in 2024 but will need new playmakers to emerge in the secondary after losing several starters to graduation.
“I don’t think two teams have seen each other more than Pima and SCA in the last two years,” Pima coach Josh Wilkins said. “There isn’t much we can hide from each other. We understand each other’s strengths and tendencies.”
Fans can follow the action live on KATO 1230 AM in the Gila Valley or worldwide through the stream at GilaValleyCentral.net/kato-sports-broadcasts.
