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Class 5A capsules
Desert League
Arbor View Aggies
Coach: Matt Gerber (9-3 entering 2nd season)
2019 record: 9-3
Playoffs: Lost to Desert Pines successful the 4A Mountain Region semifinals
Breakdown: The Aggies volition person astir 50 varsity players, 8 of whom are returning missive winners.
Quarterback Kyle Holmes is backmost to pb the discourtesy aft throwing for 851 yards and 8 touchdowns successful 2019. Wide receiver Kyri Shoels and D’Andre Washington, a moving back, wide receiver, antiaircraft backmost and footwear returner, are experienced playmakers who volition assistance Arbor View with its modulation into the dispersed offense. Sophomore wide receiver David Washington is already drafting assistance offers from each implicit the nation.
D’Andre Washington is besides the Aggies’ starring returning tackler with 26, portion linebacker Bryce Ericson had 14 tackles successful 2019. Arbor View volition beryllium inexperienced successful its beforehand 4 connected defense, truthful it volition thin connected veterans successful the backmost seven.
Bishop Gorman Gaels
Coach: Brent Browner (2-0 entering archetypal afloat season)
2019 record: 11-2
Playoffs: Lost to Liberty successful the 4A Desert Region final
Breakdown: The Gaels’ streak of 10 consecutive authorities championships ended successful 2019, and they person been eagerly anticipating a accidental to get backmost connected top.
They person the endowment to bash so, with high-level recruits littered passim some sides of the ball. According to 247Sports, Gorman has 9 of the apical 18 recruits successful the authorities for the classes of 2022 and 2023.
Safety Zion Branch and antiaircraft extremity Cyrus Moss pb the defense, portion inferior wide receiver Zachariah Branch, moving backmost Cam Barfield and violative lineman Jake Taylor should assistance marque the violative a play distant from the extremity portion astatine each times. How sophomore backmost Micah Alejado handles taking implicit the starting relation could find however acold the Gaels go.
Canyon Springs Pioneers
Coach: Gus McNair (21-21 entering 5th season)
2019 record: 0-10 (all wins forfeited for usage of an ineligible player)
Playoffs: Disqualified aft triumph implicit Arbor View successful the 4A Mountain League quarterfinals for usage of an ineligible player
Breakdown: The Pioneers rebounded from an 0-6 commencement to triumph their past 3 regular-season games, past bushed Arbor View successful the Mountain League quarterfinals. But their play ended abruptly erstwhile they were forced to forfeit each of their wins due to the fact that of utilizing an ineligible player.
Canyon Springs figures to beryllium beardown successful the antiaircraft beforehand seven. Defensive extremity Ryan Henderson is the standout of that group. He has assistance offers from 5 Mountain West schools.
The discourtesy is young, and however rapidly it comes unneurotic volition apt determine whether the Pioneers tin flooded stiff league contention and scope the postseason.
Foothill Falcons
Coach: Vernon Brown (7-5 entering 2nd season)
2019 record: 7-5
Playoffs: Lost to Liberty successful the 4A Desert Region semifinals
Breakdown: The Falcons volition trust heavy connected the talents of Kendric Thomas. The versatile elder ran for 694 yards and 3 touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns arsenic a sophomore. He volition besides grip kickoff and punt instrumentality duties.
Foothill’s defence has a brace of elder leaders astatine each level, successful antiaircraft linemen Leon Marshall and Jordyn Rivera, linebackers Carson McKee and Sterling Harnett, and antiaircraft backs Amarion Meshack and Kellen Robertus.
Legacy Longhorns
Coach: Zach Monticelli (first season)
2019 record: 6-5
Playoffs: Lost to Centennial successful the 4A Mountain Region quarterfinals
Breakdown: The Longhorns mislaid 5 games successful 2019, but nary were by much than 8 points. They appeared primed to marque a splash successful 2020 earlier COVID-19 wiped retired the season.
New manager Monticelli is near with a young radical trying to forge its ain identity. Senior Montae Pate is expected to beryllium a person astatine wide receiver and antiaircraft back, but the Longhorns volition request young players to turn up accelerated to vie successful a rugged league.
Palo Verde Panthers
Coach: Joe Aznarez (24-28 entering sixth season)
2019 record: 8-4
Playoffs: Lost to Centennial successful the 4A Mountain Region semifinals
Breakdown: The Panthers posted a winning grounds for the archetypal clip successful 5 seasons successful 2019, acknowledgment successful ample portion to a punishing crushed onslaught that churned retired astir 3,000 yards.
If Palo Verde wants to person akin success, it volition beryllium an wholly caller radical getting it done. None of the 12 Panthers who accounted for the rushing yardage is back. In fact, Luca Mauriello, who caught 1 walk for 29 yards successful 2019, is the lone returning accomplishment subordinate who contributed.
Defensive backmost Edward Rhambo is the Panthers’ apical returner. He had 27 tackles and 2 interceptions successful 2019.
Mountain League
Centennial Bulldogs
Coach: Dustin Forshee (20-13 entering 4th season)
2019 record: 12-2
Playoffs: Lost to Liberty successful the 4A authorities title game
Breakdown: The Bulldogs volition commencement implicit aft gathering the programme to a tally each the mode to the authorities title game.
Forshee expects Centennial to commencement arsenic galore arsenic 17 underclassmen. The lone violative returner is Brandin Martinez, who ran for 51 yards successful 2019. Sophomore Alonzo Balderrama takes implicit astatine quarterback, and inferior wide receivers Dariusz Zeno and Ternilla Thomas, and elder violative linemen Thomas Youshouck and Thomas Gili are expect to pb the offense.
Centennial’s spot defensively is connected the backmost end, with extracurricular linebackers Nicauri Shelton and Ali Kamara and antiaircraft backmost Benjamin Hungerford. Brayden Bayne is arguably the apical returning kicker successful the vale aft helium was 3-for-4 connected tract goals and made 54 other points successful 2019.
Desert Pines Jaguars
Coach: Tico Rodriguez (69-14 entering 8 seasons)
2019 record: 11-1
Playoffs: Lost to Centennial successful the 4A authorities semifinals
Breakdown: The Jaguars person been 1 of the premier programs successful the valley, claiming 2 3A authorities titles successful 2016 and 2017 and advancing to the 4A authorities semifinals successful 2019.
They person the luxury of a having proven performer astatine backmost successful Rjay Tagataese, who threw for 2,841 yards and 29 touchdowns with lone 3 interceptions. Running backmost Jovantae Barnes is the valley’s lone returning 1,000-yard rusher. He went for 1,022 and 13 touchdowns connected lone 126 carries and has assistance offers from 35 schools.
Jett Solomon is backmost astatine wide receiver aft catching 18 passes for 239 yards. He’ll besides assistance spearhead the antiaircraft backfield. Defensive extremity Idgerinn Dean is besides expected to beryllium a difference-maker.
Faith Lutheran Crusaders
Coach: Mike Sanford (3-1 entering archetypal afloat season)
2019 record: 5-6
Playoffs: Lost to Desert Pines successful the 4A Mountain League quarterfinals
Breakdown: The Crusaders had a accidental to play successful the outpouring and won 3 games against Class 3A competition. They besides saw however acold they person to spell to beryllium a authorities contender successful a 43-0 nonaccomplishment to Bishop Gorman.
Faith Lutheran has a bully premix of size and speed, with Vili Fetapai, a 320-pounder starring the violative line, and Jordan Pollard stepping successful astatine moving backmost to adhd to his linebacking duties. Pollard made the astir of the abbreviated outpouring play with 39 tackles, six sacks and an interception.
Green Valley Gators
Coach: Brian Castro (63-35 entering 10th season)
2019 record: 7-5
Playoffs: Lost to Bishop Gorman successful the 4A Desert League semifinals
Breakdown: The Gators person lone had 1 losing play during Castro’s tenure, a accordant tally they anticipation to continue.
It won’t beryllium casual successful the caller 5A, arsenic each squad successful its league but 1 won astatine slightest 1 playoff crippled successful 2019. Green Valley is expecting a breakout play from moving backmost Jaylen McKnight, who ran for 102 yards and a touchdown connected 22 carries arsenic a sophomore.
He’ll beryllium helped by an violative enactment led by Harrison Nielson. The defence volition beryllium astir wholly retooled, but antiaircraft extremity Cole Castro should beryllium a person up beforehand successful summation to his choky extremity duties.
Liberty Patriots
Coach: Rich Muraco (112-33 entering 12th season)
2019 record: 10-5
Playoffs: Defeated Centennial to triumph the 4A authorities championship
Breakdown: The Patriots ended Bishop Gorman’s 10-year reign atop the state, and they’re hoping to enactment there.
Transfer backmost Jayden Maiava, a UNLV commit, should assistance aft helium threw for 3,317 yards and 41 touchdowns arsenic a sophomore for Kaimuki High successful Hawaii successful 2019.
He’ll person assistance from wide receiver Germie Bernard, a Washington perpetrate with 948 yards and 14 touchdowns receiving arsenic a sophomore successful 2019. Offensive lineman Jesse Wilson besides started connected the Patriots’ rubric team.
The antiaircraft beforehand 7 has a brace of Power Five commits successful 310-pound antiaircraft tackle Sir Mells (Oregon) and linebacker Anthony Jones (Texas), who could besides person clip astatine choky end. Saco Alopifo, a Utah State commit, and Ikalewa Paaoao springiness Liberty a brace of carnal safeties.
Contact Jason Orts astatine jorts@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SportsWithOrts connected Twitter.
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