Mason & BJ's 6A Flag Preseason Rankings
- Mason Byers
- Sep 16
- 24 min read
The 6A conference is the deepest in Arizona for flag football. With juggernauts at the top and quality teams throughout, most matchups are must-see and tough for either side.
First-year programs are ineligible to be ranked since we do not have any film or data on them.
Here are Mason and Brandon’s rankings of the 6A conference in flag football ahead of the 2025 season.
Hamilton
Mason’s Rank: 1
BJ’s Rank: 1
Mason’s Ceiling: 12-0
BJ’s Ceiling: 12-0
Mason’s Floor: 11-1
BJ’s Floor: 11-1
‘24 season: 17-0, won 6A title.
Off. Production Returning: 86.1%
Def. Production Returning: 65%
Mason: Would there be any question about who would be ranked number one in 6A? The Hamilton Huskies are not only the best team in Arizona, but debatably the best team in the country.
Hamilton will look to be the first-ever back-to-back state champions in the state of Arizona this fall as they bring back a loaded roster.
They have players like 2028 quarterback Marlie Phillips, who had a dominant freshman season. She had video game numbers last season with 4785 passing yards and 69 touchdown passes. The scary thing is, she can only get better.
Phillips' number one target is back this year, too, in 2026 wide receiver Samaya Taylor-Jenkins. Taylor-Jenkins had 2138 receiving yards and 39 receiving touchdowns last season, cementing herself as one of the best players in the country.
They also have a transfer from Mountain Pointe coming in. 2026 athlete Moriah Green will lace up for Hamilton this season, and she is also one of the better players in the 2026 class.
Those are just a few names, with the Huskies still having a lot of other talented players on their roster.
Hamilton does have a tough schedule this season, so I can see them slipping up in one of those games, such as when they play Mountain Ridge or Mountain View, but I think they go undefeated again.
Hamilton is the easy favorite to win the 6A title again; the real question is who can take them down this season.
BJ: Hamilton was already going to be loaded again this season and then Mountain Pointe star ‘26 WR/DB Moriah Green showed up on their doorstep. Green caught 147 passes for 2,502 yards and 21 TDs while recording 10 INTs, 18 PBUs, and 47 flag pulls as a junior for the Pride last season.
She will join an already loaded core for the Huskies led by ‘26 WR Samaya Taylor-Jenkins, who is arguably the best player in the country. Jenkins totaled 2,138 receiving yards and a whopping 39 TDs as a junior en route to a Hamilton 6A state title.
Throwing to arguably the two best WRs in Arizona will be BJ Media Freshman of the Year ‘28 QB Marlie Phillips. She threw for 4,785 yards, 69 TDs, and just 11 INTs last season.
On the other side of the ball, ‘27 R Demi Woods (28 sacks) and ‘26 ATH Asia Denson (70 flag pulls) are both coming off phenomenal 2024 seasons and are expected to be leaders of the Husky defense once again.
Mountain View is the only team I could possibly see beating the Huskies in the regular season and then come playoffs, Red Mountain, who lost to Hamilton by 4 in last year’s 6A title game, should be the biggest challenger to back to back Husky 6A titles.
Mountain View Mesa
Mason’s Rank: 2
BJ’s Rank: 5
Mason’s Ceiling: 11-1
BJ’s Ceiling: 11-1
Mason’s Floor: 10-2
BJ’s Floor: 7-5
‘24 season: 17-3, lost in semifinals
Off. Production Returning: 73.7%
Def. Production Returning: 88.6%
Mason: The 2023 6A state champions come in at number two on my list. The Mountain View Toros are coming off two great seasons.
Mountain View will have a new head coach this season as Jesus Arzaga stepped down following the 2024 season. They now have Rene Elizondo running the show. Elizondo has an impressive track record in the flag football scene, so I have no doubt Mountain View will pick up where they left off.
They have their star 2027 quarterback, Tierah Metcalf, returning this season. She is one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the state, as she threw 33 touchdown passes in 2024 while also running for over 800 yards. Metcalf has improved every season as the Toros quarterback and should have a great 2025 year.
On the defensive side of the ball, Mountain View has one of the best linebackers in 2027, Ginny Wilson. Wilson is always near and attacking the ball, as in 2024, she had 111 flag pulls and was second on the team in sacks with six.
With Metcalf and Wilson coming back for their third year, I think Mountain View will have a chance at taking down Hamilton and will be a championship contender.
They face teams such as Red Mountain, Hamilton, and Marana, but I think Mountain View will show teams why they are a threat this season.
BJ: The 2023 6A state champions will once again contend for a state title this season. Although I’m not quite as high on them as Mason is, they are for sure a solidified contender in an extremely deep 6A conference.
‘27 QB Tierah Metcalf has emerged as a top player in the state after two seasons as the starter. ‘27 ATH Ginny Wilson is coming off of big freshman and sophomore seasons defensively and will likely have a bigger role on offense.
But the player who really impressed me this summer and really just passed the eye test is ‘26 WR Emma Fishbeck, who I think will have a massive senior year after catching 57 passes for 996 yards and 13 TDs as a junior last season. I think Fishbeck will go for over 1,500 yards and 20 TDs this year.
The toughest games on the schedule for the Toros will be against #1 Hamilton, Red Mountain, Marana, Mountain Ridge, Corona Del Sol, Higley, and Mesa. That 7-game stretch will really define their season in the first year under new HC Rene Elizondo. Many of those games are toss-ups, which is why I see them winning anywhere from 2-6 of those 7 games.
Red Mountain
Mason’s Rank: 3
BJ’s Rank: 2
Mason’s Ceiling: 11-1
BJ’s Ceiling: 12-0
Mason’s Floor: 10-2
BJ’s Floor: 10-2
‘24 season: 15-5, lost in 6A title game.
Off. Production Returning: 62%
Def. Production Returning: 68.1%
Mason: One of the teams I’m most looking forward to seeing how their season goes is Red Mountain. Red Mountain had one of the biggest turnarounds as they started 6-4, then ended up winning nine straight games until they lost to Hamilton in the title game by one yard.
They have a lot of talented players coming back in 2025, and I think they will carry the momentum from 2024 into 2025 and be dominant for the whole season.
Key players returning include 2026 two-way star Cadence McCanless, who had 722 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Then, on the defensive end, she had 92 flag pulls and nine interceptions.
They also return 2026 rusher Ava Klene, who had 31 sacks in 202,4, showcasing she is one of the best pass rushers in Arizona.
Then they also return 2026 quarterback Korey Roberts, who can do everything on the field. Roberts had a 24:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio, 637 rushing yards, and six rushing touchdowns, and even had 352 receiving yards.
Red Mountain will need these players to have another great season, as some of their tougher opponents include Mountain Ridge and Mountain View.
Even though they will miss some production from graduating seniors in 2024, Red Mountain is returning a lot of talent and should be one of the better teams in 6A, contending again for the title.
BJ: People seem to quickly forget how close Red Mountain was to handing Hamilton their only loss of the season and winning that 6A state title in 2024.
The Mountain Lions were down 4 points in the final minute of the game with the ball on the 2 yard line and Hamilton broke up a 4th down pass in the end zone to seal the game.
2 yards is how close Red Mountain was to being 6A state champions and that is why they are my clear-cut #2 team in the state.
‘26 ATH Cadence McCanless is a front-runner for Two-Way Player of the Year and ‘26 QB/ATH Korey Roberts is embracing the role as QB1 more and more after playing a little bit of RB and WR in the previous two seasons. ‘26 R/WR Ava Klene should also have a big senior season.
Heartbreak has been the theme the last two seasons for Red Mountain after losing 7-0 in the 6A semifinals in 2023 before losing on the final play in the 6A championship last year. If the Mountain Lions can turn that heartbreak into motivation, they have a very good shot at hosting that golden football in November.
The toughest games in the regular season for Red Mountain will come against #5 Mountain View, Mountain Ridge, Basha, Casteel, and Mesa. I think the Mountain Lions will win at least 3 of these games if not 4 or all 5.
Highland
Mason’s Rank: 4
BJ’s Rank: 4
Mason’s Ceiling: 11-1
BJ’s Ceiling: 12-0
Mason’s Floor: 10-2
BJ’s Floor: 9-3
‘24 season: 13-4, lost in quarterfinals
Off. Production Returning: 89%
Def. Production Returning: 97.6%
Mason: A team that I think will make a major jump this season is Highland. While yes, Highland is coming off a great season, in 2024, they lost in the quarterfinals, but I struggle to believe they won’t be in the semifinals or title game in 2025.
Highland has one of the best return rates in 6A and has also gotten in some very talented players via transfer.
2026 rusher Kylie Riggs will be back this season for Highland after she had a remarkable 2024 season. She was second on the team with flag pulls with 73 and first on the team in sacks with 29. Riggs will lead a Highland defense that allowed one of the fewest points per game last season.
They also get two-star transfer players in 2028, a wide receiver and a safety from Benjamin Franklin, Skye Thayer. As well as the 2028 quarterback from Casteel, Lacie Nemchick. Last season, Benjamin Franklin Thayer had 11 interceptions and 20 pass breakups. Nemchick for Casteel last season was one of the best freshmen in Arizona with 3051 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes.
Highland is gearing up for 2025 with a loaded roster, and it will come in handy when they play teams like Campo Verde and Mountain Ridge.
I think this is the year Highland breaks out as a true contender in the 6A conference and will very much be in the mix to win the championship in November.
BJ: Highland is going to be a very intriguing team this season. The Hawks return a ton of talent, led by ‘26 R Kylie Riggs, ‘26 WR/R Addi Riggs, ‘26 WR Emilee Searle, ‘26 QB Alexis Eley, ‘26 DB Kaitlyn Saunders, and ‘27 DB Addy Lowe.
In addition to the influx of returning talent, ‘28 QB Lacie Nemchick, a finalist for 2024 BJ Media Freshman of the Year, has transferred in from Casteel.
The QB room should be interesting to watch after Nemchick is eligible as Eley threw for 3,678 yards and 31 TDs while rushing for 708 yards and 10 TDs, but she also threw 28 INTs. Meanwhile, Nemchick threw for 3,051 yards, 36 TDs, and only 11 INTs, but only rushed for 355 yards and 3 TDs.
It will be interesting to see how the Hawks handle each of the two QBs as both are very talented, but Nemchick does a better job of taking care of the ball while Eley is more of a threat with her legs.
The toughest games for Highland will come against 5A #1 Campo Verde, Mountain Ridge, Gilbert, O’Connor, Higley and Mesa. I believe the Hawks will come out of this schedule with 10 or 11 wins.
Marana
Mason’s Rank: 5
BJ’s Rank: 3
Mason’s Ceiling: 10-2
BJ’s Ceiling: 12-0
Mason’s Floor: 9-3
BJ’s Floor: 9-3
‘24 season: 14-2, lost in semifinals.
Off. Production Returning: 35.2%
Def. Production Returning: 43.8%
Mason: Rounding out my top 5 in my list is Marana. Marana is one of the more unknown contending teams in 6A this season due to how many seniors they had graduating last season.
Marana is still returning a quality roster; they will have to just find the production from some of their players who may not have seen the field a lot in 2024.
They still have players like 2026 athlete Malaysia Roebuck, who is one of the best two-way players in Arizona. Roebuck had 890 receiving yards and 15 touchdown receptions in 2024. She also had 63 flag pulls and five interceptions on the defensive side.
2026 linebacker and wide receiver Sadie Brown is also coming back, and she should have a big 2025 season. Last year, she had 5 interceptions and 59 flag pulls. While also hauling in 693 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Marana does have a somewhat favorable schedule this season as they try to figure out new players to plug in. Their toughest opponents are Mountain View Mesa, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Millennium.
If Marana can beat the teams they are supposed to, they can finish as a top-five seed again this season and go on a playoff run.
BJ: I’m higher on Marana than Mason is. Although the Tigers graduated a lot of seniors, they alleviated a lot of those concerns when they dominated their way to back-to-back JustChilly Flight Club titles.
‘26 WR/DB Malaysia Roebuck is still one of the best wideouts in the state and there will be a lot of new faces as her supporting cast. ‘29 QB Isabella Garcia was really impressive this summer, ‘28 WR/LB Brooklyn Griffin (who looks like a clone of her older sister Adrian) has gotten a lot better this offseason and should have a big sophomore season, and ‘26 WR/LB Sadie Brown is coming off of a solid junior campaign.
The toughest games for the Tigers will come against #5 Mountain View Mesa, Millennium, Corona Del Sol, 4A #4 Eastmark, and Higley. I think the Tigers win most if not all of these games and finish with 10-12 wins.
Mountain Ridge
Mason’s Rank: 6
BJ’s Rank: 7
Mason’s Ceiling: 10-2
BJ’s Ceiling: 11-1
Mason’s Floor: 8-4
BJ’s Floor: 8-4
‘24 season: 14-5, lost in quarterfinals.
Off. Production Returning: 97.5%
Def. Production Returning: 61.5%
Mason: Mountain Ridge is similar to Highland in the sense that they are bringing back a talented roster and adding some newcomers to the team as well.
In the two years that AIA sanctioned flag football as a sport, Mountain Ridge has been one of the premier teams in Arizona, and that should continue in 2025.
A few key players returning include 2026 athlete Cameron Mailloux. Mailloux did it all last year for Mountain Ridge. She had 1411 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. While also the team's lead passer with 2192 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns. She also had an impressive 18 interceptions in 2024.
The big thing Mountain Ridge is looking forward to this season is the addition of Amiaya Tice. She attended Northwest Christian in 2024, although that school did not have a flag football team. Tice has made a name for herself in the club scene, being one of the most decorated club players in Arizona. Tice has one of the best throwing mechanics I have seen, and she should come into Mountain Ridge and make an immediate impact.
Mountain Ridge will have to go through a gauntlet this season with their schedule, though, as they face teams like Mountain View, Highland, Red Mountain, and Hamilton.
Even with their tough schedule, I think they can finish as one of the top seeds and get quality wins against some of the teams I listed above. Mountain Ridge is my dark horse team in 6A because if they get rolling, they will be a hard team to beat.
BJ: Mountain Ridge has to be the least talked about elite team in Arizona flag football. In 2023, the Mountain Lions made a run to the 6A title game as an 11 seed. In 2024, they won 12 of their first 13 games before hitting a wall against #1 Hamilton.
2024 BJ Media Two-Way Player of the Year finalist Cameron Mailloux will be a key returner for Mountain Ridge as they look to get back to the 6A title game.
The Mountain Lions will also have a new weapon in ‘28 QB/ATH Amaiya Tice, who transferred in from Northwest Christian, who does not have a flag football program yet.
Mountain Ridge’s schedule is brutal. They’ll face #1 Hamilton, #2 Red Mountain, #4 Highland, #5 Mountain View, 5A #4 Canyon View, and rival O’Connor. The Mountain Lions will likely come out of that schedule with 8 or 9 wins.
Basha
Mason’s Rank: 7
BJ’s Rank: 9
Mason’s Ceiling: 9-3
BJ’s Ceiling: 10-2
Mason’s Floor: 8-4
BJ’s Floor: 7-5
‘24 season: 14-4, lost in quarterfinals.
Off. Production Returning: 73.1%
Def. Production Returning: 63.7%
Mason: Basha, for me, is one of the harder teams to evaluate for the upcoming season. I still am confident in them being a top-eight seed and hosting a playoff game, but they will have questions coming into the year.
They lost their star wide receiver, Claire McMahon, as she transferred to Campo Verde. However, they still have a good amount of players returning, and they will still be a solid team.
2027 quarterback Amiah Walker is coming back to Basha for the 2025 season. She had a great season last year, having 2966 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns while leading her team to a 14-win season.
They also have incoming 2029 freshman Victoria Beakes being added to their roster. I saw a little bit of Beakes during the spring, and I was impressed with her play and think she can make an immediate impact.
Basha has a bit of a tough schedule, having to play Hamilton and Red Mountain, but I think they will be favored in a majority of their games, which is why I think they can still be a top seed in 6A.
BJ: Basha definitely has some questions to answer with star ‘28 WR/DB Claire McMahon transferring out after being a huge percentage of their production on both sides of the ball, but we all know one player is not the entire team.
‘27 QB Amiah Walker is back after a huge sophomore season and ‘29 WR Victoria Beakes is widely expected to be one of the top players in her class in the state. ‘27 LB Aaliyah Bribiescas and ‘27 DB/WR Luci Burt should also have big junior seasons.
The Bears schedule is relentless. They’ll face #1 Hamilton, #2 Red Mountain, Millennium, Casteel, and Mesa. However, I think Basha comes out of this schedule with at least 8 wins.
Sandra Day O’Connor
Mason’s Rank: 8
BJ’s Rank: 11
Mason’s Ceiling: 9-3
BJ’s Ceiling: 9-3
Mason’s Floor: 8-4
BJ’s Floor: 7-5
‘24 season: 13-5, lost in round one.
Off. Production Returning: 92.7%
Def. Production Returning: 59.7%
Mason: Sandra Day O’Connor is returning a talented offense in 2025 and should aim to be one of the best teams in 6A.
They had a double-digit win season in 2024, but they ultimately lost to Mountain Ridge in the first round, 21-10.
Although I think 2026 athlete Becky Currence coming back to Sandra Day O’Connor will be super beneficial in helping them get back to a winning season. Currence is one of the best players in Arizona, as in 2024, she had 1280 receiving yards and 14 passing touchdowns. While on defense, she had seven interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
Currence was one of many players on offense who will be returning this season, and they should have another high-powered offensive season.
Their toughest opponents will be Marana, Highland, and Mountain Ridge, but other than those teams, Sandra Day O’Connor should take care of business against the rest of their schedule.
Sandra Day O’Connor should be able to finish as a top eight seed this season; however, 6A is a very deep conference this season, and they will have to get momentum going early in their season.
BJ: The Eagles return one of the best WRs in the state in ‘26 Becky Currence, who totaled 1,280 yards and 14 TDs as a junior as well as the majority of their offensive production.
Defensively, there will be some seniors to replace, but O’Connor still returns 60% of their production from 2024.
The toughest games on the schedule will be against #3 Marana, #4 Highland, #7 Mountain Ridge, 5A #3 Verrado, and Casteel. I think a 9-win season is likely in the cards for the Eagles.
Gilbert
Mason’s Rank: 9
BJ’s Rank: 10
Mason’s Ceiling: 9-3
BJ’s Ceiling: 11-1
Mason’s Floor: 7-5
BJ’s Floor: 8-4
‘24 season: 9-5, lost in round one.
Off. Production Returning: 70.2%
Def. Production Returning: 56.6%
Mason: The Gilbert Tigers are poised for another good season in 2025.
Gilbert had a three-win improvement from 2023 to 2024, and I can see them having another improvement even if it doesn’t show in the win column. Gilbert is returning a lot of their offensive production, so we should see more consistency from them.
They do have a few seniors who were great impacts who graduated, but they will have 2027 quarterback Lilah Barton coming back. Barton had 32 passing touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2024. From what I saw last year, I think Barton is in store for a big jump, and I expect to see that interception number go down.
Their defense will be a question mark in terms of who steps up, as about half of the production from 2024 will be gone.
Gilbert will have to play teams such as Hamilton in their season opener and Highland later on in the season, but they have a lot of teams on their schedule in which they will be the favorites.
If Gilbert continues their trend of getting better every season, I expect them to be above .500 again and could even be in contention to host a playoff game.
BJ: The Tigers are another elite team in this deep 6A conference. They made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but this year they are looking to take it further.
Seniors Khalia Dana and Jalyssa Guerrero will be deeply missed, but they still have a loaded roster.
‘27 QB Lilah Barton headlines the returning core for Gilbert after throwing for 2,614 yards, 32 TDs, and 15 INTs while rushing for 413 yards and 3 TDs as a sophomore.
‘27 ATH Jasmine Guerrero should have a big junior year filling the shoes of her older sister after catching 32 passes for 496 yards and 7 TDs while recording 41 flag pulls and 14 PBUs as a sophomore.
‘26 ATH Brylee Gaylord and Portland State basketball commit and ‘26 WR/DB Aspen McClees should have big senior seasons.
In addition to returning talent, ‘27 R Charlize Brown has transferred in from Mesquite, where she recorded 20 sacks and 40 flag pulls as a sophomore.
The toughest games for the Tigers will come against #1 Hamilton, #4 Highland, Millennium, Corona Del Sol, and Higley. I think Gilbert will pick up at least 1-2 wins from that stretch and handle business on the rest of their schedule.
Millennium
Mason’s Rank: 10
BJ’s Rank: 6
Mason’s Ceiling: 9-3
BJ’s Ceiling: 11-1
Mason’s Floor: 6-6
BJ’s Floor: 7-5
‘24 season: 17-4, lost in quarterfinals.
Off. Production Returning: 21%
Def. Production Returning: 48.7%
Mason: Millennium is coming off a remarkable 2024 season, as they were just one point away from being in the semifinals.
However, one of the reasons they had such a great season last year was all the seniors they had on their roster.
They have one of the worst percentages for offensive return rate this season, but I still think even in a retool season, they will be a solid team.
They still have their 2026 two-way star in Jaiya Davis. Davis in 2024 recorded 3 interceptions and hauled in 1252 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Davis will be the solidified number one target this season for Millennium and should have an even better 2025 campaign.
They also return 2026 rusher Akyra Dale, who led the team in 2024 with 22 sacks. She will look to have another big season as Millennium has one of the best pass-rushing groups in 6A.
Their toughest opponents will be Basha, Gilbert, and Marana.
Even though they lost a lot of seniors from 2024, Millennium is one of the best-coached teams in Arizona and should still have a winning season, and I see them finishing as a top 10 seed in 6A.
BJ: Two things that you can always count on with Millennium flag football - they will be well coached and they will be athletic. The Tigers came up one point short at Marana in the 6A quarterfinals and it’s been on their mind the entire offseason.
Graduating 2024 BJ Media Two-Way Player of the Year Breanna Saunders and several other key seniors will certainly hurt, but there are some younger players that have patiently waited their turn and will be ready to get out there and compete with the best.
The biggest returners will be ‘26 WR Jaiya Davis and ‘26 R Akrya Dale, who Mason mentioned above.
The toughest games for the Tigers will come against #3 Marana, #9 Basha, #10 Gilbert, Casteel, and Mesa. I think Millennium will win 3 or 4 of those games.
Desert Vista
Mason’s Rank: 11
BJ’s Rank: 14
Mason’s Ceiling: 9-3
BJ’s Ceiling: 9-3
Mason’s Floor: 7-5
BJ’s Floor: 4-8
‘24 season: 7-7, lost in round one.
Off. Production Returning: 100%
Def. Production Returning: 51.6%
Mason: A team that I expect to get over the .500 hump in 2025 is Desert Vista. Desert Vista doesn’t get enough credit for how good their program has been in the last two seasons.
In 2023, they went 9-4, but then stumbled a little bit in 2024, only going 7-7.
They were also one of the youngest teams in 2024 as they only had three seniors on their roster.
Desert Vista has very talented players on their roster, including 2026 quarterback and wide receiver Ella Creech. Creech should have a very big jump in 2025, as her statistics might not show it, but she is a very good football player. She is one of the most elusive quarterbacks in the state, and I think she is going to showcase that more this season.
Desert Vista will have to face teams like Basha, Millennium, Mountain Ridge, and Marana. However, I think they are going to shock a lot of people this season.
I think Desert Vista goes back to being above .500 like they did in 2023, and I could see them even winning a playoff game or two.
BJ: The Thunder are a big-time wildcard this season. They’ll have a ton of games against teams that can go either way and that will be what really shapes their season.
The toughest games for Desert Vista will come against #3 Marana, #6 Millennium, #7 Mountain Ridge, #9 Basha, Corona Del Sol, Xavier Prep, Desert Ridge, and Torrey Pines (CA). I can see the Thunder winning anywhere from 0 to 5 of these 8 games and they should win the other 4 no matter what.
Casteel
Mason’s Rank: 12
BJ’s Rank: 13
Mason’s Ceiling: 8-4
BJ’s Ceiling: 8-4
Mason’s Floor: 6-6
BJ’s Floor: 5-7
‘24 season: 11-6, lost in round one.
Off. Production Returning: 35.1%
Def. Production Returning: 69.3%
Mason: Casteel was a hard team for me to rank due to me not knowing what their offense will look like this season.
They lost some crucial seniors and their quarterback, Lacie Nemchick, who transferred to Highland.
On the defensive side, they still have a lot of production coming back and some key players that will make that side of the ball still very good.
Players such as 2026 defensive back Mia Johnson led the team in flag pulls with 85, and also led the team in interceptions with six. Johnson is one of the best defensive backs and can play every position in the secondary.
They also have a tough schedule, as to name a few, they will go against Highland, Hamilton, Basha, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Red Mountain.
Even with question marks on offense and their hard schedule, Casteel always finds a way to get tough wins, and I expect them to be above .500 and make the playoffs again this season.
BJ: Casteel loses some key seniors in addition to ‘28 QB Lacie Nemchick transferring to Highland.
However, this team is still in prime position to get back to the playoffs, in large part due to their strength of schedule. ‘26 DB Mia Johnson, ‘26 RB/LB Audrina Wenze-Atencio, ‘26 WR Ayanna Austin, ‘27 WR/LB Fallon Mallory, ‘26 LB Izzy Guzman, and ‘27 R Reese Conrad are among key returners that made significant contributions last season.
The toughest games for the Colts will be against #1 Hamilton, #2 Red Mountain, #4 Highland, #6 Millennium, #9 Basha, #11 O’Connor, and Higley. I expect Casteel to win anywhere from 1-3 of these games and handle the remaining 5 opponents.
Sunnyside
Mason’s Rank: 13
BJ’s Rank: NR
Mason’s Ceiling: 8-4
Mason’s Floor: 6-6
‘24 season: 10-5, lost in round one.
Mason: Sunnyside made a name for itself in its first year as a program. They won 10 games last year and were able to sneak into the playoffs.
They had impressive wins over Xavier College Prep and a dominant win over Buena in 2024.
2028 defensive back and wide receiver Essney Lazo will be back this year for them, too. Lazo had a solid freshman season, and she should only go up from there.
In 2025, they have a favorable schedule, although they go against teams like Millennium, Marana, and Desert Vista.
Besides those teams, though, they should be fairly confident in their season and should be able to stack enough wins to get back into the playoffs this season.
Queen Creek
Mason’s Rank: 14
BJ’s Rank: NR
Mason’s Ceiling: 7-5
Mason’s Floor: 5-7
‘24 season: 7-6, lost in round one.
Mason: Queen Creek had a three-win improvement from 2023 to 2024. They won over half of their games and even earned themselves a playoff birth.
Looking at their schedule this season and how they did in 2024, I think they will be around the same record and seed this season.
They took care of business against teams that they should have beaten, and teams like Highland and Gilbert were close losses. If they can continue to make some of the better teams work for their wins and beat the teams they are supposed to, I think they can make the playoffs for the second year in a row.
They have tough opponents in Highland, Gilbert, and Basha, but I still see them winning around 5-7 games this season.
Corona Del Sol
Mason’s Rank: 15
BJ’s Rank: 8
Mason’s Ceiling: 7-5
BJ’s Ceiling: 11-1
Mason’s Floor: 5-7
BJ’s Floor: 8-4
‘24 season: 3-11, missed playoffs.
Off. Production Returning: 74.1%
Def. Production Returning: 88.6%
Mason: This very well could be my boldest ranking in the entire list, but I think Corona Del Sol is going to be a very surprising team this season.
Corona Del Sol is led by new head coach Joe Griffin, and I have heard nothing but good things about him and how this Corona Del Sol team is going to be good this year.
I think Griffin is going to unlock the potential of this team, and under his first year as the head coach, I think they will be around or above .500.
I also think 2026 wide receiver Bridget Leyva will have a breakout season in 2025. She showed glimpses of greatness in 2024, and I had the chance of watching her in the spring, and she impressed me.
They also return their 2028 defensive back, Sofia Villone. Villone led Corona Del Sol in 2024 with 16 interceptions as just a freshman.
Their toughest opponents include Mountain View and Marana. Although I think they will be able to get some quality wins against the rest of their schedule.
In November, I truly think we will see Corona Del Sol playing in the playoffs.
BJ: If Mason thinks putting CDS at 15 is bold, then I must be a maniac. This will not only be a playoff team this season, but the Aztecs will be competing for a home playoff game in year one under new HC Joe Griffin, who was the Mountain Pointe DC last season.
The Aztecs have a ton of returning talent, led by BJ Media Freshman of the Year Finalist Sofia Villone, who recorded 16 INTs last season and is expected to play more quarterback this season after catching 46 passes for 722 yards and 3 TDs at WR on offense.
‘26 ATH Bridget Leyva should also see an increased role this season after looking very impressive this summer.
‘28 LB Ellie Clark, who tied with Leyva for the team lead with 41 flag pulls last season, should also have a big season.
Joining the key returners for the Aztecs will be ‘27 WR/DB Aaliya Van Heel, who transferred in from Hamilton, where she caught 57 passes for 832 yards and 7 TDs.
Van Heel was absolutely dominant this summer, making big-time plays at the AY BILT tournament, the UofA tournament, and most importantly at JustChilly Flight Club, where she and the Aztecs put the whole state on notice when they advanced to the championship game against Marana after knocking off Mountain View, Campo Verde, Higley, and more.
This is not a team that is necessarily going to have the statistics to back up my preseason ranking, but the eye test from this summer says this team could be as good as top 5 in 6A.
Corona Del Sol’s toughest games will come against #3 Marana, #5 Mountain View, #6 Millennium, #10 Gilbert, #15 Desert Vista, and 5A #8 Mountain Pointe. I expect anywhere from 8-10 wins out of these Aztecs.
West Point
Mason’s Rank: 16
BJ’s Rank: NR
Mason’s Ceiling: 8-4
Mason’s Floor: 6-6
‘24 season: 11-5, missed playoffs.
Mason: West Point had one of the biggest turnarounds from 2023 to 2024. They went from 0-12 in 2023 to 11-5 in 2024.
They missed the playoffs in 2024 due to their strength of schedule, a challenge they will face again this season.
I think West Point will get more quality wins this season, though, alongside a good record, they might be able to sneak into the playoffs.
They face Basha, Hamilton, and Red Mountain this year, while with the rest of their schedule, they should be able to stack wins.
Last year, they made the top 6A teams have to earn their wins, as they only lost to Basha by 7 and Sandra Day O’Connor by 4.
They had a lot of graduating seniors in 2024, so there will be a question as to who can fill those seniors' shoes. Although I think West Point should be able to have a positive record two years in a row, with a chance at their program's first playoff berth.
Higley
Mason’s Rank: NR
BJ’s Rank: 12
BJ’s Ceiling: 8-4
BJ’s Floor: 5-7
‘24 season: 5-8, lost in round one.
Off. Returning Production: 98.7%
Def. Returning Production: 66.4%
BJ: After 2024 was a rough adjustment to 6A, I think this season will be a big stepping stone year for Higley. The Knights have a massive returning production percentage as well as one of the best freshmen in the state.
‘29 QB Jayda Fagrell, the younger sister of varsity tackle 3-star QB Gunner Fagrell, is expected to start for the Knights at least for the foreseeable future until ‘26 QB Ava Taliaferro recovers from a knee injury.
‘28 ATH Jayla Freeman was impressive this summer between AY BILT and JustChilly’s Flight Club and should have a big sophomore season. And the Knights’ two leading receivers, ‘26 Maci Kerns and ‘27 Cadence Murdough both return after stellar 2024 campaigns.
The toughest games for Higley will come against #3 Marana, #4 Highland, #5 Mountain View, 5A #1 Campo Verde, #10 Gilbert, and #14 Casteel.
Xavier Prep
Mason’s Rank: NR
BJ’s Rank: 15
BJ’s Ceiling: 9-3
BJ’s Floor: 5-7
‘24 season: 5-7, missed playoffs.
Off. Returning Production: 95.2%
Def. Returning Production: 89.4%
BJ: 2024 was a down year for the Gators after making the state quarterfinals in 2023. But with such a massive returning core, many of them being seniors that led the team to a 7 seed and first round win in ‘23 as sophomores.
The toughest games for Xavier Prep under new HC Matthew Reum will come against #3 Marana, #6 Millennium, and #8 Corona Del Sol. What the Gators do with the remaining 9 games will shape their 2025 season.
Mesa
Mason’s Rank: NR
BJ’s Rank: 16
BJ’s Ceiling: 8-4
BJ’s Floor: 5-7
‘24 season: 7-7, missed playoffs.
Off. Returning Production: 19.9%
Def. Returning Production: 18.5%
BJ: The Jackrabbits showed major improvement last season and I think they will take that next step and get to the playoffs this season.
They’ll have a fresh new roster with under 20% returning production, but this is another team that passes the eye test. Mesa went toe-to-toe with multiple future playoff-bound teams and I think they’ll do just enough to get that final playoff spot.
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