Why the west side of Phoenix has come so far in high school football
High school football players from Phoenix’s west side discuss why the region has made such progress in the sport.
We’re in the third week of the Arizona Interscholastic Association football season, the second week for the big schools (6A, 5A and 4A). Here’s this week’s schedule for each conference, along with the Arizona Republic’s picks (in all caps). All games start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Arizona high school football schedule for week 3
Games on Thursday
6A Conference
Ridge at CHANDLER
Desert ridge near HAMILTON
Desert view at WILLIAMS FIELD
5A Conference
North Canyon at BARRY GOLDWATER
Agua Fria in CANYON VIEW
SÜDBERG in Willow Canyon
4A Conference
EASTMARK at Combs
WASHINGTON near Cortez
Copper Canyon at POSTON BUTTE
GLENDALE on the Rio Rico
3A Conference
Gilbert Christian at ALA IRONWOOD
Window Rock at BLUE RIDGE
Wickenburg at PARKER
Yuma at TEMPE
2A Conference
Valley near ALCHESAY
PINON at Navajo Prep (New Mexico)
MOUNTAINSIDE vs. St. John Paul II at Estrella Foothills
1A Conference
EL CAPITAN in Eureka (Nevada)
Games on Friday
6A Conference
Boulder Creek at ALA QUEEN CREEK
CORONA DEL SOL in Apple Valley, California
Mesa at BASHA
Regis Jesuit vs. BROPHY PREP, at Central
Westview at CESAR CHAVEZ
Centenary celebration at HIGHLAND
Sandra Day O’Connor at LIBERTY
Saguaro at MESA MOUNTAIN VIEW
Casteel at QUEEN CREEK
CHAPARRAL at Shadow Ridge
PINNACLE at Tolleson
RED MOUNTAIN at Valley Vista
SKYLINE in Westwood
MOUNTAIN POINTE at Cathedral Catholic (California), 7:30 p.m.
5A Conference
Ironwood Ridge at BUENA
IMPERIAL (CALIFORNIA) at Yuma Cibola
NOTRE DAME PREP at Desert Edge
Sunrise Mountain at DESERT MOUNTAIN
Camelback at DOBSON
ALA GILBERT NORTH at Gilbert
Marana Mountain View at HORIZON
CENTRAL at Ironwood
MCCLINTOCK at Marcos de Niza
Campo Verde in the MILLENNIUM
CASA GRANDE in Nogales
Desert view in the north
CIENEGA in Paradise Valley
Raymond S Kellis at PEORIA
HIGLEY in San Juan Hills (California)
CACTUS at Snowflake
FLOWING WELLS at Sunnyside
APOLLO at Sunnyslope
Maricopa at TREVOR BROWNE
MARANA in Tucson
Betty Fairfax at VERRADO
CACTUS SHADOWS in West Point
4A Conference
Carl Hayden at LAKE HAVASU
ARIZONA COLLEGE PREP at Apache Junction
Walden Grove at ARCADIA
Douglas at BISBEE
Youngker at BUCKEYE
BRADSHAW MOUNTAIN in Canyon del Oro
Maryvale at CHOLLA
Sahuarita in DEER VALLEY
Mingus at ESTRELLA FOOTHILLS
Flagstaff at GREENWAY
AMPHITHEATER at Independence
EMPIRE at La Joya
Sierra Linda at LEE WILLIAMS
MICA MOUNTAIN near Mesquite
Sahuaro at NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN
Gila Ridge at PALO VERDE (Blythe, California)
Palo Verde at RINCON UNIVERSITY
St. Mary’s at Seton Catholic
Prescott at THUNDERBIRD
Pueblo at VISTA GRANDE
Catalina Foothills at YUMA CATHOLIC
3A Conference
Mohave at ALA WEST FOOTHILLS
Pusch Ridge at BENJAMIN FRANKLIN QUEEN CREEK
Many farms in CHINLE
Bourgade Catholic Church in CHINO VALLEY
SABINO at Crismon
Camp Verde at FOUNTAIN HILLS
ANTELOPE at Kofa
Benson at MORENCI
Page at PAYSON
PARADISE HONORS vs. River Valley at Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse
St. Johns in ROUND VALLEY
FLORENCE in Safford
SAN TAN CHARTER at San Tan Foothills
Coolidge in SANTA CRUZ
DYSART at Shadow Mountain
Valley Christian at THATCHER
Odyssey Institute in TONOPAH VALLEY
MONUMENT VALLEY in Tuba City
Show Low at WILLCOX
HOLBROOK near Winslow
2A Conference
CORONADO at Red Mesa, 6pm
Catalina at ALA ANTHEM SOUTH
HIGHLAND PREP at Chandler Prep
Arete preparation at GLOBE
MADISON HIGHLAND at the NFL
ARIZONA LUTHERAN at Phoenix Christian
SANTA RITA in San Pasqual
Veritas Prep at SEQUOIA PATHWAY
SAN CARLOS near Tombstone
Olympian (California) at TRIVIUM PREP
HERITAGE ACADEMY LAVEEN vs. Valley Lutheran, in Washington
1A Conference
VALLEY UNION at Baboquivari
CICERO PREP in Desert Heights
SAN MANUEL near Duncan
Baghdad at HAYDEN
Fort Thomas at LINCOLN PREP
JOSEPH CITY at Maryvale Prep
Mayer at MOGOLLON
Salome at MOHAVE ACCELERATED
Ray at ST. DAVID
Manager at WILLIAMS
Games on Saturday
6A Conference
PERRY in Granite Hills (California), 4 p.m.
3A Conference
Kingman vs. KINGMAN ACADEMY, in Northern Arizona, 4 p.m
2A Conference
Hopi vs. SCOTTSDALE PREP, in Northern Arizona, 1 p.m.
Richard Obert has covered high school sports for The Arizona Republic since the 1980s. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert