The 2025 3A rankings were first published in this year's edition of the Sollenberger magazine.  

1. THATCHER: The Eagles came in at No. 2 in our preseason rankings last year, which didn’t end up being too far off after their 34-22 loss to ALA - West Foothills in the semifinals. Graduating 22 seniors isn’t something a team fully recovers from overnight, but head coach Daniel Jones still expects to be in the mix come postseason. “Offensively, we’re not quite as big as we’ve been in the past, but I think we’re a little more technically sound and a little nastier this year,” Jones said. The run-first group plans to demand a little more through the air from senior quarterback Chad Johnson this season. All signs point to a crowded committee in the backfield, which includes all-region outside linebacker Ryan Jones. The secondary lacks experience, but with Travis Larson and Landon Robbins returning, coach Jones expects the guys up front to pick up the slack. “I think our front seven are going to be vying for some of the best in the 3A conference,” Jones said. Thatcher will be chasing its 10th title in program history this year. 

 

2. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: After finishing at the top of the 3A Metro East region with an 11-2 record last season, the No. 1 seed Chargers fell 24-13 to eventual champ Pusch Ridge in the semifinals. Junior quarterback Gavin Wyler wasn’t himself early on in that game, with three first-half interceptions. But head coach Danny Norris has liked what he’s seen from Wyler since. “He’s really attacked this offseason,” Norris said. “He’s proven that he can play at a high level. Now we’re just waiting for that overall consistency.” Following the loss of running back Ridge Allen, linebacker Ashton Goddard, Prezton Gomez and brothers Carson and Landon Stetka should all see their fair share of work in the backfield this season behind a formidable offensive front that includes Ammon Alexander, Jackson Ellis and Zach Teuscher. Senior Ty Sather (DB/WR) is expected to play a crucial role on defense. “I think he’s the best defensive back in the conference and one of the best in the state,” Norris said. “Although we did lose a lot of leadership on defense, returning him is huge for us. We’re going to be a fast, violent defense, and he’ll be the leader of that for sure.”

 

3. PUSCH RIDGE: The reigning 3A champs entered last year’s playoff bracket as the No. 4 seed, and the Lions earned every bit of their title by upsetting No. 1 Benjamin Franklin in the semifinals and No. 2 ALA - West Foothills in the championship game. The program saw several impactful seniors end their high school careers on top, including quarterback Jacob Newborn. Juniors Race Pinneo and MJ Buckner both have potential to take his place under center this season, and they’ll be throwing to reliable returners like Nate Campa and Dominic Painter. “Dominic has worked real hard in the offseason, he’s gotten a step quicker and a lot stronger,” head coach Kent Middleton said. “Nate’s just a gifted athlete that can make things happen after he catches the football.” Sophomore Cameron Shoaff (RB/LB) and senior safety Josiah Jones will also be players to keep an eye on this season. “The strength of our program is the fact that we’re family and that we work at it together,” Middleton said. “We go by the motto, ‘It’s amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares to get the credit.’”

 

4. ALA – IRONWOOD: This will be Myron Blueford’s first year as head coach of a Warriors team that came out of 2024 9-3, and his first priority is establishing a new culture. “It’s about getting these kids bought in to a new way of doing things around here and making sure that they know the amount of work it takes to be successful,” Blueford said. The Warriors lost running back Ayden Williams, who rushed for over 2,000 yards last season. But they’ve returned most of the guys up front, and they see plenty of potential in junior running back Shawn Hinchcliff. “He’s a stud,” Blueford said. “He’s built like a 6A-style running back. He’s got huge claws, he’s super agile, super fast, he runs through people. He’s the one who’s just impressed us in every phase of our offseason.” On the other side of the ball, linebackers Zach Barker-Moreno and Carter Sage are expected to lead the defense. “Zach’s probably one of the smartest football players I’ve coached,” Blueford said. “With our new schemes, he’ll be one that we lean on a lot.”

 

5. ROUND VALLEY: The Elks made an appearance in last year’s quarterfinals before falling 28-6 to No. 2 ALA - West Foothills, who returned the favor after Round Valley put an end to their season the previous year. Junior Kage Finch looks to be the primary starter at quarterback after splitting time last season, and running back Brody Crick, who found over 800 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, returns for an even bigger role in the backfield this time around. In between Crick’s carries, sophomores Titan Myers and Ji Logan should see the field as well. A valuable two-way player for the Elks will be senior Jeffery Cochran (WR/FS). Cochran tallied over 400 yards receiving and 82 tackles last year. Linebacker Lane Hill is in line for a promising senior season after leading the team in tackles (88) last season. Round Valley’s defense came up with 35 sacks in 2024. Six of those belonged to senior defensive end Cody Finch. 

 

6. VALLEY CHRISTIAN: Valley Christian’s No. 4 ranking last preseason didn’t pan out quite as expected following an uncharacteristic 3-6 campaign that marked the Trojans’ first losing season since 2017. With 14 starters returning this year, head coach Jake Peterson expects the group to return to form under new coordinators on each side of the ball, and that’ll start with the offense. “We didn’t have as many weapons last year as we do this season,” Peterson said. “Our team’s speed is probably the best that we’ve ever had since I’ve been at Valley Christian. It’s going to be really special. We’ll have four guys probably that will run under 11 seconds in the 100m this next year at state track.” Senior receiver Asher Hanzal and sophomore tight end Caden Palmquest will be the primary targets for the Trojan offense. On the defense, Hudson Pickett and Ethan Hodgson will lead the way. “This team is hungrier than last year,” Peterson said. “This group of seniors has the team mentality and the work ethic to complete the ultimate goal that we have. The difference between this year and last year will be their mentality and teamwork.”

 

7. PAYSON: Payson didn’t make our preseason Top-10 last year, but with 16 seniors on the roster after an 8-3 season that put them on top of the 3A East region, the Longhorns find themselves in a promising position this year. Head coach Bryan Burke expects 6-4 senior quarterback Nolan Keeney to be a bit more of a running threat this year, but his top target, senior wide receiver Marco Gureque, should still see plenty of action. “Marco is a big play waiting to happen,” Burke said. “We’re going to look to get him the ball as early and often as possible. He’ll play safety as well this year, and he’s got big shoes to fill since we lost Mason Herrera last year.” Another name to watch for on the offense will be Bert Scheer, who’s in line for a much bigger role in the backfield and at slot receiver. Burke believes that linebacker Gunner Lee is primed for a great senior season after tearing his ACL early on last year while leading the team in tackles. If all goes as planned, the program has a strong chance to win its first playoff game since 2016.

 

8. CRISMON: The last time Scott Hare took over a Valley program, Mesquite won a 4A title in his first year. Hare isn’t guaranteeing a championship in his first season with Crismon. But when he compares his first Mesquite and Crismon tours, he sees some similarities. The 2025 Rattlers’ work ethic is top-notch. The lines are solid and there’s a lot of experience in the 17-member senior class. The linebacker core will be seniors. “How quickly can we get them to believe where they are supposed to be?” Hare said. “They were 5-15 the last two years. That’s what they believe. The truth is this program can be much greater.” Hare doesn’t have the top end talent like at Mesquite, but he’s got a lot to work with if his boys stay healthy. The o-line, with Memphis Barber (6-3, 250), RT Jackson Swan and Briggs Gomez leading the way, will be big, nasty and well-coached, Hare said. LB/TE Robert Hehe and LB/RB Ben Johnson are two of the key two-way standouts. Hard-working Jr. QB Braxton Thill and running backs Rigley Kollett and Walker Higbee will help operate Hare’s spread based offense.  

 

9. Blue Ridge: A 43-0 walloping from Pusch Ridge in Round 1 of the playoffs wasn’t ideal for Blue Ridge last season. Losing senior quarterback Luke Berlin to the Valley afterward was even less so. The good news is that the Yellow Jackets still have standout senior Karlo Harris (RB/LB), who rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, and led the team with 105 tackles. Given Berlin’s absence, Harris has the potential for an even bigger season ahead. “He’s the real deal,” head coach Eric Hjalmarson said. “He’s just a tough kid. If he can stay healthy, it’ll just be another great year for him.” Junior Waylon Peters is the new starter under center, and Hjalmarson thinks he’ll do just fine with the Wing-T offense they plan to run. The second-year head coach firmly believes the group’s offensive line is better than they get credit for, especially senior Jared Cox. “He is going to be a staple for us this year for sure,” Hjalmarson said. “He can be a big difference maker up front.” Blue Ridge still holds the record for most state championships of any Arizona program at 15. Their most recent came in 2013. 

 

10. RIVER VALLEY: Following their 35-18 loss to Round Valley in the first round of the postseason last year, the Dust Devils graduated one of the program’s all-time great running backs, Jayden Plotkin, who rushed for just over 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior season. Plotkin will be sorely missed, but head coach Adam King still has high hopes for the offense, which will be led by three-year starting quarterback Mickey Smith. “He’s had his best spring and summer so far,” King said. “He has full command and control of this offense. I think the sky’s the limit for Mick this year.” With Plotkin gone, junior Aden Montgomery will step up as the lead back. Junior Shane Steinbeck (WR/CB) should make a big impact on both sides of the ball this year, and King sees a lot of potential in sophomore tackle Tallan Alexis, who made the starting roster as a freshman. “We are really going to be tested through and through in this conference,” King said. “It’s going to be sharpening the knife every week, and I think the competitiveness of our guys is really going to show.”