Players to watch:

Amphi running back/linebacker Jacob Espinoza

Espinoza, a senior who will be a four-year starter, has tallied 1,553 rushing yards on 281 carries with 22 touchdowns over his previous three years. He has rushed for at least 456 yards every year with his personal-best 598 last season. As a sophomore, he showed he can also be a weapon catching the ball out of the backfield with 18 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown. Espinoza, who played in just eight games last year due to injury, finished with 40 tackles after recording 74 as a sophomore. He has mentioned that he prefers to play linebacker over running back.

Douglas quarterback Ivan Higuera

Douglas junior quarterback Ivan Higuera established himself as one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in Southern Arizona, rushing and passing for more than 1,000 yards last season. He completed 76 of 150 passes for 1,031 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 1,052 yards on 133 carries with 11 touchdowns.

4A GILA NOTES:

— Amphi, under one of the most successful coaches in Southern Arizona — Jorge Mendivil (121 career wins), playing the same schedule as last year when it finished 7-3 and 5-1 in 4A Gila. A majority of the schools play the same schedule as a year ago with the sides turned. The Panthers host Flowing Wells in the Prince Road Rivalry on Sept. 13 and travel to Amphitheater School District rival CDO next week.

— The one Paul Tripp The Cholla era begins with a road game against Glendale Copper Canyon, a team the Chargers beat 7-0 at home to start the season last year. The Chargers play traditional rivals Pueblo on the road and Sahuaro at home in non-regional games in the third and fourth weeks of the season, respectively.

— Douglas, sixth-year coach Hunter Long (an alum who was part of Arizona’s 2014 Pac-12 South championship team), has a tough non-region schedule hosting ALA-Ironwood (3A playoff team last year) in the opener followed by road games at historic rival Bisbee and Sahuaro before hosting 5A school Ironwood Ridge.

— Empire also has a long-term coach in George Kelly (sixth year) and the Ravens face the challenge of opening at home with Phoenix Sierra Linda (a 5A school that reclassified to 4A this year). The Ravens lost 13-7 at Sierra Linda to open last year. The Ravens then play at Avondale La Joya and Ironwood Ridge before hosting Pueblo in the non-regional schedule.

— Johnny Chan begins his head coaching career at Rincon/University at home with games with Phoenix Washington and Palo Verde at home before playing at Safford (a tough 3A team that won at RIncon/University 49-17. The promising news is that the Rangers are off to a 2-0 start last the year with wins in Washington and Palo Verde A game at Casa Grande Vista Grande is scheduled in the middle of the 4A Gila schedule.

— Rio Rico will start Carlos Duran era at Maricopa Desert Sunrise followed by home games against Glendale and rival Nogales before playing in Florence. The Ravens won the last two games against Nogales under the legendary coach Jeff Scurran after going winless in the I-19 Rivalry in the previous 12 meetings.

— Jake Allen brings his introduction to head coaching at Pueblo the past four years to his new position at Sahuarita facing the challenge of playing a similar schedule that resulted in a 2-8 record for the Mustangs last year. Sahuarita’s non-regional schedule does not include a game with nearby rival Walden Grove for the second straight season after the Red Wolves won 56-7 over the Mustangs in 2022 — the first game between the teams since a battle on the field in 2015.

4A GILA SCHEDULE

AMPHI

Head Coach: Jorge Mendivil (40-54, 11th season in Amphi and 121-101 overall in 23rd season overall).

The Panthers compete in the 4A Gila. *Regional games. Games at 19:00

CHOLLA

Head Coach: Paul Tripp (first year at Cholla and overall)

Chargers compete in 4A Gila. *Regional games. Game at 19:00

DOUGLAS

Head Coach: Hunter Long (15-24, sixth year at Douglas and overall)

The Bulldogs compete in the 4A Gila. *Regional games. Game at 19:00

EMPIRE

Head Coach: George Kelly (15-27, sixth season in Empire and overall)

The Ravens compete in the 4A Gila. *Regional games. The games are at 7:00 p.m

RINCON/UNIVERSITY

Head Coach: Johnny Chan (first year at Rincon/University and overall)

The Rangers compete in the 4A Gila. *Regional games. Game at 19:00

RIO RICO

Head Coach: Carlos Duran (first year at Rio Rico and overall)

The Hawks compete in the 4A Gila. *Regional games. Game at 19:00

SAHUARITA

Head Coach: Jake Allen (first year at Sahuarita, 15-15, fifth year overall).

The Mustangs compete in the 4A Gila. *Regional games. Game at 19:00

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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club awardee. He is a former Arizona Daily Star reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the NCAA title in 1996-97. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also written the book “The highest form of life”which is available on Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is currently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.