Arizona High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams - September 23
The 2024 Arizona high school football season is now through four weeks and the top 25 continues to take shape.
Most of the top half of the On3 Massey Ratings Arizona top 25 remains the same heading into the final weekend of September. Liberty remains the top-ranked team in the state.
Below are the updated top programs in the Grand Canyon State, as of Sept. 23.
The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory. According to the model — four teams from Alabama rank inside the nationwide top 100.
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1. Liberty
Previous: No. 1
The Lions suffered their first defeat over the season over the weekend, as Corona (Calif.) Centennial proved to be too much, claiming a 63-39 win. Despite the loss, Liberty remains atop the Arizona state rankings with a 3-1 record. A tough in-state challenge at No. 3 Chandler is on deck for Oct. 4.
2. Basha
Previous: No. 4 (+2)
Basha went on the road last weekend to take on Mission Viejo, the No. 11 team in the nation and No. 3 team in California. Despite losing 31-28, the Bears put forth an impressive showing and nearly pulled off the upset. Now also 3-1, they’ll return to their home field this Friday for a matchup against Sandra Day O’Connor High, the No. 26 team in Arizona.
3. Chandler
Previous: No. 2 (-1)
Chandler is yet to be tasked with an imposing opponent this season, but it stands at 4-0 thus far behind both an impressive offense and defense. The Wolves have allowed just 39 points so far in 2024 and have now scored 40-plus in three straight games. Things will be much tougher this week, however, as a trip to No. 6 Highland is waiting in the wings.
4. Brophy Prep
Previous: No. 7 (+3)
Brophy perhaps has the top résumé in the state thus far, as it owns three wins over ranked opponents in four games. The Broncos had already bested Williams Field and Centennial, but added a gutsy 24-20 road win over Perry last week. They’ll welcome No. 16 Notre Dame Prep to Phoenix this week for just their second home game of the season.
5. Hamilton
Previous: No. 3 (-2)
Halfway through its four-game road trip, Hamilton is currently 2-0 and remains a perfect 4-0 on the season, with the latest win coming via a 52-18 stomping of Desert Vista. The Huskies have churned through a favorable opening stretch in their schedule, but things will get much more challenging, beginning with an Oct. 11 clash at No. 2 Basha.
6. Highland
Previous: No. 5 (-1)
The Hawks continue to look the part so far this season and are now 4-0 after a 35-3 win on the road over Campo Verde. Highland has outscored its opponents 134-41 and currently has the No. 5 defense in the state, per the Massey Ratings. Someone will lose its undefeated record on Friday when Highland hosts Chandler.
7. Queen Creek American Leadership Academy
Previous: No. 6 (-1)
Like many others at the top of the state rankings, Queen Creek ALA has been superb so far this season. The Patriots’ defense is yet to allow multiple touchdowns in its first four games of 2024. Multiple ranked wins are already in the bag and they’ll look to add another this week on the road at No. 11 Pinnacle, their toughest game of the year so far.
8. Red Mountain
Previous: No. 13 (+5)
Red Mountain also finds itself at 4-0 behind a big-time offense that has put up plenty of points so far. The Mountain Lions are averaging 46 points per game and have eclipsed 50 multiple times already. They’re yet to take on a team ranked inside the top 30 in the state, but that will change this week with a trip to No. 14 Williams Field.
9. Mountain View
Previous: No. 9
A loss on the road at No. 1 Liberty is the lone blemish on Mountain View’s 3-1 record so far this season. The Toros scored 65 points in their win last week and will conclude a three-game road trip this Friday when take on fellow Mesa program Desert Ridge.
10. Higley
Previous: No. 8 (-2)
After dropping its first game of the season to now-ranked Marana on Sept. 13, Higley bounced back nicely with a 25-point win over No. 24 Goodyear Desert Edge last week. The Knights have provided a mixed bag thus far but continue to hover in and around the top 10. They’ll head to Cave Creek this week to take on top-30 Cactus Shadows.
Teams 11-25 in latest Arizona High School Football rankings
11. Pinnacle (+7)
12. Perry (-1)
13. Desert Mountain (+8)
14. Williams Field (+5)
15. Horizon (-3)
16. Notre Dame Prep (+1)
17. Salpointe Catholic (+7)
18. Centennial (-8)
19. Queen Creek (-5)
20. Marana (previous unranked)
21. Mountain Pointe (+4)
22. Saguaro (-6)
23. Casteel (-3)
24. Desert Edge (-2)
25. ALA Gilbert North (previous unranked)