Way-Too-Early Arizona High School Football Top 25 Rankings

The intensity of Arizona high school football is only matched by the desert heat. With another season looming, fans are anticipating some entertaining matches across the state’s six classifications. From established powers to emerging programs, here are the top teams in the Grand Canyon State, according to Massey.

The 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.

1. Liberty Lions

Liberty captured its second-consecutive Arizona high school football Open Division state championship with a 35-17 victory over Basha. That result capped off a 14-1 season for the Lions, with a 63-39 interstate setback to Centennial (Calif.) serving as the team’s only blemish.

The departure of Caden Branston for Colorado State means Boise State commit Paz St. John and Minnesota pledge Hudson Dunn will need to lead the charge for the Lions’ defense.

2. Basha Bears

The Bears came up short last year in their quest to win a second Open Division crown in three years. They’ll be looking to get back on top of the Arizona high school football mountaintop this fall.

Quarterback Broderick Vehrs will lead a talented Basha offense which features four-star running back Noah Roberts, three-star wide receiver Jaden Baldwin and four-star offensive tackle Jake Hildebrand. The team’s defense is led by Cal commit Mason Lewis and linebacker Eli Cramer-Cronin.

3. Centennial Coyotes

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. That was certainly true for Centennial last year. The team went just 3-7 in the regular season but got hot in the playoffs and rode that momentum all the way to the 6A state championship. It marked the Coyotes’ first state crown since 2018.

Quarterback Kainan Manna is back and he will continue to lean on Sebastian Moreno in the passing game. Running back Derrion Bartholomew and tackle Benjamin Lowther will collaborate in the run game. Tight end Torrin Hill is one of the most intriguing 2028 prospects in the state.

4. Hamilton Huskies

Hamilton’s title-drought now stands at 12 years after falling to Liberty in last year’s Open Division semifinals. The Huskies will look to build on their 10-2 campaign heading into 2025.

Talent shouldn’t be an issue, especially on defense. Beau and Niko Jandreau, who play linebacker and safety respectively, are committed to Oklahoma, while safety Marquis Richardson is pledged to Hawaii. Nebraska commit Rex Waterman is one of the best offensive linemen in Arizona.

And from the ‘Yes, You Are That Old’ department: Sophomore Legarrette Blount, Jr., son of the former Oregon running back, will be making plays at safety and receiver for the Huskies.

5. Chandler Wolves

Chandler is determined to bounce back after posting its first losing season since 2005. The Wolves lost six of their last seven games, a precipitous fall for a program that won five-straight state titles from 2016-20.

Quarterback Will Mencl is one of the best junior quarterbacks in Arizona, and he’ll have a pair of standout targets at receiver in Jai Jones and Kaydon Gray. Safety Hamisi Juma, who committed to Arizona last September, will anchor the team’s defense.

6. Brophy College Preparatory Broncos

There may not be a high school team in the country with more NFL bloodlines than Brophy College Preparatory. Quarterback Case Vanden Bosch, athlete Bastian Vanden Bosch, receivers Daylen Sharper, Devin Fitzgerald and Donovan McNabb, Jr. all have fathers that played in the NFL.

The Broncos enter the 2025 campaign looking to build on last season’s 10-3 campaign that ended with a one-point loss to Mountain View in the semifinals.

7. American Leadership Academy Queen Creek Patriots

Rich Edwards took over for Ty Detmer at ALA-Queen Creek last year and led the team to a 10-2 record and a spot in the Open Division semifinals. Now entering his second season at the helm, Edwards is looking to helm the Patriots to the program’s first state championship since 2019.

8. Pinnacle Pioneers

Pinnacle opens the 2025 season focused on winning its first Arizona high school football championship in program history. The Pioneers had a measure of momentum going into the playoffs last year but fell to ALA-Queen Creek in the quarterfinals.

Pinnacle will open the season with an intriguing interstate matchup against La Cueva, ranked No. 2 in New Mexico, on Aug. 29.

9. Highland Hawks

Highland was a perfect 6-0 last year when facing out-of-region teams during the regular season. The results weren’t nearly as impressive when playing region foes, with the Hawks winning just once in four tries.

If Highland is to get back to winning state championships, it will first need to settle on a starting quarterback. Luke Young, Rylan Reyes and Paiden Cash Dalhaug will be competing for the job in the preseason.

10. Mountain View Toros

Mountain View was tantalizingly close last year to winning its first state championship since 2002, falling to Centennial in the title game. The Toros will lean on returning starter Brady Goodman, a Utah State commit, to lead them to the promised land this fall.

11. Red Mountain
12. Queen Creek
13. Higley
14. Salpointe Catholic
15. Saguaro

16. Horizon
17. Desert Mountain
18. Williams Field
19. Perry
20. Casteel

21. Desert Edge
22. American Leadership Academy Gilbert North
23. Mountain Pointe
24. Notre Dame Preparatory
25. Sandra Day O’Connor