Saguaro football set to play after canceling last two games

Scottsdale Saguaro football team is scheduled to play a game following a two-week break due to injuries sustained in their 62-0 loss to Scottsdale Desert Mountain on August 28. Coach Butch Goncharoff confirmed that the team will face Glendale Mountain Ridge at home on Friday, September 18. The Sabercats have been affected by a significant drop in player numbers, with about 35 transfers occurring over the past seasons.

This has resulted in Goncharoff having to rely on six freshmen during the Desert Mountain game and subsequently forced the cancellation of their lower-level programs. The team had already missed a game against rival Scottsdale Chaparral, as well as a game against ALA Queen Creek, both of which were later counted as forfeit losses by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

Despite the setbacks, Mountain Ridge, coached by former Saguaro offensive coordinator Andrew Johnson, has shown resilience, winning two consecutive games, including a 51-8 victory over Mesa Desert Ridge and a 30-29 win over Phoenix Mountain Pointe. Saguaro boasts an impressive 13 state championships, all won since 2006, with the most recent in 2023 under coach Zak Hill.

Goncharoff, an assistant on last year's championship team, joined the Sabercats in April after the school underwent a second coaching search following the departure of previous head coach Jason Ronquillo. Richard Obert, a long-time sports reporter for The Arizona Republic, covers high school sports and can be reached at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827.