No. 19 Tucson High moved to 4-1 on the year for only the third time in a decade and the second time since moving to the 5A Conference from the 6A level in 2022 and head coach Zach Neveleff looks to improve on his 2024 campaign where the started out 4-1 en route to a 9-3 record and a quarterfinal finish. That 2024 squad went into the state playoffs as a No. 2 seed in Neveleff’s second year at the helm.

Neveleff (23-15) has the weapons to do so with sophomore quarterback Brenton Coleman utilizing his weapons beginning with junior standout Ezra Spivey, senior backs Josh Cota and Dillion Flannigan-Jones and the emergence of freshman back Nate Kelby. His defense is also coming up big and that showed up in a 42-0 victory over No. 32 Vista Grande at home Friday night.

Vista Grande fell to 3-2 on the year and second-year head coach Loren Dawson is going without the services of starting QB Oscar Orduño and Sr. standout JJ Wesselman, along with several other impact players in a program that is already experiencing small numbers to begin with.

The Badger defense limited the Spartans to 34 yards passing while recording two interceptions but the Spartans did gain close to 100 yards on the ground despite giving up two fumbles and several sacks. Jr. Aiden Zaragosa is listed as a lineman but he was called into rushing duties and ended with 33 yards on seven carries, Jr. Ezekiel Hernandez ended with 30 yards rushing and defensive end Traecynn Pauulu had a punishing 24 yards.

On the flip side, Coleman threw for 217 yards (16-22) with three TDs and 178 of those yards and two scores went to Spivey. Cota rushed 18 times for 104 yards and two TDs and Kelby went for 26 yards on four carries and a score. Spivey saw limited action late in the game due to the lopsided score.

“I like defense more,” Spivey said. “I get to see the field, call our plays, tell the people on my side what to do and what not to do. I like defense.”

When asked about all the attention heading his way Spivey said he was ready for it and he loved it.

Expect more "loving it" down the stretch.

 

SCORING

Cota 3-yard run (1-7:13) 7-0

Coleman 32-yards to Spivey (2-9:51) 14-0

Coleman 6-yards to Spivey (2-:23) 21-0

Cota 23-yard run (3-4:49) 28-0

Colman 7-yards to Jaiden Denson (4-11:56) 34-0

Kelby 8-yard run (4-4:32) 42-0 (Waleed Al Jashami 2 pt.)

 

Tucson is now 2-0 in 5A Sonoran play and the Badgers will travel to No. 36 Casa Grande (1-4) next week and Vista Grande will host No. 29 Canyon del Oro (2-3). Rankings are updated every Sunday and Thursday leading up to the playoffs.