6A champ Casteel heads to PNW to take on reigning Oregon #1 Lake Oswego

Interesting matchup.

https://www.si.com/high-school/arizona/scottsdale-saguaro-hires-a-former-state-championship-head-coach-from-washington-01kh9xsehm3y

New coach at Saguaro

Not so fast my friend.  A lot of tabloid-style rumors flying around this one but one certainty is that the Saguaro position is open once again.

Not so fast my friend.  A lot of tabloid-style rumors flying around this one but one certainty is that the Saguaro position is open once again.

What's the deal over there?

What's the deal over there?

Rolling with what the facts are and not rumors:

1200-student school promoted to Arizona's highest classification and see their popular, well-connected coach head for the college ranks before second season in the new conference. Get through that season wobbly but win the 6A title, then see the new coach leave and emails leaked where the principal complains about music with the n-word (she didn't censor it) playing in the weight room. Floodgates then open for what talent remained from the original regime to find greener pastures, and throughout all of this there's a steady exodus of experienced assistant coaches away from the program.

With respect to this specific situation, administration hired a championship-winning coach but didn't properly vet him in advance. Also have a lot of budget questions and decisions hanging over this so in general it's a mess.

Some Zona scheduling

https://www.si.com/high-school/arizona/championship-rematch-out-of-state-battles-headline-weeks-1-2-of-2026-arizona-6a-football-schedule-01kj8f8czfh2

Basha picking up D1 prospect from Grayson.

Compass Prep full schedule and at this point it seems like utter suicide. Only three home games and four games overall in the state of Arizona, two week long road trip to Odessa and three proper academy teams on the slate including SFA.

Compass is not an AIA member thus our standard transfer rules do not apply so in theory they **COULD** recruit up a more legitimate travel team in the next six months (Saguaro's kicker has transferred there per social media and with how that situation seems to be deteriorating it wouldn't shock me if we see an exodus from there) but it would be very deviation from the kids that normally transfer there (guys avoiding the AIA's one year sit rule after a second transfer).

What's the deal over there?

Hearing very unofficial rumors that Saguaro is working on hiring old coach from Bellevue (Gonocharoff). In the meantime, a horde of players have transferred out while the final hire is being made.

Hearing very unofficial rumors that Saguaro is working on hiring old coach from Bellevue (Gonocharoff). In the meantime, a horde of players have transferred out while the final hire is being made.

Sources didn't fail me

Sources didn't fail me

Master of the Wing-T. Ran it to perfection. Wonder if that will translate in a larger class in a much better state

I saw Basha has 10 of the Top 47 prospects in Arizona this year.

If I counted right.

I guess they can just go ahead and write the check out to Basha.

Sources didn't fail me

Didn't this coach get fired for fake school players at Bellevue?

Didn't this coach get fired for fake school players at Bellevue?

That's been the primary reaction from the locals on the hire 😆

Sources didn't fail me

What kind of salary do they make in AZ for HC;s?

What kind of salary do they make in AZ for HC;s?

It's teacher's salary along with a small stipend. Nobody gets rich coaching out here.