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Saguaro High School cancelled a football game.
Arizona high school football powerhouse Saguaro will not play its second game of the 2026 season. The Sabercats were forced to cancel due to injury concerns.
The decision comes days before a matchup with Chaparral. The program has fallen on hard times after an incredible run.
Saguaro was once the most feared program in the area, winning six consecutive Arizona state championships between 2013-2018. It won two more in 2021 and 2023, giving the school 14 titles since 1995.
Since that last triumph, the Sabercats have struggled to find consistency at head coach. It’s had direct impacts on the roster.
Saguaro has a player shortage.
The high school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and competes at the 6A level. It’s had five head coaches since 2022.
Jason Mohns won a championship in 2021. He left after the ’22 season to become an assistant at Arizona State. His replacement, Zak Hill, led the team to its most recent title a year later, but left after his lone season to join the Seattle Seahawks.
Darius Kelly was hired in 2024. The program fell off during his tenure, going a combined 4-16 across two seasons. He was briefly replaced by Jason Ronquillo this past February, who resigned soon after accepting the job.
Saguaro assistant Butch Goncharoff was promoted after Ronquillo’s exit. He’d previously been the longtime head coach at Bellevue in Washington where he won 11 state titles.
He now looks to resurrect the Sabercats. That task is proving difficult.
The staff shakeups led to a mass exodus of transfer players. The typical high school football roster has about 50 players, maybe a few more for larger schools. Thirty-five players left Saguaro after Kelly’s firing last year. Goncharoff had 14 team members when he took over this offseason.
He was able to boost that number to 33 before the beginning of the year, but it came at the expense of scrapping both the freshman and JV teams. Youth and experience are issues, as is depth.
Saguaro played its season opener last week. The Sabercats were beaten 62-0.
Arizona high school football team won’t play Game 2.
Statement from Saguaro—
Dear Saguaro and Chaparral Communities,
After careful consideration and consultation with school and athletic administration, the decision has been made to cancel the upcoming varsity football game between Chaparral High School and Saguaro High School.…— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) August 31, 2026
Injuries were cited in the cancellation. The team is likely being forced to put players on both sides of the ball. Many are not as developed as older competitors. Safety is not being taken lightly.
That decision briefly left Chaparral without a Week 2 foe, though it has filled the void with 4A Tempe, who also had its previously scheduled opponent cancel.
Saguaro is scheduled to play ALA Queen Creek in Game 3. We’ll see if they can return to health next week.