Top 25 Early Contenders high school football team preview: No. 25 Saguaro

Video: Top 25 Preseason Early Contenders - No. 25 Saguaro
View images by photographer Mark Jones from his preseason photo shoot with the Sabercats.


Coach Jason Mohns and his predecessors have built quite a dynasty in Scottsdale, an upscale region of Phoenix once described by the New York Times as "a desert version of Miami's South Beach."

Like the high school teams in the Miami area, the Sabercats sure play some good football. 

Over the last decade, Saguaro has gone 122-15 and has won eight state championships with some talented players like running back D.J. Foster (Arizona State, New England Patriots), quarterback Luke Rubenzer (Cal), receiver Christian Kirk (Texas A&M) and cornerback Byron Murphy (Washington).

The knock on the Sabercats, if any, is with about 1,300 students they can't really compete with the big boys like Hamilton (Chandler), Chandler, Mountain Pointe and the rest.

See Saguaro Early Contenders photo shoot

Mohns, in his fifth season as head coach, and his troops should be able to answer that knock this season. The Sabercats open at home with Southern California powerhouse Serra (Gardena) followed by a trip to No. 24 Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and National Player of the Year frontrunner Dylan McCaffrey.

With 13 returners back from last year's Division II state champion and eight players with Division I offers, the Sabercats will find out right away just where they stand.

The players

The Sabercats boast four seniors among the 247Sports Composite's top 1,300 players, but it's a couple not on the list who will do most of the ball-handling.

Stone Matthews, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound running back, rushed for 2,155 yards and 24 touchdowns last year and will once again be their go-to guy.

New quarterback Max Massingale, a 5-11, 180-pound junior, is in the Rubenzer mold according to Mohns, and he replaces Kare' Lyles, who threw for 3,561 yards and 43 touchdowns last year. Lyles is now at Wisconsin.

"We're really excited about Max," Mohns said. "We're known for our spread and Max allows us to do a lot of different things."

Look for him to throw plenty to 6-3, 215-pound tight end Kyle Soelle (No. 363 overall on 247Sports Composite), who has offers from Cal and Utah, and Kaelib Jarrell (6-3, 175), a 3-star receiver and safety with 18 offers including all the Pac-12 schools, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Texas A&M and Mississippi State.

View this season's 247Sports Composite Rankings

Other top-end talent includes another tight end/defense end Jared Poplawski (6-4, 220) and lineman Corey Stephens (6-3, 285), both with multiple college offers.

The team also returns its top two tacklers from last season, Carson Nugent, a 6-2, 225-pound middle linebacker who had 109 tackles, and 5-8, 215-pound linebacker Juwon Del Rio (74 tackles).

Saguaro's top recruit heading into the spring was Kayden Lyles, a 6-3, 295-pound guard who has committed to Wisconsin. But he is planning to enroll at Middletown (Madison, Wis.). His loss was softened by the recent transfer of Sean Seaward (6-4, 330), an All-State nose tackle last season as a junior who will play there and offensive guard as well. He has an offer from Navy.

The keys

The Sabercats need to hit the ground running. And fast. Serra is always one of the fastest and most talented teams out west, and Valor Christian has won six state titles in the last seven years. Playing Serra in the heat might be helpful. Playing in the altitude of Colorado will be challenging.

The quick development of Massingale will be vital, though look for the Sabercats to lean on Matthews hard early.

See more videos of the Saguaro Sabercats

If Saguaro can get through the first two weeks unscathed, it should be in line not only for a ninth state title in 11 years, but its first finish in the national Top 25.

"We benefit from open enrollment and our track record has attracted some marquee guys," Mohns said. "We've wanted to play at (the highest classification) but that's not fair to the other sports at our school. So we've ramped up our non-conference schedule and see where we're at. We're excited to get going."