DECEMBER 2025 40 By Mark Hays As the fall season winds down, high school sports programs are celebrating milestones, record-setting performances, and some of the most competitive campaigns in recent history. From undefeated football streaks to postseason breakthroughs, athletes from Arcadia High, Brophy, Veritas Prep, and Xavier made their mark this season. ARCADIA HIGH Football Arcadia athletics f lourished across nearly every arena this fall, headlined by a statement season on the gridiron. The Titans football team, guided by first-year Coach B.J. Pasquel, stormed through the regular season with a 10-0 record to secure the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs. “We have a strong group of seniors, including Zach Smith, Ian Slater, Jax Ashley, Nick McCormick, Ryan Jimenez, Julien Olshan, and Walter Driggs, who’ve led us all year,” Pasquel said. With a first-round bye and a deep postseason run, the Titans focused on “one game at a time.” The undefeated regular season marked one of the program’s most complete efforts in years, setting a tone of confidence and composure. The Titans entered the quarter finals against Marcos de Niza in late November and won 47-21. “This season has been so much fun, being on a great team with great senior leaders with a chance to win State my first year of varsity football as a sophomore,” defensive back Broden Arnold said. As of press time, the Titans were headed to game three of the playoffs against ALA – West Foothills on November 28. Cross Country On the trails, Coach Tyler Moore’s squad surged into form. The Titans swept the Scottsdale Unified School District Championships, propelled by senior standout Chase Braden, who won the boys’ race with a season-best 15:45, while Sam Gagnon paced the girls to victory. “Our success reflects the depth and determination of this group,” Moore said. That depth showed throughout the postseason. With sectionals and state on the horizon, momentum continued to build as runners Evra Therien, Sydney Heath, and Branwen Thatcher delivered personal bests when it mattered most. At the State cross country meet in November, both teams qualified and achieved their highest combined finish in several years. Chase Braden led the way, placing 10th overall to earn second team All-State honors. Swim and Dive Arcadia Swim and Dive produced one of its strongest collective seasons since 2020, highlighted by standout senior performances and breakout meets from underclass athletes. In diving, Coach Brittney Blystone praised the progress of Eva Bowling and Kingston Williams, both of whom qualified for State. “This season went well for both Eva and Kingston,” Blystone said. “They each posted higher qualifying scores than last year, and we were hoping for even stronger results at State.” Those hopes paid off. Kingston earned a lifetime high score and secured ninth place in diving, while Eva posted her own career best to finish 11th. Senior swimmer Paul Huisman placed fourth in the 50 free with a time of 22.51 – Arcadia’s first podium finish in swimming since 2020. Relay teams also made their presence known, with the boys 200 medley and 200 free groups finishing 11th and 14th, respectively, and the girls 200 medley placing 12th. The girls 200 free relay – Zoë McClure, Elsa Nunley, Eloise Sepowitz, and Elle Stultz – finished seventh, the program’s best showing since 2020. Zoë added another highlight in the 100 butterfly, clocking a 1:01.88 for eighth place – the highest finish by an Arcadia girl in an individual event since 2021. VERITAS PREP Football At Veritas Prep, fall proved to be a season of breakthroughs and firsts. The Falcons, coached by Region Coach of the Year Mike Sanfratello, completed the program’s first- ever undefeated regular season at 10-0, earning the No. 1 seed in the 2A State Playoffs. “The boys committed during the off-season to pursue a higher standard going into this year, and the team clearly bought in,” Athletic Director Chase Beebe said. The signature moment came with a 34-21 win over No. 3 Phoenix Christian to clinch the Metro 5 Region Championship, the second title in school history. Veritas hosted the AIA 2A bracket reveal and kicked off postseason play in November. Game one was a success against Santa Cruz Valley, 35-6, but Tanque Verde High overtook game two, with the Falcons losing by a mere five points, 23-28. “I loved playing with these guys,” Baylor Arnold said. “I’m so proud. It didn’t end how we wanted, but we are proud of who we became this year and that says a lot.” Volleyball The indoor courts brought more success for the Falcons. Under Region Coach of the Year Brooks Dockter, Veritas captured the 2A Valley Region Championship with a 14-3 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in region play. Senior libero Bella Espinosa anchored the back row, while the Hamann sisters – Mary, a senior, and Grace, a sophomore – helped power the attack. “The girls showed tremendous grit, especially in that five-set win over No. 1 PCDS,” Beebe said. Entering the State tournament, the Falcons held a strong No. 5 ranking statewide. Game one was a 3-0 win over St. Johns; game two saw Trivium Prep win with three. Cross Country The Falcons cross-country teams also found their stride late in the season. Senior leaders Rachel Barney and Hazel Haggerty pushed the girls’ team – last year a top-six state finisher – back into contention, while Declan Travis and Dominic Heil led a steady boys’ lineup. BROPHY PREP Football Brophy’s football program continued to uphold the school’s proud tradition under Head Coach Jason Jewell. The Broncos entered the postseason ranked No. 6 in 6A following a tight region race with Williams Field. “We had a solid season,” Jewell said. “The last two years we’ve made the state semifinals – this group broke through to reach the championship game.” Armed with seasoned leadership and depth across the roster, Brophy positioned itself for a deep playoff run through November, winning game one against Casteel High 51-42, but ultimately losing game two to the Chandler High Wolves, 34-45. Cross Country With more than 75 athletes, the Brophy cross-country program fielded Arizona’s largest running squad this season. “We won multiple large freshman and JV races behind the strength of frontrunners Peter Vietor and Spencer Nick,” Head Coach Oscar Borboa said. The depth and tradition carried the Broncos to their 18th straight top-10 finish at the Division 1 State Championship Meet in November. Even more promising for the future, six of seven runners from the State lineup will return next fall. Swim and Dive Brophy capped fall with a historic splash. “The team scored a state record 582 points to win their 44th State Championship in school history,” Athletic Director Steve Shaff said. “It is the school’s second consecutive title, extending its state record total and the 13th state title under Coach O’Neill in his career.” The Broncos surged through the state meet, Arcadia athletes dominate with explosive fall seasons Kingston Williams, Coach Brittney Blystone and Eva Bowling. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCADIA HIGH Arcadia High varsity football.

41 DECEMBER 2025 beginning with a win in the 200 medley relay behind Finn Conley, Brayden Harrison, Mark Heffern, and Noah Heimer. Heffern went on to defend his title in the 200 IM with a 1:51.38 and added a second-place finish in the 100 butterfly. He also contributed to the 400 freestyle relay’s runner-up performance. Junior Patrick Dunn placed third in the 500 freestyle, while freshman Nolan Guidry emerged as a newcomer to watch with second in the 100 free and fifth in the 50 free. XAVIER PREP Cross Country “We had a complete summer of training,” Head Coach Nissa Kubly said, noting top- three finishes at major meets including Peaks in Flagstaff, Western Equinox, and Desert Twilight. The Gators followed with a runner-up team finish at the Epic Tourneys, facing top competition across the state. “We worked toward a top two finish at sectionals and a top three finish at State,” Kubly said. The results came through. Xavier placed third on November 15 at Cave Creek Golf Course. Senior Kennedy Frakes finished third overall, while senior Ella Wadsworth placed 17th. Additional scoring came from Chantel Newman, Jenevieve Jacques, and Nova Rodriguezcrespo. Swim and Dive In the pool, Xavier enjoyed a dominant dual-meet season, finishing 5-0 and earning titles at the B/X Invite, AMDG Invite, and Last Chance Invite. Twenty-one swimmers qualified for State. Coach Glen Coy highlighted standout Adelyn Burns, who entered the meet seeded first in the 100 breaststroke and as part of the state’s top 400 free relay. XCP ultimately finished second to Desert Vista at the State Championships. Two Gators captured individual state titles: Adelyn repeated as champion in the 100 breast and freshman Ainsley Boerckel won the 100 fly, signaling a bright future for the program. Flag Football Xavier closed its fall flag-football regular season with a strong overall body of work, highlighted by steady offensive development and a defense that consistently generated turnovers. The team finished with 10 wins and showcased a balanced roster led by senior quarterback Ana Matuz, who emerged as one of Arizona’s top new talents after only beginning her football journey last year. The Gators demonstrated an ability to rebound quickly from setbacks, responding to their late-season loss to Desert Vista with a composed, disciplined performance in their finale. Defensively, Xavier established itself as a takeaway-driven unit, with veteran leaders Ava Portillo, Imani Campbell, and Zoie Alexander anchoring a group that routinely swung momentum. On offense, Matuz’s chemistry with receivers including senior Gigi Bulkley and freshman Evie Maas gave the Gators multiple scoring threats and helped fuel a high-output passing attack. With a playoff berth secured, Xavier entered the 6A postseason positioned as a strong contender. Volleyball The Gators capped a fall season by winning the 6A State Championship and completing 24-0 campaign. Under Head Coach Lamar- Renee Bryant, the Gators finished 8-0 in the 6A Central region, and 16-0 in conference, and ultimately sweeping all four State tournament opponents. Their postseason run was marked by consistent, high-level execution, culminating in a straight-sets championship victory over Corona del Sol at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Ahead of the final rounds, Coach Bryant explained the team’s approach, noting that the goal was “to finish strong and compete for every point.” The Gators delivered exactly that, sustaining their standard of play through the postseason and affirming their No. 1 ranking. Veritas varsity football. PHOTO COURTESY OF VERITAS PREP Brophy cross country runners Max Fabyanic, Vincent Laba, and Clark Gilbert. PHOTO COURTESY OF BROPHY PREP Xavier’s Nova Rodriguezcrespo, Ella Wadsworth, Chantel Newman, and Kennedy Frakes. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA ZUBA Xavier volleyball squad. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA ZUBA