WaFd Bank Arizona all-state football team: Meet the state’s top high school football stars of 2020

Here are the first team, second team and third team honorees for the 2020 football season.

JD Humburg | Jan 4, 2021

WaFd Bank Arizona all-state football team: Meet the state’s top high school football stars of 2020 /

The WaFd Bank Arizona all-state teams are chosen by SBLive's writers and contributors. Here are the first team, second team and third team honorees for the 2020 football season.

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FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB Ty Thompson, sr., Mesquite

The University of Oregon signee led the Wildcats to a second consecutive 4A championship, leading a comeback from a 38-24 deficit against Cactus in the final to throw the game-winning touchdown pass and two-point conversion for a 39-38 victory. He finished the season with 3,431 passing yards and 34 touchdowns and rushed for 410 yards and eight scores. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

RB Max Davis, sr., Highland

The 6A rushing champion went over 100 yards seven times — including a 327-yard game in Week 3 against Sandra Day O’Connor — and finished the season with 1,604 yards and 22 touchdowns to help lead the Hawks to their first appearance in a conference final. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

RB Jeryll McIntosh, jr., Desert Edge

McIntosh was part of the Scorpions’ offensive triumvirate that led them to a berth in the Open Division tournament. He was the top 5A rusher during the regular season and finished the year with 1,187 yards and 11 touchdowns. (Photo by Paul Mason)

RB Eli Sanders, sr., Chandler

Sanders, who recently reopened his recruitment after decommitting from Boise State, saved his best for when it mattered most — in the Wolves’ final four games, he rushed for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns against Desert Edge, Liberty and Hamilton (twice). He finished the season third among 6A rushers with 1,240 yards and 21 touchdowns. (Photo by Paul Mason)

WR Eric Lira, sr., Mesquite

Lira made the most of his chance to play after transferring from Central because of the Phoenix district’s COVID-19 measures, forming an instant connection with Thompson and catching the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion in the 4A championship game. He finished the season with 54 catches for 1,124 yards and 16 touchdowns. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

WR Isaiah Newcombe, sr., Casteel

The UCLA signee led 6A with 77 catches for 857 yards and seven touchdowns and amassed 1,239 all-purpose yards to help the Colts qualify for the 6A playoffs in their first year in the conference. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

WR Andrew Patterson, sr., Desert Edge

The Montana State signee led 5A in all three receiving categories — receptions (53), yards (891) and touchdowns (10) — to help the Scorpions run the table during the regular season and earn an Open Division tournament berth. (Photo by Paul Mason)

Jacobsen, a Glendora High School alum and former Stanford standout-turned pro, is pictured with former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery in 2016. — Jacobsen, a Glendora High School alum and former Stanford standout-turned pro, is pictured with former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery in 2016

TE Duce Robinson, so., Pinnacle

Robinson confirmed his status as one of the state’s top prospects in the Class of 2023 with an outstanding sophomore season, catching 27 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns for the Pioneers. (Photo by Paul Mason)

Flex Jacob Cisneros, sr., Boulder Creek

Cisneros heads to Penn in the Ivy League after leading the Jaguars to a No. 1 playoff seed and their first 6A semifinal appearance, accumulating 2,852 all-purpose yards and scoring 34 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,552 yards and 21 touchdowns and caught 41 passes for 666 yards and 10 scores. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

OL Gavin Broscious, jr., Desert Edge

A big-bodied offensive guard (6-5, 290 pounds) who has committed to Michigan State, Broscious helped pave the way for the Scorpions to average a 5A-best 425.9 yards this season. (Photo by Paul Mason)

OL Caiden Miles, sr., Centennial

The Northern Arizona signee was the leader of one of 6A’s top offensive lines — a unit that powered the Coyotes to the Open Division playoffs. (Photo by Picture Lady Photography)

OL Tevai Neher, sr., Chandler

Neher, a Drake signee and a three-year starter, played through a partially torn knee ligament to anchor the Wolves offensive line during the program’s fifth consecutive state championship run. (Photo by Paul Mason)

OL Grayson Stovall, jr., Hamilton

The transfer from Regis Jesuit in Aurora, Colo., became a stalwart on the Huskies offensive line (he had 41 pancake blocks in 10 games) and added to his growing list of Power 5 offers that now includes Arizona State, Michigan State, Utah, Air Force, Indiana, Kansas and Arizona. (Photo by Bryan Hardy)

OL Bram Walden, sr., Saguaro

It’s not often that an offensive lineman wins player of the year honors, but that’s how dominant the University of Oregon signee was for the Sabercats — Walden was named the 5A San Tan player of the year. (Photo by Bodie DeSilva)

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FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL Brandon Buckner, sr., Chandler

The University of Oregon signee menaced opposing backfields all season, finishing with 16 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 22 hurries and 53 tackles (40 solo) as the Wolves won their fifth consecutive state title. (Photo by Paul Mason)

DL Russell Davis II, jr., Hamilton

The son of NFL veteran Russell Davis (1999-2007) broke through in a big way this season, leading 6A with 13½ sacks and finishing with 61 tackles (19 for loss) and 19 hurries. (Photo by Bryan Hardy)

DL Anthony Lucas, jr., Chaparral

The state’s consensus No. 1 junior prospect came alive in the postseason to spearhead the Firebirds’ run to the 6A title, their first state championship since 2011. He finished the season with 46 tackles (15½ for loss) and seven sacks. (Photo by Arianna Grainey)

DL Quintin Somerville, sr., Saguaro

There’s a reason UCLA kept up its pursuit even after Somerville announced his commitment to Michigan — the Bruins finally got him to switch on Signing Day. He had 12 tackles for loss in five games and finished with 22 tackles and 3½ sacks. (Photo by Heather Hackett)

LB Brandon Craddock, jr., Sandra Day O’Connor

Craddock played a major part in the Eagles’ turnaround from four consecutive losing seasons to reaching the 6A semifinals, leading the conference with 21 tackles for loss and finishing with 141 total (second in 6A). (Photo by Tracey Douglass)

LB Kam Cullimore, sr., Highland

Cullimore led the Hawks in tackles for the second consecutive season, finishing with 108 (seven for loss) to help the team reach the 6A final for the first time in program history. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

LB Hank Pepper, sr., Chandler

Pepper entered the season best known as one of the top long-snapping prospects in the country. After a season in which he finished among 6A leaders with 108 tackles (eight for loss), Michigan State swooped in and signed him away from his San Diego State commitment. (Photo by Arianna Grainey)

LB Trey Reynolds, sr., Queen Creek

The Utah signee and prototypical middle linebacker plugged gaps and delivered punishing blows all season, finishing with a state-leading 157 tackles (67 solo) for a 6A quarterfinalist. (Photo by Picture Lady Photography)

Flex Tristan Monday, jr., Saguaro

Monday was the yin to Somerville’s yang as bookends of the Sabercats’ line, finishing with 18 tackles for loss in six games (most in 5A during the regular season) and 40 total to go with 4½ sacks and eight hurries. (Photo courtesy of the Saguaro Sabercat Football Foundation)

CB Zachary Lewis, sr., Hamilton

The three-year starter and Nevada signee locked down one side of the field for the Huskies. His numbers (30 tackles, five pass breakups) hardly tell the story of his impact on the field for the Open Division runner-up. (Photo by Heather Hackett)

CB Steven Ortiz Jr., sr., Desert Edge

The Minnesota signee was a lockdown defender for the Open Division quarterfinalist Scorpions, breaking up 12 passes and making two interceptions to go with 35 tackles (four for loss). (Photo by Paul Mason)

S Jack Howell, sr., Hamilton

Howell is another Colorado transplant (Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch) who easily transitioned to his new home. The Colorado State signee led the Huskies with 98 tackles (52 solo) and four pass breakups. (Photo by Paul Mason)

S Jax Stam, jr., Liberty

The hard-hitting free safety had five games with 11 or more tackles and finished the season with 100 tackles (four for loss), four pass breakups and two forced fumbles to help the Lions reach the Open Division semifinals and come within an overtime two-point conversion of knocking off Chandler. (Photo by Elena Bernardo - EMB Photoshop)

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FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK Crew Peterman, sr., Chandler

Peterman finished 6 for 6 on field goals, including a career-best 41-yarder in the fourth quarter of the Open Division state final. He was 55 of 59 on PATs. (Photo by Shannon Liebrock)

P Jackson Ray, sr., Highland

Ray committed to Colorado State before the season and showed why the Rams can’t wait for him to arrive on campus, averaging 40.8 yards per punt, placing nearly half of his kicks inside the 20 and even launching an 86-yarder against Hamilton on Nov. 6. (Photo by Donna Mundy)

KR Cole Martin, so., Hamilton

One of the top Class of 2023 cornerbacks in the country also was an electrifying weapon in the return game, averaging 22.2 yards on kickoffs and 17.5 yards on punts. (Photo by Bodie DeSilva)

LS Hank Pepper, sr., Chandler

Pepper not only emerged as one of the state’s top linebackers, he also maintained his place as Arizona’s leading long snapper — could he play both positions next fall in East Lansing? (Photo by Will Edmonds)

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SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB Adryan Lara, jr., Desert Edge

RB Tommy Arnold, sr., Sunrise Mountain

RB Zion Burns, sr., Poston Butte

RB Hunter Ogle, sr., Santa Cruz Valley

WR Max Minor, sr., Chaparral

WR Jalen Richmond, sr., Chandler

WR Dorian Singer, sr., Pinnacle

TE Jake Schmitt, sr., Corona del Sol

Flex William Haskell, sr., Ironwood

OL Parker Brailsford, jr., Saguaro

OL Brock Dieu, sr., Casteel

OL Christian McCook, sr., Hamilton

OL Jacob Moore, sr., Boulder Creek

OL Cooper Stevens, jr., Highland

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SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL Anthony Franklin, sr., Pinnacle

DL Justin Holmes, jr., Cactus

DL Malaki Ta’ase, jr., Mountain View (Mesa)

DL Jeremiah Tyler, sr., Chandler

LB Colby Littleton, sr., Queen Creek

LB Kyler Orr, sr., Chandler

LB Ata Teutupe, jr., Cactus

LB Owen Thomas, sr., Sunrise Mountain

Flex Ammon Allen, sr., Highland

CB Andrell Barney, sr., Basha

CB Cole Martin, so., Hamilton

S Zeke Branham, sr., Skyline

S Kentrell Williams Jr., sr., Chandler

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SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK Shane Pitts, sr., Liberty

P Grady Gross, jr., Horizon

KR Carson Bachmann, sr., Basha

LS John Ferlmann, sr., Boulder Creek

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THIRD TEAM OFFENSE

QB Brayten Silbor, jr., Chaparral

RB Caden Calloway, sr., Campo Verde

RB Kavaughn Clark, so., Centennial

RB Jared Williams, sr., Chaparral

WR Kyion Grayes, jr., Chandler

WR Andrew Morris, jr., Mesquite

WR Austin Rush, jr., Yuma Catholic

TE Mekhi Mannino-Faison, sr., Ironwood

Flex Dominic Digian, sr., Casteel

Flex Howard Russell, sr., Phoenix Christian

OL Sardar Azeez, sr., Chaparral

OL Isaia Glass, sr., Queen Creek

OL Sione Hingano, sr., Chandler

OL Ali’i Kai Ormita, sr., Chandler

OL Kyle Sfarcioc, sr., Liberty

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THIRD TEAM DEFENSE

DL Micah Ferrin, sr., ALA-Queen Creek

DL DJ Gleash, sr., Centennial

DL RJ Roberts, sr., Desert Edge

DL Isaiah Williams, jr., Marcos de Niza

LB Terren Green, sr., Snowflake

LB Hafeez Momoh, sr., Cactus Shadows

LB Andrew Morris, jr., Mesquite

LB Victor Zayas, sr., Hamilton

Flex Rashon Adams, sr., Centennial

Flex Shakaun Bowser, jr., Casteel

CB Jayden Harrington, sr., Verrado

CB Travis Roberts, jr., Chandler

S Hunter Barth, sr., Queen Creek

S Cayden Camacho, sr., Basha

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THIRD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

PK Easton Black, jr., Sunrise Mountain

P Ilya Uvaydov, sr., Gilbert

KR Javen Jacobs, jr., Saguaro

LS Grant Sands, sr., Perry

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COACH OF THE YEAR

Brent Barnes, Chaparral

The Firebirds were the last 6A team to kick off during the AIA season after starting in COVID-19 quarantine, and it took them time to shake off the rust, going 2-2 in their first four games. Facing a must-win against Pinnacle just to make the playoffs, the Firebirds rolled to victory and never looked back, winning the program’s seventh state title and first since earning three in a row from 2009-11. (Photo by Arianna Grainey)

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