The Maricopa Rams answered a shutout loss with their second-highest offensive total of the season.
Maricopa beat Nogales 55–20 Friday night at Maricopa High School, according to the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s official AZPreps365 scoreboard. The win moved the Rams to 6–3 overall and 3–2 in 5A Southern region play with one regular-season game left.
That finale is Friday, Oct. 30, at Cienega. Kickoff is listed for 7 p.m. at Cienega High School.
The rebound was immediate
A week earlier, Maricopa was shut out 21–0 by Sunnyside. The Nogales result flipped both sides of that score line: the Rams produced 55 points and held the Apaches to 20.
It also sits near the top of Maricopa’s offensive results this season. The Rams scored 61 against Flowing Wells on Sept. 18, and the official season ledger makes Friday’s 55 the second time Maricopa has crossed 50. The team’s other wins came over Empire, Casa Grande, Mountain View Marana and Mingus Union.
Detailed player statistics and a verified scoring sequence were not available in the AIA record reviewed Saturday. That means the safe summary is the result, the updated record and what it changes—not invented touchdown names or play-by-play.
Where the Rams stand
The AIA standings page updated after Friday’s games lists Maricopa fourth in 5A Southern. Desert View leads the region at 5–0, followed by Cienega at 4–1. Sunnyside and Maricopa are both 3–2, with Sunnyside holding the displayed head-to-head tiebreaker after last week’s win.
The standings also show Maricopa at 6–3 overall, a clear step forward from the 5–3 record used in the last AIA ranking update.
The ranking snapshot needs careful timing. The official 5A rankings page says it was last updated at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22—before the Nogales game—and listed Maricopa at No. 28. The same page says football rankings are updated every Sunday and Thursday. A new ranking after Friday’s results had not been posted when this article was prepared.
So the 55-point win is a strong late-season result, but it would be premature to assign Maricopa a playoff seed or declare a berth clinched. The next official ranking is the number that matters.
The Cienega game carries real weight
Cienega enters the finale at 4–5 overall and 4–1 in the region, according to the AIA standings. The Bobcats lost 42–14 to unbeaten Desert View on Friday.
For Maricopa, an Oct. 30 road win would finish the regular season at 7–3 and improve the Rams’ region record. A loss would leave them 6–4. Either way, the game arrives just before the 5A state tournament begins Nov. 6.
The AIA’s championship schedule lists the 5A first round for Friday, Nov. 6, at the higher seed’s field. Bracket placement is not final yet.
Fans can review the earlier Maricopa–Sunnyside preview for the broader late-season schedule. For live changes, ticketing and official results, use Maricopa High’s athletics page and AZPreps365 rather than relying on an old screenshot.
What to verify before Friday
The AIA schedule currently lists:
Maricopa at Cienega
Friday, Oct. 30
7 p.m.
Cienega High School
School operations, weather or other game-day decisions can change. Recheck the official schedule before leaving Maricopa.
The larger story is already clear: after being blanked at home, the Rams did not drift into the final week. They scored 55, moved to 6–3 and put one consequential road game between themselves and the postseason bracket.
Sources
Arizona Interscholastic Association / AZPreps365, “Varsity Football Scores for October 23, 2026,” final Maricopa 55, Nogales 20; accessed Oct. 24, 2026: https://azpreps365.com/scores/football/varsity/2026-10-23
Arizona Interscholastic Association / AZPreps365, “2026–2027 5A Football Standings,” updated after Oct. 23 games; accessed Oct. 24, 2026: https://appext.azpreps365.com/standings/football/5a
Arizona Interscholastic Association / AZPreps365, “5A Tackle Football Rankings,” last updated 11 a.m. Oct. 22, 2026; accessed Oct. 24, 2026: https://azpreps365.com/rankings/football/5a
Arizona Interscholastic Association / AZPreps365, “Maricopa Football” varsity schedule; accessed Oct. 24, 2026: https://azpreps365.com/teams/football/1930-maricopa/207611-varsity
Arizona Interscholastic Association / AZPreps365, “2026–27 State Tournament Schedule”; accessed Oct. 24, 2026: https://tickets.azpreps365.com/championships/football