The 2026 Arizona high school flag football season is on the doorstep.
It will be the fourth season since flag football became a sanctioned sport by the Arizona Interscholastic Association in 2023, and the sport continues to expand — both in the state and on a national scale — ahead of its debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. After starting with two conferences in the inaugural season, the AIA now is up to four conferences for 2026. In all, 159 schools will be participating in the upcoming season.
From a national perspective, Arizona has elevated itself. Hamilton is coming off a dynastic run, punctuated by another title in 2025 and finishing No. 2 in the country by USA TODAY. The state saw its first Power Four varsity scholarship offer for flag
football, with Highland junior quarterback Lacie Nemchick picking up one from Nebraska. Salpointe Catholic’s Isla Collins was recently named the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year.
To get ready for the upcoming season, The Arizona Republic is previewing top teams and players to watch and highlighting key changes.
Top teams to watch
Highland
It looks like there will be a new era of flag football at the 6A level in Arizona. After Hamilton’s domination over the last two seasons, which includes a 38-0 record in AIA competition, another team appears to be on the rise: Highland.
Hamilton only returns one starter at their position from last year’s championship team and has a new quarterback, with the transfer of Marlie Phillips to Peoria Liberty. The defense for Hamilton should still be stout and coach Matt Stone will maximize the roster, but the Huskies will look a lot different.
Highland, a Gilbert school that reached last year’s semifinals and was only a few plays away from making the title game, has all the tools to become the state’s next dynasty. There really isn’t a weakness on the roster and coach Kenny Golladay has invested a lot of effort into building up the program, which is now one of the largest in the state. An undefeated season and national recognition are certainly within reach.
Campo Verde
Regardless of division, this is one of the top teams in the state. The defending 5A state champions from Gilbert have arguably the most talented roster in all of Arizona and stack up against any 6A school. Campo Verde will get to test itself this season, with the opener against Highland, then tournament games against Marana and Liberty.
In October, Campo Verde will travel to California to play the current top-ranked team in the country, JSerra Catholic, for a highly anticipated matchup. All eyes will be on the Coyotes.
Salpointe Catholic
Flag football has a vibrant community in Tucson with the presence of Tucson Turf, a travel team. So it was no surprise when Salpointe won the 4A state championship in the inaugural season at the school in 2025. With one of the top players in the country returning, Salpointe is again the favorite. Salpointe coach Barrie Pedersen spent the summer as an assistant coach for the United States junior national team that won an Under-16 gold medal at the Select Bowl.
But it will be a tough road back to defend, with Mesa Eastmark standing in the way. The two met in last year’s title game and there’s a good chance it will happen again as both have most of their key players coming back.
Scottsdale Christian Academy
While Hamilton likely won’t have another perfect season, a different win streak is building in the north Valley. Scottsdale Christian and coach Ryan Fisher have established themselves as one of the premier programs at the 3A level, winning the first-ever 3A state championship.
SCA is on a 16-game win streak and that number could be well into the 30s when the season is over.
Top players to watch
Marlie Phillips, QB, Liberty, Jr: Broke the state record with 6,079 yards and 104 TDs last season. Enters her first season with a new team.
Lacie Nemchick, QB, Highland, Jr.: She was an instant impact player once becoming eligible after her transfer, throwing for 1,698 yards and 32 TDs in nine games.
Amaya Moreno, QB, Campo Verde, Sr.: Arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in Arizona, throwing for 2,117 yards and 43 TDs while running for 624 yards and eight TDs in nine games to lead Campo Verde to the 5A state championship.
Isla Collins, QB/LB, Salpointe Catholic, So.: Threw for 2,432 yards and 47 TDs and ran for 966 yards and 10 TDs. Spent the summer playing linebacker for the Under-17 United States national team.
Kayla Tacker, WR/DB, Casa Grande, Sr.: The state’s all-time career leader in interceptions with 47. On offense, has hauled in 46 TDs and 2,941 yards over the past two years.
Makenna Johnson, WR/DB, Liberty, Sr.: Expect a massive jump in production from her with the arrival of quarterback Marlie Phillips. Picked up an offer from Nebraska.
Jaiyana Bogan-Jacobs, WR/DB, Campo Verde, So.: The No. 2-ranked basketball recruit in the country for her class is returning for another season of flag football.
Kinsley McCarty, WR/DB, Eastmark, Sr.: Finished with 98 receptions, 1,272 yards and 20 TDs while helping lead Eastmark to a 4A title game appearance.
Evie Maas, WR/DB, Xavier, So.: Was part of the United States Under-15 national team that won the gold medal at the Junior International Cup over the summer.
Nola Bynum, WR/DB, Scottsdale Christian, Sr.: One of the driving forces for the 3A defending state champions, with 17 TDs on offense and 11 INTs on defense.
Deztany Toyota-Villalobos, WR/LB, Buena, Jr.: The fastest player in the state, electric on both sides of the ball.
Demi Woods, R, Hamilton, Sr.: If healthy, she will be the glue holding together Hamilton.
Mariah Ruelas, R, Corona del Sol, Sr.: Set the state record for most flag pulls in one season with 137, while also tallying 17 sacks. Has multiple college offers.
Kayden Kisler, R, Highland, So.: The pick-six maestro will have to sit the first half of the season, but will be a key player for Highland.
Stella Hulse, DB, Chaparral, Sr.: Her defense helped Chaparral reach the 5A title game. Broke the state single-season record with 27 interceptions.
Key changes
Who takes over in 6A?
As mentioned previously, it is expected that Hamilton will take a step back this year with most of its championship-winning roster now gone. That doesn’t mean Hamilton will be completely out of the mix. The hierarchy has changed, though.
Highland is the favorite to slot in. Red Mountain has been Hamilton’s greatest challenger over the past two seasons, but also faces a lot of turnover in 2026. Mesa Mountain View, which won the inaugural 6A state championship in 2023, still remains competitive despite a slew of coaching changes. Mountain Ridge has one of the top QB-coach combos in the state. Corona del Sol could be a sleeper team.
But the biggest question is: how will Liberty look with Phillips, its new record-setting QB?
One of the biggest stories over the offseason was the transfer of Phillips, who left Hamilton after going 38-0 as a starter and winning two state titles. Now Peoria Liberty, which lost in the first round last year, is in the title conversation. Phillips will have to sit the first half of the season and will make her debut on Oct. 20 against Gilbert. How Liberty fares while Phillips is out will be critical for the team and its hopes.
Onside kick
One of the biggest changes is to Rule 8-3-9, which will give the trailing team a chance to retain possession of the ball after a score and extra-point try — similar to an onside kick in tackle football. The trailing team would have a fourth-down at its own 20-yard line to try to gain a new set of downs.
Under previous rules, there were no opportunities for the trailing team to immediately get the ball back. The opposing team would automatically begin a new offensive series at its own 14-yard line.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2026 Arizona HS flag football preview. Teams, players to watch
