Badgers Look To Move Up In the Grand Canyon Region

Photo: 18 James Hefferin looks for his receiver while under pressure during the scrimmage versus Peoria

The Prescott Badgers are looking to improve their status in the Grand Canyon Region this year after a rough season a year ago that saw them win just two of six games. They split the four non-region games on their way to a disappointing (4-6). Opening night is just a week away and the buzz of a new beginning is in the air.

The team this year will be senior ‘heavy’ except for the signal caller. James Hefferin will return at quarterback for his junior season. Last year the sophomore QB split time with senior Gio Pugliese. Hefferin was able to grow into the position by being put into action when Pugliese was injured or just having a rough night. He completed 58% of his passes with six touchdowns. Senior tight end Eli Allen and senior wide receiver Nicholas Phillips have plenty of experience along with sophomore Kellen Hudak who will be targets of Hefferin.

Two more seniors, Rutger Funk and Braylon Johnson return in the backfield for a good one two punch.

Photo: 76 Blake McGlory bears down on the Poston Butte running back

The line will feature three big seniors. Beau Brice, Blake McGlory, and Elijah Carr should be impact players along with linebacker Menno Dow.

Here is a breakdown of the 10 game schedule in order.

The home opener on August 28 will bring Greenway up to Prescott allowing them to get out of the heat. The Demons ended 2025 with a (4-6) record that included nearly pulling off an upset that ended with a 43-42 overtime loss to Thunderbird. The Badgers pummeled Greenway last year 49-3 and have won three of the four meetings dating back to 2015.

Prescott will hit the road in week 2 to face Thunderbird in Phoenix.  The Titans had an off season last year at (6-5) and look to gain ground up the 4A chart. The Badgers nearly pulled off a big comeback last year but fell short 38-35. Prescott trailed 24-0 in the first half and 38-7 midway through the third quarter before outsourcing the Titans 28-zip in the final 16 minutes of action. Daryl Little returns as the biggest weapon the Titans will have on the field. Thunderbird leads the series 6-2.

As the country remembers 911, the Badgers will make a return trip to Phoenix for a big game with Northwest Christian on September 11. The Crusaders closed out last season at (7-5). The Badgers pulled off a big 50-36 win on Bill Shepard Field a year ago. The series is tied at 2-2.

Photo: 11 Bryce Coston had a good scrimmage at quarterback

After a big win over Northwest Christian, Lee Williams brought the Badgers back down to earth in a  29-3 loss at Kingman. Prescott will host the Volunteers on Friday, September 18. The home team has won in each of the past four games, with Lee Williams winning two of the last three meetings. Overall Prescott leads the series 7-3.

The Badgers returned home and were able to take care of Mingus 48-0, but it would only be a temporary motivator heading into a game at a much improved Mohave squad.

The Marauders have been the doormat of the region for four of the last seven seasons. They have won only three games in the Grand Canyon Region while dropping 29. Still, they cannot be overlooked on September 25 as the Badgers travel to Cottonwood.

Prescott’s trip to play the Mohave Thunderbirds in Allen Field House was a disaster a year ago. The Mohave QB picked apart the Badgers in a 63-28 setback in their first loss in school history to the Thunderbirds. Mohave lost a lot of their team to graduation that went (9-3) last season. The Badgers should be highly motivated to return the favor in this one on October 2.

The Badgers will host the Coconino Panthers on October 9. The Panthers are always a tough team, but getting them in Prescott will be an advantage that could pay off. A visit to Flagstaff a year ago resulted in a 42-26 loss at Coconino.

Photo: 44 Aaron Butler and 72 Drew Roberts team up to bring down 23 Aiden Nesmith of Poston Butte

Similar to Mingus, Flagstaff has been struggling in recent years and the Badgers were able to put a good game together and pick up a 30-13 win at home. This season Prescott will travel to play in the Northern Arizona Walkup Skydome on a Thursday game on October 15. The Badgers have won 10 straight that includes a thrilling 27-24 overtime win in 2018. The last time Flagstaff beat Prescott was 36-6 on October 16, 2015, in the dome. One thing is for sure, no matter how cold it gets outside it will be comfortable inside the dome. 

The Badgers return home on October 23 for a non-region game versus Youngker. Like Mohave, the Badgers would love to get some payback after Prescott suffered a 26-22 loss at Youngker a year ago. The Badgers struggled but came close to completing a comeback but the Roughriders came up with an interception in the end zone in the final seconds to secure the win.  Youngker went (7-4) a year ago and made the playoffs but fell in the first round.

Another Thursday game will close out the regular season with the biggest game of the season versus the Bradshaw Mountain Bears. The rivalry last year brought a Phoenix TV station up to do a broadcast in which TV timeouts slowed the game. In the end it was  Bradshaw Mountain using a big second half to pull away for a 35-17 win. This year the Badgers will make the short trip to Prescott Valley. The Bears have won three of the last four, but Prescott still leads the series 23-10.

In regards to Division 4A, Snowflake is the preseason number 1 ranked team, followed by Arcadia, Mica Mountain, Eastmark, and ALA-West Foothills. Surprisingly Mohave is sixth with Bradshaw Mountain seventh, and Coconino eighth. Prescott is #20.

2025 GRAND CANYON REGION STANDINGS 

School                                  W-L            W-L

Bradshaw Mountain        6-0             8-3

Coconino                              5-1              8-5

Mohave                                 4-2              9-3

Lee Williams                       3-3              6-4

Prescott                                 2-4             4-6

Flagstaff                                1-5              2-8

Mingus                                  0-6             0-10