Football Game Preview: Copper Canyon Aztecs vs. Carl Hayden Community Falcons + Official Tickets

The Copper Canyon Aztecs will head out to face off against the Carl Hayden Community Falcons at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Carl Hayden Community took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Copper Canyon, who comes in off a win.

On Friday, Copper Canyon really took it to North Canyon for the full four quarters, racking up a 44-14 victory. The Aztecs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by 21 points or more this season.

Javier Castro

Total Tackles

10/24/25 @ North Canyon	11
10/17/25 vs Washington	6
10/10/25 vs Maryvale	8
10/03/25 @ Alhambra	10
09/26/25 vs Yuma	8
+ 6 more games

On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Copper Canyon's defense and their 7.5 sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Jeremiah Adams Curry and Javier Castro, who racked up all 7.5 sacks between them. Castro has been hot for a while, having also posted six or more total tackles the last 11 times he's played. Copper Canyon received some extra help from Kamren Lewis, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Meanwhile, Carl Hayden Community played a tough contest on Thursday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They took a blow against Maryvale, falling 49-18. Despite 96 more yards than the Panthers, the Falcons couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.

Copper Canyon will have to contain Damiani Mitchell as he made an impact in Carl Hayden Community's last game. He rushed for 159 yards, and also threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Mitchell also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, picking up a sack, making two total tackles (2.0 for loss), and defending one pass. A healthy portion of Mitchell's aerial production (100 yards to be exact) went to Elijah Evans, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.

Carl Hayden Community has been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 2-7 record this season. As for Copper Canyon, they now have a winning record of 5-4.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Copper Canyon has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 211.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Carl Hayden Community struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 152.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.