Returning the Core: 5A Teams Bringing Back Most Firepower

<p>Transfers. Coaching changes. Breakout candidates. That's what usually dominates offseason conversations. But one of the simplest — and still most reliable — ways to spot teams that can survive the grind of a season is old‑fashioned returning production. </p>   <p>Continuity matters more than people like to admit. These are the 5A programs bringing back at least 75 percent of their offense, plus the quarterback to run it. And it starts with a team heading into 2026 with a jaw‑dropping 99 percent of last season's yards returning. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sunnyside (99%)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Anthony Sanchez is the kind of back who makes the run game feel easy because he keeps everything clean — feet under him, shoulders square, no wasted motion. On film, what jumps out is how quickly he finds the first real crease and commits to it; there's no dancing for the sake of dancing, just a decisive one-cut mindset that gets him downhill before the defense can reset. He isn't built like a pure “make-you-miss-in-a-phone-booth” guy, but he's crafty enough behind the line to slide to the open lane, then he's got enough juice to turn a busted play into a chunk when he hits it right. The numbers back up what you're seeing: over five yards a carry and six touchdowns last fall, plus he showed up on defense with a couple sacks, which tells you he's not afraid of contact and doesn't treat the dirty work like it's optional.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Aaron Fontes isn't the flashiest back in a vacuum — he's not the fastest guy you'll see all year and he's not trying to break the internet with highlight cuts — but he's consistently effective because he sees lanes before they fully open. That vision is real. He doesn't just find daylight, he understands angles, timing, and where the leverage is heading, which is why there are so few negative plays with him. He's patient without being slow, letting blocks develop and then slipping through just as the hole shows itself. You see it in the return game too — the same awareness, the same feel for where space is about to appear. He's not going to wow you with one move, but he stacks good decisions over and over, and that adds up. With him sharing the backfield next fall, it's hard not to be excited about what that two‑headed monster could turn into if both guys stay healthy. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Ismael Martinez is the kind of receiver you trust when the ball's in the air because his hands and tracking make tough catches look routine — and those “routine” catches are usually the ones that keep drives alive on Friday nights. He's really comfortable adjusting to the football, whether that means finding it over his shoulder, working back through contact, or using late hands so the DB never gets a clean look. You can tell he's a natural ball‑tracker, not someone just reacting to where the throw ends up. The route detail can still sharpen a bit — a little more snap at the top of his breaks and it could get uncomfortable for defensive backs — but the foundation is really strong. And the versatility is real. He's not just a receiver who jogs out on defense; the same ball skills that show up on offense show up when he's playing the other side, going up and finishing in tough situations. He's the type of player coaches love because when the moment gets tight, you trust him to come down with it.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Vista Grande (96%)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">D'Marco DeCastro is pure “good luck tackling him in space” energy — super shifty, quick‑footed, and able to change direction without losing speed. Those jump cuts really cover ground, and the scary part is how fast he's back to full speed after the cut — he doesn't need a runway, so the open field turns into his playground in a hurry. He's the type of back who makes defenders miss without making it look dramatic, just smooth, sudden movement that leaves guys grabbing air. Size is going to be part of his story, no way around it, but he plays tougher than he looks and doesn't shy away from contact when the lane gets tight. He'll slip out of a hit, bounce off another, and somehow still fall forward for extra yards. And that's what makes him so dangerous — even when the blocking isn't perfect, even when the defense thinks it has him boxed in, he has a knack for turning a broken play into a big one. If Vista Grande needs a spark, he's exactly the kind of back who can create it out of nothing.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Desert Mountain (85%)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='884097' first='Grant' last='Garduno'] looks like a quarterback who's actually processing the field, not just picking a guy pre‑snap and hoping it works — and that's the difference between having a big arm and having real quarterback upside. The arm is absolutely legit. You feel it on deep outs, seams, and any throw that has to get there in a hurry. But what really stands out is how comfortable he is living in the middle of the field, even when the pocket isn't clean. He'll move and create when he needs to, but he's just as comfortable standing tall and ripping tight‑window throws in rhythm, which is exactly what you want as the game speeds up. The production matches the tape: 65% comp., 2,387 yards, 22 touchdowns, and another 246 yards with his legs to keep defenses honest. None of it feels forced — the base is clean, the mechanics are solid, and he looks like a kid who understands what he's seeing. With the confidence he plays with, it really feels like Desert Mountain has a true foundation piece under center.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1258544' first='Easton' last='Conner']'s tape is the rare sophomore running back tape that looks truly complete. Vision? Check. Burst and speed? Check. Toughness and contact balance? Absolutely. His high‑motor style shows up snap after snap — the kind of back where any defender who gets caught flat-footed ends up in a no-man's land. At that point, he can shake you or run you over without either one of them slowing him down much. What I love is how natural the game looks for him. He's patient when he needs to be, decisive when the lane shows up, and strong enough to run through contact without losing his balance. Last fall the stat line backed it all up: 142 carries, 964 rushing yards at nearly seven a pop, and 18 rushing touchdowns, plus 23 catches for 255 yards and two more scores as a receiver — so he wasn't just a runner, he was a full‑on weapon in the offense. For a kid this young, it's hard not to watch him and think this is someone who's only scratching the surface of what he's going to become.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1326103' first='Kai' last='Tschen'] is the definition of a big‑play threat who doesn't need volume to change a game. He's patient, understands leverage, and has a great feel for when a defense is just a half‑step out of position — and the moment that window opens, he punishes it. You see it in the way he times routes, eats up cushion, and accelerates through the break without giving the DB a chance to recover. He's not a receiver who needs ten touches to make an impact; sometimes one rep is enough to flip the momentum of an entire night. The burst is real, the tracking is clean, and he's comfortable stretching the field in a way that forces safeties to play honest. For a Desert Mountain offense that already has a quarterback willing to push the ball downfield, Tschen feels like the perfect complement — a vertical stress piece who can crack games open when defenses get even slightly careless.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mountain Pointe (78%)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1111467' first='Sonny' last='Norwood']'s freshman season was the kind that makes you do a double‑take, because players aren't supposed to impact games like this at that age. He wasn't just a gadget guy getting a few touches here and there — he was a centerpiece. He ran for nearly 600 yards <strong>at eight a clip</strong> with 10 touchdowns, caught passes, returned kicks, and then casually stepped in and threw for over 400 yards with three scores. That's not versatility, that's running an offense from multiple positions. On film, you see why: he's twitchy in space, has a great feel for leverage, and understands when to bounce, when to cut, and when to just hit it vertical and go. Nothing looks rushed or panicked, which is crazy for a freshman playing varsity speed. Even on special teams, he's dangerous, because the open field feels like his natural habitat. The scary part is how early this all is — with his build, his instincts, and the way he already sees the game, it really feels like this is just the beginning of what could turn into a special high school career.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Jamier McKinney is the kind of back who makes defensive coordinators tired just thinking about tackling him for four quarters. He's got enough wiggle to make you miss, but what really stands out is how hard he runs every single time he touches the ball. Arm tackles don't work. Low tackles don't always work either. He's got strong legs, great balance, and a real habit of falling forward and stealing extra yards when the play looks over. You see the quick feet, but what sticks with you is the finish — he runs like every carry is personal. The production tells the same story: 557 yards, 10 touchdowns, and steady volume as a runner, plus some work in the pass game and on kick returns. He's the type of back who may not break five 60‑yarders in a game, but he'll wear a defense down, keep the chains moving, and make the fourth quarter miserable for anyone who has to tackle him. Coaches love guys like this because you know exactly what you're getting, snap after snap.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Aiden Rodriguez jumps off the screen because the speed is real, but what makes him dangerous is how well he knows how to use it. He's not just running past people — he's setting them up. He sells his stems, leans defenders just enough in man coverage, and understands how to throttle down and find space against zone, which is a skill a lot of young receivers don't have yet. When the ball's in the air, he's comfortable going up and getting it, whether that's through contact or right along the sideline with his body control keeping him in bounds. The numbers show the big‑play ability: nearly 24 yards per catch and five touchdowns, which tells you every touch has a chance to flip the field. At 6'3”, with that kind of speed and ball skill, he's a matchup problem from the moment he steps on the field.</p>

Transfers. Coaching changes. Breakout candidates. That's what usually dominates offseason conversations. But one of the simplest — and still most reliable — ways to spot teams that can survive the grind of a season is old‑fashioned returning production.