Jose Cardona Jose Cardona 5'9" | 160 lbs Maricopa | 2026 AZ Jr. should be incredibly proud of his performance in the losing effort on Thursday night. Playing against one of the most explosive offenses in the state, it was going to take a herculean performance to keep up with Knutson’s 7 TDs. Maricopa’s offense showed glimpses of what they can be — a dynamic group with the ability to grind out games until the final whistle. Unfortunately for them in Week 1, a shaky first half by the group as a whole put them in a hole too deep to climb out of. A few key drops by the wideouts and constant pressure from the McClintock pass rush made it difficult to keep drives alive, but that didn’t stop Cardona from showing what he can do with his arm. He throws a very nice deep ball and has some surprising power for a player of his size. He does a nice job of not staying locked on one target for too long, not afraid to move off or tuck it and run if he has to. I expect to see him tuck and run a bit more as the season goes on, being the catalyst for a rushing attack that struggled in Week 1. Cardona’s poise and composure in the midst of his offense going through a rough patch shows you the type of leader that he is for this team.

Jose Cardona Jose Cardona 5'9" | 160 lbs Maricopa | 2026 AZ seems to finally be getting some of the attention he deserves. Slightly undersized for a quarterback at 5’9″ 160 lbs, what he lacks in size he makes up for in remarkable athleticism. As just a sophomore starting at the varsity level, Cardona averaged over 200 total yards a game and finished the year with 24 scores to just six turnovers. This type of efficiency is a true testament to his impressive decision-making. What truly separates him from everyone else is his versatility as a football player, not just a quarterback. Also a defensive back and a very consistent placekicker for Maricopa, he’s proven he’s willing to do whatever he possibly can to get his team a win. With a full year of experience under his belt, look for Cardona to garner lots of attention with his explosive plays in 2024.