Just off where the field lies on Sundays at State Farm Stadium, the red carpet was laid out, camera lights were flashing, and the athletes were getting the star treatment.
The Cardinals on Thursday night held the inaugural Arizona Cardinals High School Football Honors presented by Avnet. More than 50 players and coaches from boys tackle football and girls flag football seasons were celebrated at the Morgan Athletic Club, putting a bow on a successful year of high school football.
Ten players and two coaches were recognized for yearly awards including the Larry Fitzgerald Boys Player of the Year, awarded to Roye Oliver III from Hamilton, and the Violet Bidwill Girls Player of the Year, which went to Kayla Tacker of Casa Grande Union.
“I want to thank all of my coaches for putting me in this position, because it’s not easy to get here, especially as a sophomore,” Oliver said. “I want to get Arizona football more known, especially like California and Texas. I want it to be big.”
Weekly award winners from the 2025 season were acknowledged, as were Audrina Wenze-Atencio and Bodie Zamorano, the two nominees for the NFL’s Latino Youth Honors.
The winner of the “Grit and Resilience Award” was Kelsie Zavala from Verrado. She missed the 2025 season after she was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma.
“As much as having cancer is not ideal for anyone, you know, you just make the best out of what you can and just create positivity,” Zavala said. “When you see people like rally around you like this, it’s just really good experience.”