Eric Sorenson
Every year there is a team, from really any classification, who rises up and scripts their own special chapter in the Arizona high school football season.
Talking with Sports360AZ.com teammate Cody Cameron last weekend, the Desert View Jaguars entered out chat.
The team from south Tucson, with loads of young talent and little post-season success, is ready to make a run at the 5A State Championship following their thumping of perennial power Mountain Pointe lat Friday in the Old Pueblo.
Last week, I saw former Arizona receiver Lamar Lovett, a Pusch Ridge assistant, break dancing in celebration with the Lions winning their 3A first round game. Tonight, former Wildcat tight end Robert Bonillas did some jumping jacks in a celebration circle with his Desert View… pic.twitter.com/4wPW7xo7z0
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 15, 2025
This week “Zone Read” takes a closer look at where they’ve been, and we’re they’re headed under long time head coach Robert Bonillas. We’ll take a closer look to a team who has, rather quietly, rattled off 11-straight wins in 5A but, even more importantly, laid the foundation of continued success moving forward.
Setting the Standard
If you haven’t heard of Desert View, or at least aren’t real familiar with their program, you’re probably not alone. After all, this is only the Jags’ third playoff appearance since 1997.
Over the past decade, there have been cycles of success but the last two seasons DV finished a combined 6-14.
Despite the inconsistencies Bonillas, a former player at University of Arizona, never flinched. He continued to pour himself into the team, and the blue collar community around Desert View.
He doesn’t mince words when describing his program.
“We try to be as physical as we can,” he explained to the “Zone Read.” “Disciplined. I try to teach the kids about staying together and being a team.
“We’re not the biggest, but we have some fight.”
You could say that.
The 2025 version opened the season here in the Valley, thumping Sunrise Mountain, before stringing together 10-straight wins, all by at least two scores. Despite a 3-7 2024, including losses in four of their last five, Bonillas slowly started to see his young team grow up.
“I knew we had something special because I did play some of our young kids in our last game against our rival [Sunnyside],” he said. “We were down 14-0 at halftime and we ended up winning the game by a point in overtime. From the first snap we took in the second half, I knew we had something special.
“I’m grateful and we’re blessed that it’s turned into something more.”
Feed Me
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
In this open enrollment, transfer happy era of AZHS football, retention leads to consistently which, more often than not, equates to victories between the lines in the fall.
It starts in area youth football.
Saguaro’s long run of success can be attributed to their Scottsdale Argos youth football team. Chandler High has the Lobos and Horizon, the Junior Huskies. The consistent winners all have them.
Well, after much hard work from Bonillas and his staff, you can add Desert View to the list.
“We were fortunate, this year, to get one of the lower level organizations to start feeding into us,” Bonillas said. “I had been getting bits and pieces of this organization and their kids. Now that I have this organization, and these kids playing together, you start off coaching them as freshmen at a little bit higher level.
“It’s attracting even more kids to come and that’s a good problem to have, right? It’s given me depth as we keep growing…I can see it now.”
Leading the Jags to battle! @DESERTVIEW_FB pic.twitter.com/QO7qEtgqck
— Esteban Ortiz (@tebanloco) October 23, 2025
He applauds the “old school mentality” of his football families for keeping the community kids together and building together at DVHS.
The Jaguars have 57 varsity players. Arguably, none more talented than star sophomore running back, Jaylee Abraham, who also starts at free safety. The 5’8, 180-pounder has rushed for over 1,500 yards (9.5 per attempt) and 30 touchdowns this fall.
This kid special!! pic.twitter.com/bvhkslD4xu
— Phillip Montijo (@MontijoPhillip) November 15, 2025
While Abraham’s stats might be flashy, his endless work ethic is even more eye-catching, according to his head coach.
“He’s always around football,” Bonillas noted. “He has a goal, and he works towards his goal.
Make it 21-7 Desert View with 7:25 left 2Q after Jaylee Abraham’s 19-yard TD run. https://t.co/5NJXLRkff1 pic.twitter.com/lQevcPjnjZ
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 15, 2025
“Some kids say, ‘Oh, I want to play at the next level or I want to be a good high school football player.’ But they don’t work at it. This kid actually works at it. He’s tough. He’s gotta be a tough kid to play both ways for us. He’s like another coach on the field.
“He’s a great kid. He’s very respectful. He’s a good student.”
Building Together
In the mid-90’s at Arizona, Bonillas, who played tight end and outside linebacker for the late Dick Tomey – considered by many not only a loyal player’s coach, but an incredible man, who poured as much time into relationships, as he did game plans.
Now at Desert View, the veteran head coach has taken pieces from what he observed and learned playing under Tomey in slowly building the Jaguars.
“It’s a people thing, you’ve got to get to know the kids,” the former standout Nogales High running back said. “It was all about the relationships with the coaches and the players. Knowing what buttons to push.
How about this? Former Arizona tight end Robert Bonillas, a Dick Tomey protégé, engages in Desert View’s celebration circle after the 41-23 win over Flowing Wells that improves the Jaguars to 10-0. https://t.co/hZ93DzvDiA pic.twitter.com/c1rzn7PrvG
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 31, 2025
“He used to say, ‘Let’s keep the game close, let’s do our job [and] execute. But at the end, a Wildcat is going to make a play.’
“I told our guys, ‘Now, I’m saying a Jaguar is going to make a play. You guys need to be at the right spots, hustling to the ball. And somebody is going to make a play.'”
The constant mantra of togetherness and playing as one has paid dividends throughout the season, including last week against the talented Pride.
“When I look at our win on Friday, I didn’t pay attention that they had a few D-I kids offered,” said Bonillas. “I just told our kids, let’s play Desert View football. Let’s go out there and have some fun.
“The kids that tackle, block, run better, make less mistakes, are going to win the game, anyway.”
Desert View hosts Canyon View in the 5A quarterfinals Friday night.
