Casteel Breaks Through for First-Ever 6A Championship
Mountain America Stadium, Tempe — December 6, 2025
Casteel is a state champion for the first time in program history. The Colts outlasted Centennial 42-27 in the 2025 AIA 6A football state championship on December 6, part of the Fiesta Bowl High School Championships slate at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.
The win was fueled by a dominant performance from Troy Jauregui, who scored three touchdowns and was named the game's Fiesta Bowl MVP. Jauregui wasn't alone — Tee Smith Jr. was also a driving force in an offense that put up 42 points against a Centennial team that had made a habit of playing its best football in December.
For Centennial, the runner-up finish continued a run of championship-weekend appearances that has become a hallmark of the program, even if this particular title game ended in defeat. For Casteel, a program in a growing Queen Creek football corridor, the win was a first — and a signal that the Colts have arrived among the state's elite.
Casteel's championship adds another name to Arizona's growing list of 6A contenders and continues a stretch where the conference's champion has shifted from year to year, with a new program breaking through nearly every season.