By Don Ketchum

Can you believe that five weeks of football already are in the books?

So now the weather will begin to cool off, at least in theory, and the gridiron races are beginning to heat up as teams make the push for a playoff spot.

A few quick observations from Friday night (Sept. 23) . . .

*The two toughest players on the field in the Phoenix Desert Vista-Tempe Corona del Sol game had to be Desert Vista’s Mike Arredondo and Corona del Sol’s Dominic Mercurio.

Arredondo made some big hits from his linebacker spot and had a few tough carries as a running back, including a touchdown. Mercurio ran for 146 yards and a TD. Much of his yardage was made on second efforts after the initial hit.

*Desert Vista running back Dominic Kereluk reminds me of former San Francisco 49er Roger Craig, equally adept at running and catching the ball.

*I once covered the Arizona Cardinals’ training camp in Flagstaff when the San Diego Chargers came in for a few scrimmages. I was amazed at the size of the calves of running back Eric Bienemy, formerly of the University of Colorado.

On Friday, Bienemy may have dropped to second place. Corona del Sol lineman Andrus Peat’s calves are enormous. They are as big as tree trunks. No wonder the 6-foot-6, 310-pound senior is one of the best players in the state.

*Memo to whoever controls the music in the Corona del Sol grandstand . . . when your team has the ball, TURN IT OFF. The idea is to help your guys.

*Glendale Deer Valley 53, Goodyear Millennium 46 . . . Buckeye Youngker 41, Buckeye Verrado 38 . . . Florence 64, Coolidge 59 . . . Betty H. Fairfax 60, Phoenix Sierra Linda 26 . . . San Tan Foothills 82, Combs 26 . . . does anybody around here play defense?

*One game I wish I could have seen . . . Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep rallying for a 28-24 victory over Scottsdale Desert Mountain, an emotional triumph after head coach Scot Bemis took a leave of absence due to illness . . . Despite the loss, Desert Mountain continues to show great improvement this year.

*Phoenix Pinnacle continues to fly under the radar, but not too much longer. The Pioneers have become one of the top teams in Division I, Section III. That section has developed some strong teams in the first half of the season, perhaps stronger than many anticipated.