Hamilton star wins Doherty award for top Arizona HS football player
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Chandler Hamilton sophomore wide receiver Roye Oliver III took home the Ed Doherty Award on Saturday, Dec. 13, for the top Arizona high school football player in the 2025 season.
In a Heisman-style event at Ocean 44 in Scottsdale, 10 finalists had seats at the head of the table, with Oliver ultimately presented with the Arizona high school football version of the Heisman.
This was highly expected.
Oliver, who caught a season 6A record 92 passes for 1,839 yards to go with 29 TD catches during Hamilton's 11-1 season, has won every top postseason honor given in Arizona so far.
Oliver is the 34th recepient in the history of the Doherty Award, which began in 1987 with Phoenix Maryvale running back Kevin Galbreath the first to receive the honor. There was a four-year pause in the Doherty from 2013-16, before the top honor was resumed in 2017 with former Perry quarterback Brock Purdy winning it.
Former Tucson Salpointe running back Bijan Robinson won the award the next two seasons.
Both players are NFL standouts with Purdy leading the San Francisco 49ers and Robinson starring for the Atlanta Falcons.
Oliver, at a young age, appears headed to playing on Sundays. The key is how humble he's been, realizing how much work is needed to get to the top level in football.
Oliver was joined at Ocean 44 by nine other finalists: Chandler Basha senior edge rusher Dante Bruley, Tucson Desert View sophomore running back/defensive back Jaylee Abraham, Goodyear Millennium junior running back D'Mari Bryant, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows senior quarterback Donivan Dixon, Phoenix Brophy Prep senior wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, Chandler junior quarterback Will Mencl, Marana quarterback Colten Meyer, Hamilton sophomore quarterback Jax Sculley and Peoria Liberty senior safety Zeth Thues.
The Doherty Award and the Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission also recognized Bobby Ferreira as the Arizona Interscholastic Association Official of the Year, and Arizona Republic sports writer Richard Obert with the MiCamp Sports Contributor to the Game Award.
Selection committee for the Doherty Award were Brittany Bowyer, Cody Cameron, Ed Cole, Cameron Cox, Kevin Derryberry, Chris Eaton, Jose Garcia, Erik Gray, Andy Morales, Javier Morales, Obert, Lee Patterson and James Poovey. They each voted for top players each week during the season for Doherty medals.
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hamilton sophomore Roye Oliver III wins Ed Doherty Award
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