Cameron Denson is rated 110th nationally by 247Sports. Photo by Andy Morales, TucsonCitizen.com
A pair of high school players committed to Arizona continued their torrid senior seasons Friday night.
Salpointe Catholic wide receiver/defensive back Cameron Denson caught six passes for 137 yards — including a 92-yarder — and had an interception in a 40-7 victory over Tempe Marcos de Niza.
Denson is the highest-ranked of Arizona’s 24 committed players, according to the ratings from 247Sports.
“(Denson) doesn’t necessarily touch the ball significantly more than other players in our offense, but when he does touch it, he has this innate ability to score touchdowns,” Salpointe Catholic coach Dennis Bene told the Arizona Republic, our Gannett partner, this week.
“He’s really good in space. When you have Cameron going north and south, nobody in the state is better. Whether he’s at quarterback or wide receiver, if he’s going north and south, he’s as good as you get. When you have an elite player like that, it gives the entire team confidence knowing that you can score from everywhere.”
Denson (6-1, 170) and 5-9 senior Kaelin Deboskie, also a UA recruiting target, form a dangerous receiving duo for Salpointe, the state’s top team in Division II.
Denson pitched the ball to Deboskie on a hook-and-ladder play for a touchdown Friday night. Denson later Tweeted: I didn’t even plan to pitch it back #Instincts
He told the Republic he likes having to be a team player at receiver.
“You’re not going to touch the ball every play, you have to block for other receivers and your running back. But once you get the ball, you have to make something happen with it. With the limited amount of touches you get, you have pressure on you when you do get the ball. I like the pressure.”
Denson has 33 catches for 695 yards and eight touchdowns through five games. He has also rushed for a TD and scored twice on interception returns.
He might someday be catching passes at Arizona from Brandon Dawkins. Dawkins, a three-star recruit from Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, Calif., threw for 454 yards and five touchdowns in a Friday night win over Los Angeles Crenshaw High.
He has thrown for at least five touchdowns in three of five games this season.
Dawkins has completed 105 of 173 passes (60.7 percent) and is averaging 360.2 passing yards per game, with 19 total touchdowns.