(GILBERT, Ariz.) In 2025, the Knights came hungry. In 2026, the growth is hard to miss.

Last season's call to EAT became more than a motto as Gilbert Christian football continued its upward trajectory, finishing 8-4 with six consecutive wins to open the season and a first-round state playoff victory on the road over Payson. Now, the program enters a new season with the largest football turnout in school history, a deep group of returning contributors and an appetite for more.

Under head coach John Carlson, the Knights continue to build: in numbers, experience and expectations. Gilbert Christian returns its leading receiver, leading rusher and several of its most productive defenders from a team that gained valuable experience playing meaningful football into November.

And if 2025 was about the appetite, 2026 is about what comes next.

Gilbert Christian opens the season Aug. 21 at ALA-Vistancia before returning home Aug. 28 for the first Knight Out of the fall against Sabino.

A LOOK BACK: 2025

The Knights couldn't have started much better last fall.

Gilbert Christian raced to a 6-0 record, outscoring its first six opponents 247-61. The run included wins over Wickenburg (52-0), Sabino (28-20), ALA-Mesa North (35-6), Seton Catholic (41-18), Winslow (48-0) and ALA-Ironwood (43-17).

The second half of the schedule provided a considerably tougher test.

Gilbert Christian fell to eventual 3A state runner-up Benjamin Franklin, 43-6, before dropping a three-point game to Crismon, 18-15, and a 27-20 decision to Valley Christian. The Knights responded with a 53-14 win over Apache Junction to close the regular season before upsetting Payson in the opening round of the 3A playoffs.

That late-season stretch matters entering 2026. Gilbert Christian isn't simply returning players who accumulated statistics, it returns players who have competed against some of the best teams in 3A football and experienced postseason football firsthand.

OFFENSE: PRODUCTION RETURNS

A NEW FACE AT QUARTERBACK

Senior Gabe Caballero takes over at quarterback for the Knights after spending the 2025 season behind Caleb Ely. Caballero saw limited varsity action as a junior, completing 4-of-7 passes for 67 yards across five appearances, including a 3-for-5, 61-yard performance in the regular-season finale against Apache Junction.

A multi-sport athlete and standout on the Gilbert Christian baseball team, Caballero brings athleticism and varsity experience to the position as he takes on an expanded role in his senior season.

He'll have experienced weapons around him. Gilbert Christian returns its leading receiver in Malachi Ahlman, leading rusher in Camden Gorsline and one of last season's top scorers in Pierson Scott.

Kai Ahlman | Senior | WR/FS

Ahlman enters his senior season as one of Gilbert Christian's most established offensive weapons.

He led the Knights in 2025 with 56.1 receiving yards per game, finishing ahead of Stanbury and Juve, and caught seven touchdown passes. He finished third on the team with eight total touchdowns.

His big-play ability was evident early. Against ALA-Mesa North, Ahlman exploded for 153 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including an 86-yard reception, in a 35-6 victory.

With Stanbury and Juve gone, Ahlman has the opportunity to move from one of Gilbert Christian's primary weapons to the centerpiece of its passing game.

Camden Gorsline | Senior | RB/MLB

The Knights also return their leading rusher.

Gorsline averaged a team-best 53.7 rushing yards per game and scored four rushing touchdowns as a junior. His breakout performance came against Sabino, when he rushed for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, averaging 7.8 yards per attempt in the Knights' 28-20 win.

That combination of experience and production gives Gilbert Christian a proven option in the backfield as the Knights transition to a new starting quarterback.

Pierson Scott | Junior | WR/CB

Perhaps the most intriguing returning offensive player is junior Pierson Scott.

Scott scored 10 touchdowns as a sophomore, second on the team only to Stanbury, despite not entering the season as the Knights' primary offensive option. He scored six times on the ground and twice through the air and averaged 21 rushing yards per game.

His role grew as the season progressed. Against Valley Christian in October, Scott produced 86 receiving yards and a touchdown while adding 38 rushing yards and another score.

That late-season emergence makes him a player to watch as Gilbert Christian looks to replace a significant amount of senior scoring production.

DEFENSE: EXPERIENCE AT EVERY LEVEL

Gilbert Christian must replace one of the state's most disruptive defenders in Hyatt Lang, who led the Knights with 6.2 tackles per game and 13.5 sacks last season.

But several of the next names on the defensive leaderboard are back.

Evan Scott | Senior | OLB

Scott returns as Gilbert Christian's leading returning tackler after averaging 6.0 tackles per game as a junior.

He also recorded three sacks and led the Knights with three fumble recoveries, providing consistent production from the outside linebacker position.

Scott's production increased during the most demanding portion of the schedule. He recorded eight tackles against ALA-Ironwood, nine against Crismon, eight against Valley Christian and seven in the regular-season finale against Apache Junction. In Gilbert Christian's playoff win over Payson, Scott finished with seven solo tackles and recovered a fumble.

Alijah Jarles | Junior | OLB

Jarles was already one of Gilbert Christian's most productive defenders as a sophomore, finishing third on the team at 5.9 tackles per game.

With both Lang and several senior defenders graduating, Jarles' experience becomes even more valuable to the Knights' toolbox.

Marcel Maro | Senior | TE/OLB

Another veteran presence returns in Maro, who recorded four sacks last season, second on the team behind Lang, and forced a fumble.

Maro gives the Knights size and speed, providing another experienced edge defender and, alongside Scott and Jarles, helps make linebacker one of the most qualified areas of the 2026 roster.

Dusty Cook | Sophomore | RB/CB

Cook may be the youngest name among Gilbert Christian's returning defensive leaders, but he produced one of the most impressive freshman seasons on the roster.

Cook intercepted four passes, second only to Stanbury's 10, and also forced a fumble. Now just a sophomore, he gives the Knights another proven ballhawk in a secondary that will have to replace Stanbury's considerable production.

*Senior Brodan Barth also returns after emerging as a defensive contributor late last season, giving the Knights additional veteran experience in the secondary.

2026: THE ROAD AHEAD

The Knights will play a 10-game regular-season schedule featuring five home dates and five road contests.

And the schedule gets interesting quickly.

Aug. 21 at ALA-Vistancia
Gilbert Christian opens on the road against the Defenders. ALA-Vistancia did not play a recorded varsity schedule on MaxPreps in 2025, making the opener something of an unknown. The Defenders enter 2026 as a 3A Independent program under head coach Darrell Perkins.

Aug. 28  SABINO | KNIGHT OUT
Friday nights return to Gilbert Christian with a rematch of one of last year's more competitive early-season games. Sabino finished 4-7 in 2025, but pushed the Knights before GCS escaped Tucson with a 28-20 win behind Gorsline's 124 rushing yards.

Sept. 4  at ALA-Mesa North
The Knights dominated last year's meeting 35-6. Mesa North ultimately finished 2-8, while Ahlman's 153-yard, two-touchdown performance was one of the first signs of what he could become in the Gilbert Christian offense.

Sept. 11 at Seton Catholic*
Region play begins on the road against the Sentinels. Gilbert Christian won last year's meeting 41-18. Seton finished 4-7 overall and 1-4 in region play but returns several young contributors from that team.

Sept. 18 at Winslow
The Knights make the trip north after defeating Winslow 48-0 last season. The Bulldogs finished 4-6 overall and 3-2 in region play in 2025.

Sept. 25 ALA-IRONWOOD | KNIGHT OUT*
Region football returns to Knight Stadium. Gilbert Christian won 43-17 at Ironwood last season, while the Warriors finished 2-8 overall. This time the matchup comes to Gilbert.

Oct. 1 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN*
Circle this one.

Gilbert Christian gets another opportunity against one of Arizona's premier 3A programs, and this time gets the Chargers at home.

Benjamin Franklin went 13-1 last season, finished 5-0 in region play and reached the 3A state championship game. The Chargers handed Gilbert Christian its first loss of 2025, 43-6.

The Thursday-night matchup should provide an immediate measuring stick for the Knights as the heart of region play begins.

Oct. 16 at Crismon*
Few games were closer last season. Crismon escaped Gilbert Christian with an 18-15 victory and went on to finish 7-5 with a playoff appearance. The Rattlers also return significant offensive production, making this one of the more intriguing games on the schedule.

Oct. 23 VALLEY CHRISTIAN | KNIGHT OUT*
There shouldn't be much difficulty finding a storyline here.

Valley Christian finished 11-2 last season and defeated Gilbert Christian twice, 27-20 in the regular season and 40-21 in the second round of the 3A playoffs.

Now the Trojans come to the land of horns, cowbells, and striped overalls.

For a Gilbert Christian roster filled with players who were on the field for both of those losses, the late-October meeting provides an opportunity to measure just how far the Knights have come.

Oct. 30 APACHE JUNCTION | KNIGHT OUT | SENIOR NIGHT
The regular season concludes under the lights at home. Gilbert Christian defeated Apache Junction 53-14 last season as the Prospectors finished 1-9.

KNIGHT OUTS ARE BACK

Five home games mean five opportunities to pack Knight Stadium in 2026.

The home slate opens Aug. 28 against Sabino before region opponents ALA-Ironwood, Benjamin Franklin and Valley Christian come to Gilbert. Apache Junction closes the regular season Oct. 30.

2026 HOME SCHEDULE

AUG. 28 SABINO
SEPT. 25 ALA-IRONWOOD*
OCT. 1 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN*
OCT. 23 VALLEY CHRISTIAN*
OCT. 30 APACHE JUNCTION

All five games are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Four fall Friday nights. One Thursday night under the lights. Five chances to rep Knight Nation in green and gold, to fill the stands with a cacophony of noise that will make Mrs. Scott proud, and to make GCHS Stadium feel like the home other teams don't want to play at (respectfully, of course).

THE BOTTOM LINE

Gilbert Christian isn't bringing back the exact team that won eight games last fall.

The Knights lost their starting quarterback, their leading touchdown scorer, two of their top three receivers, their sack leader and the player responsible for 10 interceptions.

But they aren't starting over, either.

They return their leading receiver in Ahlman, leading rusher in Gorsline, second-leading scorer in Pierson Scott, leading returning tackler in Evan Scott, three of their top returning pass rushers and a sophomore defensive back in Cook who already has four varsity interceptions.

The 2025 Knights proved they could start fast.

The challenge for the 2026 Knights is to finish stronger.

The road begins Friday.

Stay HUNGRY. 

Fear the Stripes.