Good morning, Maricopa.

A local story details eight creepy critters from Arizona that add real life terror to Halloween.

The piece explains that animals like the Gila monster, black widow, bats, tarantulas, centipedes, beetles, cockroaches and worms show off spooky features—giving a natural twist to the season in the desert.

On Oct. 10, the Arizona Department of Education released spring test results for public school students in grades 3-8.

The scores show that overall math, reading and writing levels stayed about the same while Scottsdale Unified and Higley Unified led Maricopa County—students with cognitive disabilities scored lower.

Arizona State upset No. 7 Texas Tech when quarterback Sam Leavitt and receiver Jordyn Tyson led a final drive by connecting on a crucial 33-yard play that set up running back Raleek Brown’s 1-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left.

The win marked another clutch performance by the duo—adding to their legacy in close games.

On Oct 17, ALA Gilbert North defeated Arizona College Prep 35-14 in a 5A game, rallying with a long touchdown pass from junior quarterback Ben Livingston & a strong second-half defense to secure the win.

The victory improved their record to 14-4 under head coach Ty Detmer while handing the ranked Knights their first loss.

Ahead of their game against Texas Tech, Arizona State is dealing with many injuries as freshman center Wade Helton is now a game-time decision after a practice injury—Ben Coleman is out for the season following surgery, and redshirt sophomore Makua Pule may take his spot while running back Kyson Brown, safety Xavion Alford, and linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu face uncertainty along with punter Kanyon Floyd, who is also a game-time decision.

Arizona State upset No. 7 Texas Tech 26-22 on Oct.

18 at Mountain America Stadium as the Sun Devils held Texas Tech to just 13 yards in the third quarter—helping the team finish with a stronger defense and improved third-down conversions. They will host Houston at 5 p.m. in their next game.

ASU's Jordyn Tyson changed from a fiery youth in Texas football into one of college football's best wide receivers by earning 7 touchdowns and 47 catches, and he now leads his team on the field under coach Hines Ward—his early struggles fueling his success.

Arizona high school football saw big records and breakthrough plays in Week 9—Gilbert Higley won its first 6A game with a 41-38 overtime win against Phoenix Brophy Prep and Hamilton’s Roye Oliver III nearly broke a state record with 23 receiving touchdowns.

Maricopa’s Desert Sunrise earned its longest win streak in school history and now fans await the key Oct. 24 matchup between Chandler Basha and Chandler Hamilton.

The Arizona Cardinals played strong in the first three quarters but struggled in the fourth as fatigue set in—allowing opponents to score late in several games.

The team played the most fourth-quarter snaps in the league—an issue that could affect their future results.

Nissan Pop-up Dealership Event

10 a.m. — Duke's Roadhouse — Free entry — Experience the thrill of test drives and enjoy live music with food at Nissan's first-ever pop-up dealership.