Arizona High School football playoffs: Previewing the 4A quarterfinals
The state high school football playoffs continue the day after Thanksgiving, and while the bigger-school brackets may draw more attention, especially with the Open Division playoffs starting this week, there's no shortage of intrigue in 4A.
No. 2 seed Casa Grande continues its undefeated season while No. 1 seed Poston Butte nearly suffered a disastrous first round loss last Friday. In all, three lower seeds pulled off upsets in the first round last week. Will those schools keep their Cinderella runs alive this week? Or will the higher seeds establish their superiority as the playoffs progress?
The Arizona Republic breaks down this week's matchups and predicts winners. All games are set for Friday at 7 p.m. (Bracket seedings noted next to team names):
No. 8 Prescott (8-3) at No. 1 San Tan Poston Butte (9-2)
No. 16-seed Phoenix Northwest Christian offered up the surprise of the weekend — across all five levels that were in action — when it pushed Poston Butte to the brink before losing, 39-37. The Broncos trailed with just over a minute to go before coming back to win on a dramatic touchdown drive. Their defensive front was excellent as usual but the secondary struggled, allowing Northwest Christian quarterback Ashton Kamp to pass for 336 yards.
The question for Prescott will be whether it can take advantage if Poston Butte doesn’t bounce back. Sophomore Jaxon Rice has taken over at quarterback for the Badgers but their offense still runs through junior running back Cody Leopold, who had 100 yards even in a defensive battle last weekend against Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain. That could play to Poston Butte’s strengths.
Prediction: Poston Butte 30, Prescott 24
No. 12 Tucson Canyon del Oro (7-4) at No. 4 Glendale (10-1)
If Northwest Christian pulled off the almost-upset of the weekend, Canyon del Oro had the most impressive actual upset. The Dorados not only beat No. 5 Lake Havasu, but they did so in dominant fashion, on the road, at the end of a 300-mile road trip. They’re now 7-1 since Sept. 24 with the only loss coming to No. 2 seed Casa Grande. Plus, they can do it through the air or on the ground. Junior quarterback Caden Dawes has been excellent all season but it was sophomore running back Kayden Like who starred against Lake Havasu, going for 193 yards.
Glendale had a dominant performance of its own, beating No.13 Flagstaff Coconino, 49-26. The Cardinals, who are led by sophomore quarterback Zecheriah Owens, haven’t lost since Sept. 3. Rob York inherited a 10-year playoff drought when he took over the program in 2016. Since then, he’s guided the Cardinals to a 45-14 record. This year could be his best effort yet. Canyon del Oro will put up a fight but Owens and Glendale are having a special season.
Prediction: Glendale 36, Canyon del Oro 31
No. 11 Kingman Lee Williams (8-3) at No. 3 Gilbert Mesquite (8-3)
The nascent Mesquite dynasty kept on chugging last week with a commanding, 26-9 win over Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin. The senior duo of quarterback Gerardo Saenz and running back Blake Corner is the real deal. So is a defense that’s allowed just 10 points per game over the last four weeks.
As impressive as No. 11 seed Lee Williams’s season has been — third-year coach Patrick O’Boyle has revitalized a program that last won five games in 2014 — Friday would be the Volunteers’ best win of the year. They’ve shown an ability to win every type of game, though, ranging from a 3-0 slugfest against Bradshaw Mountain to last week’s 55-32 shootout against No. 6 seed Apache Junction. Don’t rule out an upset.
Prediction: Mesquite 27, Lee Williams 23
No. 10 Phoenix St. Mary’s (8-3) at No. 2 Casa Grande (11-0)
After Northwest Christian’s loss, St. Mary’s is the only team from Phoenix left in the 4A playoffs. The Knights stayed alive with a thrilling, 34-31 win over No. 7 Buckeye. After nearly blowing a 21-0 lead, they held off a second-half scoring frenzy to advance to the quarterfinals.
But with undefeated Casa Grande on the other side, St. Mary’s has its work cut out. The Knights allowed Buckeye running back Viliami Tongotea to run for 133 yards on 13 carries. Now, they get a Casa Grande team that features two 800-yard rushers — one of whom is also an excellent passer in senior Angel Flores. The Cougars have never made a state championship game but they’ll get one step closer this weekend.
Prediction: Casa Grande 38, St. Mary’s 21
Theo Mackie covers Arizona high school sports and Phoenix Rising FC. He can be reached by email at theo.mackie@gannett.com and on Twitter @theo_mackie.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona HS playoffs: Previewing the 4A quarterfinals
