Prep football Week 10 snap shot

October 29, 2014 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Several secton titles remain up for grabs as the prep football regular season winds to a close with Week 10 action.

A handful of section champs won't finish in the top 16 of their respective divisions and that means a couple non-secion champs at 16 or perhaps 15 will get bumped from postseason. Six of the eight games in this week's snap shot will determine in part or whole section champs. Overall there are nine section titles still to be decided (five in D-II, 2 in D-V and one each in D-III and D-IV).

Here's this week's slate:

FRIDAY OCT. 31

Skyline (8-1) at Red Mountain (3-6): Last year's meeting -- Red Mountian 29, Skyline 13 -- While not for a section title, this one is interesting. Red Mountain is likely on its way to pulling a Brophy -- i.e. qualifying for the Division I playoffs with a sub-500 record as the Broncos did last year. Brophy pulled its weight winning a playoff game. Even if Red Mountain loses to finish 3-7 that mark may still get the Mountain Lions a playoff berth due to their strength of schedule. Skyline's improvement in 2014 would be further measured by a win over Red Mountain. If Skyline prevails, Red Mountain would be the third school it's beaten this season it lost to last year on the way to a 6-4 record and playoff berth. Skyline is assured of the best regular-season record in school history.

Sahuaro (9-0) at Cienega (8-1): Last year's meeting -- Cienega 29, Sahuaro 19 -- Section title on the line in this D-II matchup. Sahuaro is one of two unbeaten teams in D-II with a week to go. Cienega has played a tougher non-section slate. Sahuaro has motivation not only for the section crown, but to go unbeaten and beat Cienega for the first time ever. Cienega is 10-0 against Sahuaro. Cienega has won eight games in a row since a season-opening loss to Ironwood Ridge. Cienega is led by quarterback Adriell Alvarado and running back Francisco Dicochea. Sahuaro's offense is sparked by quarterback Stephen Miller and running back Derik Hall. Miller has thrown 19 TD passes and Hall has rushed for 19 scores.

Lake Havasu (7-2) at Gila Ridge (5-4): Last year's meeting -- Lake Havasu 36, Gila Ridge 7 -- Lake Havasu finally knocked off Cibola to pave the way for this section-title tilt in D-II. Lake Havasu is the better team on paper and currently No. 15 in the power rankings while Gila Ridge is No. 19. Lake Havasu has won three of the five previous encounters. Lake Havasu is bullish on the run, led by senior RB Austin Stefick. Stefick has rushed for 1,725 yards and 16 TDs. Gila Ridge is not prolific on offense. The  Badgers are paced by senior RB Michael Richeson and senior QB Brandon Kehl.

St. Mary's (7-2) at Sunnyslope (9-0): Last year's meeting -- Sunnyslope 27, St. Mary's 24 -- Sunnyslope is the other unbeaten in D-II and St. Mary's would like the daily-double of preventing an unbeaten season by the Vikings and securing the section crown Sunnyslope denied them last year.St. Mary's is No. 17 this week in the power rankings and Sunnyslope No. 8. St. Mary's airs it out with quarterback Gabe Losada passing for 2,678 yards and 30 TDs this season. Sunnyslope likes to keep it on the ground with senior running backs Tim Fryson and Joey Smith combining for 2,058 yards and 28 TDs.

Northwest Christian (8-1) at Yuma Catholic (9-0): Last year's meeting -- Northwest Christian 26, Yuma Catholic 14 --These teams love to duke it out and the D-V section title is on the line. Offense is Yuma Catholic's calling card while defense is the strength of NWC. Since 2009 the teams have met eight times with NWC holding a 7-1 edge. All but one of the games has been decided by a touchdown or less. Yuma Catholic's only win in that span was in the 2011 D-V title game. NWC won last year by scoring two TDs in a 10-second span late in the final quarter.

Poston Butte (7-2) at Westwood (8-1) Last year's meeting -- Westwood 14, Poston Butte 7 -- Poston Butte's seven-game winning streak ended last week via shutout loss to Campo Verde in a bit of a shocker. This game has section-title ramifications in D-II for Poston Butte and a team it beat a couple weeks ago -- Marcos de Niza. Marcos de Niza is 3-1, Poston Butte and Westwood 2-1 in section play. if Poston Butte wins it garners the section title outright. A Westwood victory leaves Marcos as the section champ as it wins a 3-1 tie-breaker with Westwood thanks to a 14-7 win two weeks ago. 

Queen Creek (7-2) at Bradshaw Mountain (7-2): Last year's meeting -- Queen Creek 46, Bradshaw Mountain 26 -- A test of different sections in D-III. Bradshaw Mountain has already wrapped up its section title while Queen Creek is headed for second or third in its section jostling with Williams Field and Higley. Queen Creek showed off the superiority of its section with last year's rout. A chance for Bradshaw Mountain to make a statement for itself and its section in front of the home folks.

Pueblo (7-2) at Sabino (6-3): Last year's meeting -- Sabino 62, Pueblo 6. The winner clinches the section title and automatic state berth. Both need it since neither is likely to finish in the top 16 in the D-III power rankings. Sabino is No. 20 and Pueblo is No. 25. Pueblo hasn't made the playoffs since 1990 so this puts the Warriors centerstage. Sabino has recovered from an 0-3 start to win six in a row and is a perennial playoff team. Sabino's three losses are to Salpointe, Sahuaro and Desert Edge. The Sabercats have five shutouts and allowed just seven points in the sixth win of its streak. Pueblo is led by running back Jorge Romero, fresh off a 168-yard, two TD performance last week. Sabino

Other section titles still undecided go to the Tuba City-Red Mesa winner in D-V, Thatcher-Morenci winner D-V (Morenci only if it wins and Benson loses) and Page-Winslow winner in D-IV. Tuba City is No. 26 and Red Mesa No. 27 in D-V. Morenci is No. 18 and Thatcher No. 3 in D-V. Winslow is No. 8 and Page No. 12 in D-IV.