It was underwhelming start for Brophy College Prep (Phoenix), especially for a program looking to rebound from a rare losing season, to say the least.

The Broncos started the season 1-3 after getting outscored 109-27 in the three defeats.

And yet here is Brophy (10-3), just one win away from playing for the Division I championship as the state semifinals approach.

See the MaxPreps Arizona high school football playoff brackets and score projections

The other three teams – No. 1 Hamilton (Chandler) (11-1), No. Chandler (11-1) and No. 6 Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) (10-2) – feel they have developed, but it is hard to argue against the Broncos being the most improved team in the state.

"We never quit fighting," Brophy coach Scooter Molander said after beating Mountain Pointe, the defending champions, on Oct. 10. "Our defense never quit. Resilience and special teams. That is really what has brought us back."

The true test will come against Hamilton, which handed the Broncos a 41-6 loss on Sept. 5, when the Huskies went on a 28-0 scoring binge over the second and third quarters.

Brophy has been playing so well that there is a pretty strong sentiment that Hamilton, which has made 11 of the last 13 state title games, is actually the underdog this time around.

The intriguing thing about rematches, which also applies to the Mountain Pointe-Chandler semifinal after the Pride won 45-42, is the chess match between coaching staffs.

The smaller divisions have semifinal rematches too, as Yuma Catholic vs. Northwest Christian (Phoeni) in Division V, Queen Creek vs. Saguaro (Scottsdale) in Division III and Snowflake vs. Seton Catholic (Chandler) in Division IV are all getting reacquainted.

They have to try and anticipate adjustments, while implementing their own and disguising the schemes and certain plays that worked the first time around so it won't be picked up easily by the opposition.

No two games are alike because teams improve, personnel change and coaches sit in meetings trying to find ways to change things up.

"It's the third time we've played them (since September of last season)," MP coach Norris Vaughan said. "There are some things we have prepared we think will work and they do, too. You never know for sure until you get in the game and see how the matchups work out."

The second go-around between Mountain Pointe, which is looking to make its third-straight title game, and Chandler, which has never played for an AIA state title, will have a tough time recreating the big-play, back-and-forth pace of the first one.

But it doesn't mean they aren't going to try.

"Both sides have electric players on offense and it is going to be hard to contain them all," Chandler coach Shaun Aguano said on the AIA radio shown on Saturday. "It's probably going to be in the 60 (total points) range. Whoever is going to make the least amount of mistakes is probably going to win."


Division I
No. 4 Brophy v. No. 1 Hamilton at Chandler
No. 6 Mountain Pointe vs. No. 2 Chandler at Hamilton
Championship
Friday, Nov. 28
At University of Phoenix Stadium, 7 p.m.

Division II
No. 4 Cienega (Vail) v. No. 1 Liberty (Peoria) at Paradise Valley
No. 10 Chaparral (Scottsdale) v. No. 3 Centennial (Peoria) at North Canyon
Championship
Saturday, Nov. 29
At Sun Devil Stadium, 4:30 p.m.

Division III
No. 5 Queen Creek v. No. 1 Saguaro at Arcadia
No. 3 Tempe v. No. 2 Williams Field (Gilbert) at Campo Verde
Championship
Saturday, Nov. 29
At Sun Devil Stadium, 11:30 a.m.

Division IV
Saturday
No. 4 Snowflake vs. No. 1 Seton Catholic at Paradise Valley
No. 3 River Valley (Mohave Valley) vs. No. 2 Sahuarita at Marana
Championship
Saturday, Nov. 29
At North Canyon, 6 p.m.

Division V
Saturday
at Fountain Hills
No. 4 Northwest Christian vs. No. 1 Yuma Catholic, 6 p.m.
No. 6 Arizona Lutheran Academy (Phoenix) vs. No. 2 Tempe Prep, 2 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Nov. 29
At North Canyon, 2 p.m.

Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothills News staff writer, is a 20-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.