Football is alone in the spotlight this week with the semifinal round upon us. All other fall sports are complete so get out and watch a competitive weekend of contests at all levels. Don't forget  3A-2A on Saturday. Couple of great twinbills there.

Here's a glance at the five sets of semis by conference. 6A-4A games all kickoff at 7 on Friday night (Nov. 18). The 3A-2A are doubleheaders  on Saturday (Nov. 19) -- 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.:

6A

No. 3 Perry (11-1) vs. No. 2 Chandler (10-2) at Hamilton HS: These teams met in early October with Chandler winning, 44-35. What was more indicative of that game? The 41-14 lead Chandler amassed with 11 minutes to go in the third quarter or Perry winning the second half and making the Wolves sweat a bit at the end? Both teams move the ball with ease and of late Chandler is playing decidedly better on the defensive side. Chandler has won eight games in a row. Brock Purdy is on a roll no quarterback can match at the moment. But is Purdy enough. 

No. 13 Red Mountain (8-4) vs. No. 1 Mountain Pointe (12-0) at McClintock HS: Red Mountain is making its first trip to the semifinals since 2008 and the best charge in coach Ron Wisniewski's seven years running the ship. Lance Lawson has continued a phenomenal season in the playoffs. Mountain Pointe is too good on defense and has the ability to control the clock with its ground game. Mesa schools had a better year overall and advanced a team to the big-school semis for first time since 2009. 

5A

No. 5 Centennial (11-1) vs. No. 1 Cienega (12-0) at Tucson HS: Centennial avenged its  only loss -- the season opener in the Sollenberger Classic to Desert Edge -- in last week's quarterfinals. This matchup is interesting in that noone has been able to slow Cienega's offense. The Bobcats played outside of southern Arizona once during the regular season and face a team that thrives on defense in the Coyotes. Centennial is allowing eight points a game. Cienega is scoring an average of 49 points per outing.  Cienega QB Jamarye Joiner leads the offense, which has depth at running back and can make big plays in the passing game. Defense wins championships.

No. 6 Queen Creek (10-2) vs. No. 2 Williams Field (12-0) at Campo Verde HS: A rematch defensive-minded fans should crave. Williams Field gutted out a 16-9 win in the regualr-season finale to win the San Tan Region title. Queen Creek finished with 229 yards of offense and Williams Field 311. Big plays will be at a premium  so one or two likely will be decisive. These programs have been to a championship game four times (two each in the last seven years). Queen Creek is 1-1 and Williams Field is 0-2.

4A

No. 4 Salpointe (10-2) vs. No. 1 Saguaro (12-0) at Desert Mountain HS: Saguaro is facing the seventh top-10 team in the conference this season and none of the seven has come closer than 28 points of dropping the Sabercats. Salpointe has been impressive in its two playoff games shutting down Canyon del Oro and throttling Marcos de Niza to the tune of single-digit points. It's been business as usual the first two rounds for Saguaro. Salpointe's defense has its hands full in this one trying to contain QB Max Massingale, who is approaching 3,000 yards rushing and passing and RB Stone Matthews, who is closing in on 2.000 yards rushing. Salpointe is a running team, led by sophomore back Mario Padilla. Padilla rushed for a season-high 211 yards last week.

No. 6 Catalina Foothills (10-2) vs. No. 2 Higley (11-1) at Williams Field HS: Shootout city in this one. That's the game both have played all year. Both lost handily to Saguaro and CFH's other loss was to ball-control, defensive-minded Salpointe. Higley is till waiting for senior quarterback Mason Crossland to be cleared to play with concussion symptoms from the opening-round win vs. St. Mary's. In Crossland's stead, running back Draycen Hall has gone into an extra gear and backup QB Jacob Rowland has filled in capably. Catalina Foothills QB Rhett Rodriguez has been outstanding in most games, but was neutralized by Saguaro and Salpointe. This one probably takes 40 points to win.

3A

No. 7 Northwest Christian (10-2) vs. No. 3 American Leadership (11-1) at Williams Field HS: The only private/charter schools left in the small-school ranks this season -- an odd occurrence of late. They played in mid-September at ALA and ALA hung on for a 24-21 victory. NWC struggled running the ball in the first meeting (26 yards total). NWC has improved running the ball as the season's progressed. RB Caleb Egherman put up 137 yards rushing last week and has rushed for 100 yards or more in six consecutive games. ALA came up big in the final quarter last week to beat Florence for the second time this season. Senior QB Dallin Edwards accounted for 361 yards of offense (170 rushing and 191 passing) last week. He was injured and did not play in the first meeting between the teams. Jermiah Boyd, Bujon Boyd and Donovan Hanna are the other skill threats for ALA.

No. 5 Sabino (11-1) vs. No. 1 Show Low (12-0) at Williams Field HS: Show Low likely felt like it was playing for the championship facing Yuma Catholic in the quarterfinals. The Cougars should get used to it if they plan on winning it all. They eeked out a 28-26 win over YC and now take on Sabino, which hasn't lost to an Arizona school this year. Show Low used its ground game to subdue Yuma Catholic, but has been balanced much of the year on offense. Sabino's attack centers on running back/quarterback Drew Dixon. Dixon has accounted for 2,340 yards rushing/receiving and and counting some passing totals  has accounted for 33 TDs. Dixon passed for 2 TDs and caught 2 TD passes last week. He put up 210 total yards. Sabino has been challenged in only three games and has won five successive blowouts. Show Low hasn't relied on one or two backs to carry the load as five have rushed for between 200 and 600 yards, led by Weston Keime, Jason Turner and Christ Imoto. Quarterbackn Rhett Ricedorff has passed for 2,700 yards, 30 TDs. His top target is Jake Reidhead (45 catches, 703 yards and 8 TDs.) 

2A

No. 5 Benson (10-2) vs. No. 1 Round Valley (12-0) at Fountain HIlls HS: Round Valley has endured a couple close calls this season while Benson hasn't done well playing top-level 2A squads. Benson was faced Thatcher and Santa Cruz, the other semfinalists. The Bobcats have been devoured by scores of 56-0 and 44-8. Round Valley quarterback Kyron Woolf has terrorized opponents with 2,256 yards passing (26 TDs) and 1,044 yards rushing (11 TDs). Fellow seniors  Sullivan Udall and Braden Brown are close to eclipsing the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the season. Round Valley is a few yards shy of 7,000 from scrimmage this season. Benson is led by senior running back Brandon Baird (1,317 yards rushing and 20 TDs). Laird was neutralized by Thatcher and San Manuel.

No. 3 Thatcher (10-2) vs. No. 2 Santa Cruz Valley (11-0) at Fountain HIlls HS: This should be the more competitive of the 2A semis. Both have rolled through the playoffs. Thatcher has beaten Chandler Prep 51-6 and Phoenix Christian 52-6; Santa Cruz has taken care of Alchesay 64-0 and Scottsdale Christian 62-21. Thatcher missed the playoffs last year with a 7-3 record (essentially playing up a conference/division) and has rebounded effectively despite plenty of graduation losses. Santa Cruz is trying to restore  the glory the area hasn't seen in more than two decades. Thatcher's strength is its play in the trenches and an  offense by committee led by quarterback Jake Dunlap. Coach Sean Hinton raves about his line and it's been effective in every game scoring points. Santa Cruz likes to run ball while Thatcher has been stingy giving up rushing yardage most week. The Eagles shut down Phoenix Christian in that aspect last week.