Friday, Oct. 27

 

6A CONFERENCE

 

No. 25 Cibola (4-5) vs. No. 15 TUCSON (4-5) at Kino Stadium

This is the Southern Region championship game. The winner of this game will get an automatic berth to the state playoffs.  Due to the low ranking of the Badgers, it is conceivable the team will fall outside of the top 16 with a loss.

No. 9 5A MARANA (7-2) at No. 36 Rincon/University (3-6)

This game will not help the Tigers in the final power-rankings, so it is a high-risk game.

No. 33 Kofa (3-5) at No. 34 SUNNYSIDE (2-7)

The Blue Devils are looking to avoid the first 2-win season since 1989.

 

5A CONFERENCE

 

No. 10 Mountain View (7-2) at No. 3 CIENEGA (9-0)

This is for the 5A Southern Region championship. The Bobcats would like to preserve a super-ranking (Top Four) but they will have to get past Mountain View first. The Mountain Lions beat Cienega in 2015 but the Bobcats have reeled off 22 regular season wins in a row, including a 43-28 win at Mountain View last year.

No. 16 Sahuaro (4-5) at No. 7 IRONWOOD RIDGE (6-3)

Plenty happening here. The Cougars are playing for an at-large bid to the state playoffs and the Nighthawks are hoping to stay in the top eight, so they can host a first-round game. This might be the last 5A region game Sahuaro plays for a while.

No. 18 BUENA (5-4) at No. 27 4A Nogales (3-6)

There may not be enough power points to move the Colts into a playoff spot, but the program broke a 22-game losing streak dating back to 2014. Coincidently, the Apaches were the last team the Colts beat before the losing streak began.

No. 22 Poston Butte (5-4) at No. 33 DESERT VIEW (3-6)

Tough battle for two teams that began the season with high hopes of making the playoffs.

No. 28 CHOLLA (4-5) at No. 32 Flowing Wells (2-7)

The Chargers are hoping to finish even and put together back-to-back non-losing seasons for the first time since 2004 and 2005.

 

4A CONFERENCE

 

No. 38 Palo Verde (3-7) Season Complete

No. 39 Amphitheater (2-7) at No. 12 PUEBLO (7-2)

Believe it or not, this is for the Gila Region championship. How can that be? Pueblo is 3-0 in region play and Amphitheater is 2-1 and head-to-head is the first tiebreaker for the automatic berth to the state playoffs.

No. 3 SALPOINTE (8-1) at No. 23 Canyon del Oro (4-5)

Not sure if a win over one of the best teams in the state is good enough to bump a team up at least seven spots into the top 16 but the Dorados are going to give it a try. Lots of great running backs in this game with Bijan Robinson and Mario Padilla in Maroon and Gold and Elijah Carey in Green and Gold.

No. 7 CATALINA FOOTHILLS (6-3) at No. 14 Walden Grove (6-3)

The Falcons want to hold on for a top-eight finish while Walden Grove is hoping for the first seven-win season in school history. A loss by the Red Wolves might drop them out of playoff contention. Jeff Scurran has put together the first five-year span of winning seasons in program history.

No. 40 Rio Rico (2-7) at No. 42 DOUGLAS (0-9)

The Bulldogs have not recorded a winless season since 1994. In fact, that was the only winless season in school history dating back to 1913 when the team went… 0-2.

 

3A CONFERENCE

 

No. 1 PUSCH RIDGE (9-0) at No. 36 Santa Rita (0-8)

The Lions went 10-0 in 2005. This year will be a more impressive feat.

No. 13 Empire (6-3) at No. 6 SABINO (7-2)

The Ravens and Sabercats are playing for the second automatic bid from the South Region. There are only four at-large spots available in the 3A playoffs and some of the 12 automatic qualifiers are outside of the top 16. If the Ravens were to lose this game, then one would imagine the team will be watching the bracket show on Saturday very closely.

No. 18 CATALINA (5-4) at No. 29 Sahuarita (3-6)

It’s going to be tough, but it is possible for the Trojans to move into an at-large berth. This could be the last football game “Catalina” plays under a current Tucson Unified School District proposal to move the students to Rincon.

 

2A CONFERENCE

 

No. 4 SANTA CRUZ (8-0) at No. 19 San Manuel (6-3)

The Miners can regain a once promising playoff run with an upset at home, but the Dust Devils are on a 22-2 win streak.

No. 14 WILLCOX (5-4) at No. 24 Benson (2-6)

The Cowboys should return to the playoffs after a four-year absence.

No. 17 BISBEE (4-5) at No. 38 Tombstone (0-9)

The Pumas made the playoffs last year with only four wins. Not sure that can happen again.