No. 1 Horizon (8-2) vs No. 16 Cactus Shadows (6-4)
The Horizon Huskies, in their first season under head coach Andy Litten, have had a breakthrough season. The Huskies opened the 2021 season with their first victory in 15 games against 6A Conference rival Pinnacle. This would spark a 6-0 start for the Huskies that included victories over defending conference champion, No. 5 Sunrise Mountain, No. 3 Desert Edge, No. 11 Millennium and No. 10 Apollo.
With a high-scoring offense averaging 38 points per game, the Huskies have the firepower to make a run to the 5A conference championship game. This includes junior running back Wesley Lambert, who had 1,032 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in the regular season, and dual-threat quarterback Skylar Partridge, who had 2,135 yards and 29 total touchdowns.
After an 0-3 start, the Cactus Shadows Falcons' season was on life support. The Falcons lost 26-24 to 6A Mesa and 31-12 to No. 12 Campo Verde on a Thursday night before another 26-24 loss this time to 4A Coconino.
But the Falcons hit their stride and strung off five straight victories before a 31-24 overtime loss to No. 4 Desert Mountain. The biggest key to the Falcons run to the postseason has been their defense, the Falcons allowed an average of 16 points per game and were led statistically by senior Jacob Steward. Steward had 181 tackles, 14 sacks, and two interceptions in the regular season.
No. 8 Verrado (7-3) vs No. 9 Cienega (6-3)
From Week 1, Verrado made it known to the 5A conference that last season wasn’t a flash in the pan. The Vipers stormed into Bemis Field and handed No. 7 Notre Dame Prep its first home loss in two seasons. A streak of six wins in seven games would follow the opening week victory and had the Vipers on the cusp of a top three seed in the 5A conference bracket. But a two game skid against No. 5 Sunrise Mountain and No. 3 Desert Edge to end the regular season sent the Vipers tumbling in the rankings. Defense has been the bread and butter for the Vipers all year as players such as junior Juan Virgen and his six interceptions as well as sophomore Ryan Willey and his 13 sacks have led the overpowering unit.
Cienega’s season did not start as planned for the Bobcats. A 49-6 week one loss to No. 5 Sunrise Mountain would put a dark cloud on the start of the season as the Bobcats fell in three of their first four games and backed themselves into a corner. But a five-game winning streak led by the running back duo of Ritchie McCormack and Cole McFarland has run the Bobcats to the No. 9 seed. The duo combined for 1,144 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. The Bobcats enter the postseason off a bye week as their regular season finale against Rincon was canceled due to lack of players by Rincon, a forfeit victory was awarded to the Bobcats but was not reflected in the final AIA rankings.
No. 5 Sunrise Mountain (6-4) vs No. 12 Campo Verde (4-6)
The Mustangs gallop into the postseason as the defending 5A Conference champion but are a completely different team from last season's championship winning group. This Mustangs team is battle tested with their four losses coming to No. 1 Horizon, No. 3 Desert Edge and two open division opponents, No. 6 Liberty and No. 4 Cactus. Last season, the Mustangs ran their way to a championship but may not have to this season. Quarterback Hunter Kronengold and his connection with junior wide receivers Micah Johnson and Braden Harvey will be key for the Mustangs' run back to the championship game. On the season, the receiving duo combined for 1,196 receiving yards and ten touchdowns.
Campo Verde is as challenged as any in the 5A Conference this postseason. Eight of the Coyotes regular season opponents were playoff teams and the Coyotes themselves finished the season with the second hardest schedule according to the AIA formula, second only to their round one opponent. The Coyotes success begins with quarterback Reilly Garcia. Garcia has 1,082 yards passing on the season and in the final game of the regular season threw for four touchdowns on only seven completions.
No. 4 Desert Mountain (9-1) vs No. 13 Ironwood Ridge (6-4)
Desert Mountain enters the postseason with an eight game winning streak and an average margin of victory of 30 points per game in that stretch. The only blemish on the Wolves' schedule was a Week 2 27-9 loss to 6A opponent Chaparral. The Wolves have benefited from an easier schedule since their loss to the Firebirds only playing two playoff teams after, No. 15 Sunnyslope who was without their star running back and No. 16 Cactus Shadows in an overtime contest. The Wolves though have been led offensively by junior quarterback Drew Tapley and his 1,567 passing yards and 22 total touchdowns. And defensively by senior Porter Sweet whose 77 tackles and 13 sacks were tops on the team.
For the final three weeks of the regular season, Ironwood Ridge’s offense put the 5A Conference on notice. The Nighthawks finished their regular season with games of 63, 71, and 69 points to enter the postseason with firepower that can rival any team in the field of 16. While junior running back Jordan Thomas contributed 1,321 total yards and 17 touchdowns out of the backfield, senior quarterback Tyler Haynie had 1,838 total yards and 20 touchdowns. Defensively, the Nighthawks had three shutouts in the regular season and had six players finish with at least one interception and eight players with at least one sack.
No. 3 Desert Edge (8-2) vs No. 14 Canyon View (7-3)
Last season, Desert Edge made it to the Open Division playoff as the No. 8 seed and the season prior was runner up in the 4A Conference tournament. Now the Scorpions make their appearance in the 5A Conference tournament hoping to recreate the run from two seasons ago. In the regular season the Scorpions two losses were to No. 1 Horizon and open division No. 4 Cactus. Their round one game is a rematch of a 34-6 week four victory where quarterback Adryan Lara threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns. Lara is 957 yards away from breaking Spencer Rattler’s state passing yards record and will most likely need a state championship game run in order to break it.
Canyon View is in its second varsity football season and Nick Gherts first season as head coach after previously being at Westview. The Jaguars won the 5A Northwest region championship and enter the postseason on a six game winning streak after a 1-3 start to the regular season. The last loss for the Jaguars was a 34-6 defeat by Desert Edge. Senior running back Matthew Flores led the Jaguars on offense with 1,157 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. At 5’6 200 pounds, Flores uses his size to power through defenders.
No. 6 Desert View (9-1) vs No. 11 Millennium (5-5)
Prior to this season, the initial Open Division rankings have been a topic of conversation due to their ranking of specific teams. This year’s team of controversy was Desert View. The Jaguars were ranked in the initial top eight after a 5-0 start that included a 20-19 victory over No. 8 Verrado. The Jaguars would fall out of the top eight after a loss to No. 2 Salpointe Catholic but would win their final four games to finish the season 9-1. For the Jaguars to make a run to the 5A conference championship game, running back Serge Gboweiah will need the team there. On the season, Gboweiah has run for 934 yards and 11 touchdowns on ten yards per carry.
The Millennium Tigers are four plays away from a 9-1 record and at the very least a top five seed in the 5A bracket. With the exception of a 21-7 loss to No. 3 Desert Edge, the Tigers losses to 6A Centennial, No. 1 Horizon, No. 5 Sunrise Mountain and No. 8 Verrado were ultra competitive and decided by 15 points. The offense for the Tigers is the reason they were as competitive as they were in those games, sophomore running back Zeus Pinder had 1,450 rushing yards in the regular season which was third in the 5A conference.
No. 7 Notre Dame Prep (7-3) vs No. 10 Apollo (8-2)
When the Saints come marching in, the 5A Conference has to be on high alert. Notre Dame Prep started the season 1-2 with losses to No. 8 Verrado and 6A Brophy Prep before five straight victories led them to a showdown against open division No. 5 Saguaro. The Saints went back and forth before falling to the Sabercats 42-28 but that loss gave them confidence heading into a week ten battle against No. 1 Horizon that the Saints won 31-28. Arizona Varsity’s own Ralph Amsden has the Saints running to the 5A Conference championship game and in order to do that Braden Wells the senior quarterback has to continue the way he’s played. In the final four games of the regular season, Wells threw for 225 yards a game as well as three touchdowns in each contest including four against the Sabercats.
Apollo soars into the postseason with the second highest rusher in the 5A conference. Sophomore Adam Mohammed finished the regular season with 2,240 all purpose yards and 32 touchdowns, the latter being third in the state. Mohammed also has an interception and a blocked field goal. The Hawks are a young team that has hit their stride and Arizona Varsity CEO Chilly has said, “in the next year or two, this team will be something special.” But this is the here and now and the Hawks are hoping to steal a game from the Saints behind another stellar performance by Mohammed.
No. 2 Salpointe Catholic (8-2) vs No. 15 Sunnyslope (6-4)
Salpointe Catholic, for the first time in three years, is playing for a conference championship. The Lancers were members of the first two Open Division playoff brackets but failed to reach the championship game in either appearance. Now in the 5A Conference playoff, the Lancers are a team that’ll dominate both sides of the ball. For years when the name Salpointe football was brought up, the offense of the Lancers was always what would come to mind. But this season the defense has stolen the show with six games allowing nine points or less including three shutouts. The Lancers however are led by senior quarterback Treyson Bourguet who has 27 touchdowns and 1749 total yards.
Heading into Week 10, Sunnyslope wasn’t a team mentioned on the 5A playoff bubble. Last season, the Vikings were the number two seed in the 5A postseason and had high expectations entering the 2021 season. But earlier in the season running back Xander Georgoulis had foot surgery which set back the Vikings offensive plans. But in Week 10, Georgoulis made an impact right away contributing two touchdowns on the ground versus Barry Goldwater moving them onto the playoff bubble. And in week 11 as the Vikings played for their playoff lives Georgoulis had another two touchdowns as the Vikings played themselves into a playoff spot.
