The Open Division playoffs have arrived.
The top eight teams from the 4A-6A conferences have been selected. Now, it's time to see who will come out as state champion. Team AZV intern Andrew Morgan breaks down the quarterfinal matchups below.
All games kick off on Friday night at the high seed's home field.
No. 1 Hamilton vs. No. 8 ALA-QC
Hamilton, ranked 11th in the nation, enters the playoffs with an undefeated 10-0 record. The Huskies hold wins over the 15th-ranked team in the country and Nevada state champions Bishop Gorman along with eight playoff teams including Open Division No. 2 Chandler in the Battle for Arizona Avenue. This is Hamilton’s third trip to the Open Division in as many years under head coach Michael Zdebski.
West Virginia quarterback commit Nicco Marchiol has thrown for 2,277 yards and 34 touchdowns, completing 73% of his passes. The senior also has 270 yards on the ground and 4 rushing touchdowns. Junior running-back Nick Switzer leads the Huskies in rushing with 644 yards and 4 touchdowns. Senior wide-receiver Christian Anaya has caught 74 passes for 878 yards and 15 touchdowns. Anaya holds five scholarship offers including in-state Northern Arizona, among other Big Sky teams. Tre Spivey, a junior wideout who holds offers from Arizona, New Mexico, and Northern Arizona, has 259 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. Defensively, the Huskies are led by Arizona commit Russell (Deuce) Davis II. The defensive lineman has 79 total tackles including 26.5 TFLs, and 16.5 sacks, which leads the state.
ALA-Queen Creek, led by head coach Ty Detmer, enters the Open Division for the first time with a 9-1 record and wins over 4A No. 1 Poston Butte, 3A No. 1 ALA-Gilbert North, 4A No. 3 Mesquite, and 4A No. 14 Benjamin Franklin. The Patriots started the season 1-1 with a 14-20 loss at Open Division No. 5 Saguaro, but rattled off eight straight wins to earn an Open Division playoff berth, the first time that 4A teams have been selected.
Senior quarterback Logan Hubler has passed for 2,596 yards and 35 touchdowns. Hubler has also rushed for 314 yards and 6 touchdowns. Two-way junior Ryan Meza has 656 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns, with 12 total tackles and 2 interceptions on defense. Another two-way player, junior Mitch Jensen leads the team in rushing with 556 yards and 10 touchdowns as well as 51 tackles, 7 TFLs, and 3 sacks on defense.
No. 2 Chandler vs. No. 7 Queen Creek
Chandler, ranked 17th in the nation and led by head coach Rick Garretson, enters the playoffs with a 9-1 record and a lone loss to Open Division No. 1 Hamilton. The Wolves make their third straight Open Division playoff berth in as many years. The Wolves hold an out-of-state win over the No. 2 team in Colorado, Cherry Creek as well as eight playoff teams including Open Division No. 6 Liberty and Open Division No. 7 Queen Creek. This game is the only rematch in the Open Division bracket, with the Wolves winning the first meeting by a score of 26-7.
Senior quarterback Blaine Hipa, who transferred from James Campbell (HI) over the offseason, has thrown for 2,257 yards and 24 touchdowns. Hipa holds two offers from Tennessee and his hometown school Hawaii. Iowa State commit Quaron Adams has 676 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. Ohio State commit Kyion Grayes has battled injuries but still has 327 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in 4 games played. Senior linebacker Noah Sauni has had a breakout season, leading the team in tackles with 90, as well as 7 TFLs and 3 sacks. Junior defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington, who has seen his recruitment pick up heavily this season, has 39 total tackles, 12 TFLs, and 6 sacks. Washington holds 13 offers including Oregon, Michigan, USC, Texas A&M and Wisconsin among others.
Queen Creek, led by head coach Travis Schureman, holds an 8-2 record and wins over 7 playoff teams including Open Division No. 6 Liberty, 6A No. 2 Chaparral, and 6A No. 3 Williams Field. The Bulldogs two losses come to Open Division No. 2 Chandler and 6A No. 4 Red Mountain in back-to-back weeks. The Bulldogs will make their first Open Division playoff appearance.
Senior quarterback Sebastian Tomerlin has led the run-heavy Bulldogs with 1,149 passing yards, 781 rushing yards, and 21 total touchdowns. Two-way senior Payton Barlow has carried the ball 172 times for 1,036 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. Barlow also has 14 total tackles. Junior linebacker Cole LaLama has 144 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 1 sack. Junior linebacker Porter Reynolds has 94 total tackles and 3 TFLs.
No. 3 Basha vs. No. 6 Liberty
Undefeated 10-0 Basha, led by head coach Chris McDonald, holds wins over 7 playoff teams including 6A No. 1 Highland, 6A No. 5 Brophy Prep, and 6A No. 6 Mountain View. Saving their bye week until the end of the regular season, the Bears have had two weeks off, which could prove to help with extra recovery time. The Basha Bears will make their first Open Division playoff appearance.
Sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has 2,405 passing yards and 20 touchdowns as well as 628 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Williams holds nine scholarship offers including Arizona, Colorado, Iowa State and TCU. Junior two-way player Deshaun Buchanan has 710 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 98 carries. Buchanan also has 44 tackles and 2 TFLs on defense. Buchanan holds offers from Arizona and Northern Arizona. Sophomore wide receiver Bryson Dedmon, who holds a scholarship offer from Arizona, has 945 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. 4-star junior cornerback Cole Martin, who holds 31 total offers, has 58 tackles and 2.5 TFLs in 10 games. Rounding out the star-studded defense, junior linebacker Wyatt Milkovic, who holds 5 offers, leads the team with 121 total tackles, 11 TFLs and 4.5 sacks.
Liberty, led by head coach Colin Thomas, is 8-2 with losses to Open Division No. 2 Chandler and Open Division No. 7 Queen Creek. The Lions hold 8 wins over playoff teams including 6A No. 2 Chaparral, 6A No. 4 Red Mountain, and 6A No. 5 Brophy Prep. The Lions will make their second-straight Open Division playoff appearance after falling short to the eventual state champions, Chandler in the semifinals.
The Lions have gone with two quarterbacks all season. Junior Dom Ochoa has thrown for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns in 7 games. Sophomore Navi Bruzon has thrown for 1,090 yards and 8 touchdowns in 10 games. Bruzon has also rushed for 469 yards and 8 touchdowns. Junior running back Zach Wallace leads the team in rushing with 656 yards and 13 touchdowns. Senior defensive back Jax Stam, who holds 4 offers from Army, Georgetown, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania, has 92 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks. Junior defensive lineman My’Keil Gardner, who has seen his recruitment spike this season and now holds six offers including Texas, Arizona State, Arizona, and California, has 73 tackles, 18 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks.
No. 4 Cactus vs. No. 5 Saguaro
Cactus enters the postseason with a perfect 10-0 record under head coach Joseph Ortiz. The Cobras hold 6 wins over playoff teams including 5A No. 3 Desert Edge, 5A No. 5 Sunrise Mountain, 4A No. 1 Poston Butte, and 4A No. 3 Mesquite. The Cobras make their first Open Division playoff berth and join ALA-QC as the only 4A teams to ever make the Open Division.
Junior athlete Will Galvan has 1,273 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. Galvan also has 432 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. The all-purpose athlete has also scored two receiving touchdowns, meaning Galvan has scored three different ways for the Cobras this season. Junior running back Damian Jiles has 862 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Senior two-way athlete Ata Teutupe leads the team in tackles with 84 in addition to 14 TFLs and 1 sack. Defensive lineman Justin Holmes leads the team in sacks with 11.5 to go along with 77 total tackles and 20 TFLs. Senior defensive back Andy Morales has 5 interceptions on the year.
Saguaro, led by head coach Jason Mohns, has been selected to a third straight Open Division playoff berth, however the Sabercats are looking to bounce back after being forced to forfeit last year’s quarterfinal matchup against Salpointe Catholic due to COVID-19. The Sabercats are 9-1 with an out-of-state win vs. Sierra Canyon (CA) as well as Open Division No. 8 ALA-Queen Creek, 5A No. 1 Horizon, and 5A No. 2 Salpointe Catholic. Saguaro’s lone loss comes in the form of a 26-27 defeat at 6A No. 2 Chaparral.
Senior quarterback and Idaho commit Ridge Docekal has thrown for 1,577 yards and 13 touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jaedon Matthews has 777 yards and 5 touchdowns on 79 carries. Senior athlete Javen Jacobs, who holds 10 offers including Colorado and Arizona State, has scored 4 different ways this season, including passing, receiving, rushing, and punt return touchdowns. Jacobs has 768 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns as well as 260 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns. Senior defensive lineman Tristan Monday, who recently flipped his commitment from Arizona to Wisconsin, has 63 total tackles, a whopping 30 TFLs and 9.5 sacks this season. Defensive back Ivan Martin, who holds offers from Army and Navy, rounds out the defense with 39 tackles and 3 interceptions.
