Photo: The setting sun before a high school playoff game in Arizona
There was plenty of action on the gridiron this past weekend with some games looking like arena football, and some requiring extra playing time to determine a winner.
In the 4A division, undefeated #2 seed, the Canyon Del Oro Dorados scored in the final minutes of regulation, and then needed four overtimes to knock off Arizona College Prep 33-27. The Dorados were led by Kayden Luke who carried the ball 45 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns. The top seed and undefeated Yuma Catholic Shamrocks, scored two third quarter touchdowns, while shutting out the Eastmark Firebirds in the second half to win 28-13. Tayt Ford rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns for YC. The Shamrocks will host another undefeated team, Arcadia, on Friday.
The only team left playing north of Phoenix was the Mohave Thunderbirds, who lost for the second time this season to the Sabino Sabercats 30-16 in the 3A semifinals. Mohave, ranked #1, won their first nine games before dropping the final regular season game at Sabino 34-29. The other 3A battle was a wild ride for fans of both schools, as the Paradise Honors Panthers outscored the Valley Christian Trojans 48-42 in the second half to win 72-56. Panthers QB Gage Barker threw for 656 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 44 of 54 passes. Gage also managed to throw three interceptions. Josh Morales caught 16 of those passes for 287 yards and three scores.
Class 6A saw one big upset, with the #12 Red Mountain Lions knocking off the #5 seeded Pinnacle Pioneers 27-24 in overtime. Top seed Brophy Prep trailed the Casteel Colts 17-2 after three quarters, then put it all together with a 29 point outburst in the final twelve minutes to win 31-17.
Horizon, the #3 seed, outlasted ALA-Gilbert North 35-28 in the closest contest in 5A. Top seed Higley and #2 Desert Edge both won easily. #5 Apollo also won big.
The top two seeds in the Open Division, Liberty and Basha, won and will host semifinal games on Saturday.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD
OPEN DIVISION-Quarterfinals
Liberty 39, Hamilton 27
Basha 38, ALA-Queen Creek 31
Centennial 24, Desert Mountain 3
Highland 19, Chandler 14
6A PLAYOFFS-Quarterfinals
Red Mountain 27, Pinnacle 24, OT
Brophy Prep 31, Casteel 17
Salpointe Catholic 35, Williams Field 25
Saguaro 42, Perry 32
5A PLAYOFFS-Quarterfinals
Higley 43, Millennium 23
Desert Edge 45, Notre Dame Prep 14
Horizon 35, ALA-Gilbert North 28
Apollo 49, Campo Verde 24
4A PLAYOFFS-Quarterfinals
Yuma Catholic 28, Eastmark 13
Canyon Del Oro 33, AZ College Prep 27, 4OT
Mica Mountain 38, Northwest Christian 17
Arcadia 31, Thunderbird 28, OT
3A PLAYOFFS- Semifinals
Sabino 30, Mohave 16
Paradise Honors 72, Valley Christian 56
2A PLAYOFFS-Semifinals
Pima 52, San Tan Charter 49
Scottsdale Christian 23, Arizona Lutheran 16
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
OPEN DIVISION-Semifinals, Saturday, 7pm
#5 Highland (9-2) at #1 Liberty (10-1)
#3 Centennial (10-1) at #2 Basha (10-1)
6A PLAYOFFS-Semifinals, Friday, 7pm
#12 Red Mountain (6-6) at #1 Brophy Prep (9-2)
#3 Saguaro (7-5) at #2 Salpointe Catholic (10-2)
5A PLAYOFFS-Semifinals, Friday, 7pm
#5 Apollo (11-1) at #1 Higley (10-2)
#3 Horizon (10-2) at #2 Desert Edge (10-2)
4A PLAYOFFS-Semifinals, Friday, 7pm
#4 Arcadia (12-0) at #1 Yuma Catholic (12-0)
#3 Mica Mountain (11-1) at #2 Canyon Del Oro (12-0)
3A CHAMPIONSHIP at Mountain Pointe H.S., Saturday, 6pm
#4 Sabino (10-3) vs. #3 Paradise Honors (11-2)
2A CHAMPIONSHIP at Mountain Pointe H.S., Saturday, 2pm
#3 Scottsdale Christian (11-2) vs. #1 Pima (13-0)
