The ArizonaVarsity.com 2A-6A Preseason Top 15 Rankings

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Good morning. Want to invite you to the 14th Annual Visit Mesa Basketball Challenge at Mountain View HS in Mesa! Scheduled December 20-23, it's considered the PREMIER holiday boys basketball tournament due to hospitality, out-of-state schools, and the overall strength of the 12 in-state schools. Check out the schedule and tournament info sheet. Please free free to reach out if there's anything you need!

Marc A. Beasley
Monarch Sports Arizona
marcbeasley23@gmail.com

It's the final week of the regular season! As for me, I'm staying away from the highly touted Chandler-Hamilton game. It's purely a battle for the 1 seed. If these 2 teams are all they're cracked up to be (and they probably are), I'll be at the rematch in 4 weeks at ASU. For the final week, I like to monitor the bubble teams and see if they can win a game and get the help they need. I'll be at Sunnyslope as the Vikings take on Empire. This is a game that was just scheduled a week ago. Slope (5-4) was supposed to have its bye this week, but had a cancellation earlier this year and has only played 9. Empire (5-5) was permitted to fill the void. I've never seen Empire (which is in Vail) play, but they have a RB/LB who earned a Doherty Medallion last week after a 33 carry, 216-yard effort in a win over Amphi. In addition to scoring 2 TDs, Jake Lambert had 10 tackles and a sack on defense. Sunnyslope is in the No. 17 spot in the 5A, which it wouldn't be in if it had pulled out a win against Apollo (3-point loss). Running back Xander Georgoulis has missed almost the entire season due to injury. He played in his first game last week against Goldwater and scored 2 TDs. This game also has the nice advantage of being pretty close to my house. That should allow me to have the Manual Scoreboard up at 11 and leave time to re-figure my (final final) Ocho prediction as I'm sure I'll be wrong on some of my games this Friday.

The playoff bubble: #16 Cactus Shadows is unlikely to lose against South Mountain. #15 Canyon View could lose to Agua Fria. #14 Ironwood Ridge could lose to #13 Marana. Perhaps the Vikings' best shot is for Horizon to beat Notre Dame and get enough points to pass ALA-Queen Creek and Highland (it will be very close) for the last Open spot. If that happens, the line drops and one more team gets in the 5A. But of course, Sunnyslope has to take care of what it can control first - this week's game against Empire.

Well here we go again.

Already know of 1 job opening!

Over under normally at 25ish.

We may need to set it at 35?
It was 57 last year!

Every Open Division team won last week, so I think we end up with the same rankings. Still interested to see how much movement there is after the Chandler vs. Hamilton game this week. Bubble list got a little shorter this week, but both Horizon and Highland likely need a win and some major help to get in.

1) Chandler
2) Hamilton
3) Basha
4) Cactus
5) Saguaro
6) ALA-QC
7) Liberty
8) Queen Creek

Bubble:
9) Horizon
10) Highland

Definitely not gonna be the Giants!! Wonder if Tom Brady would have Tampa make a push... Or maybe he lands in New England??? Anybody think the Chiefs would take a shot??

Of everyone @ChillyASU mentioned here, who do you think has the best shot of ending up in Tempe?

OK here we go

I am sure to get this wrong

I will do 4-5 at a time.

58 team breakdown:
21 6A
18 5A
11 4A
6 3A
2 2A

This Friday, I'll be out in East Mesa to see Red Mountain against Williams Field. The Mountain Lions got everyone's attention after knocking off Queen Creek last week. RM is 8-1 but looks to be on the outs for the Open (unless they get some help). The Lions come in on a 4-game winning streak and only Liberty has put 21 on the board against them. Junior QB Carter Crispin (1828 yards, 21 TDs) leads the way and he has a TD pass in every game this season. They also bring the defense with linebackers Parker McClure and Skyler Edmonds. Williams Field (6-2) has a 3-game win streak and each has come by 10 or fewer points. The Black Hawks bring Air Force commit Kaden Cloud (685 yards, 9 TDs) at running back. The WF defense features linebacker Fili Snuka and defensive back Josh Sovereign. This will also be my first chance to see a pair of top-flight wide receivers in Jakobi Lane and Kyler Kasper. I think I saw that Andrew will be out this game and maybe even Eric.

Red Mountain over Queen Creek was surprising. I think Red Mountain controls their own destiny now. Two matchups to look for this week: Liberty vs. Brophy and Red Mountain vs. Williams Field. Losers are likely eliminated from Open consideration. Winners stay alive. Should be an interesting last two weeks of the regular season.

1) Chandler
2) Hamilton
3) Basha
4) Saguaro
5) Cactus
6) Horizon
7) Red Mountain
8) Mountain View

Bubble:
9) Queen Creek
10) Liberty
11) Brophy
12) Williams Field

via @JasonPSkoda

Should the Cards really be shook that the Rams just got Von Miller?? Im not even a Cards fan, but I don't know that the Rams getting a ring JUST cause they got Von.. Cards whooped the Rams by 20 last time... Does ONE great player close that gap???

Had to do a little digging on this, but it's hard to believe that I haven't seen a Chandler game at Austin Field since 2014! Since then, I've seen the Wolves play 14 times either in regular season road games or neutral site playoff games. Finally time to go back and see this Chandler team on Friday against Casteel. O'Connor, Liberty, and Queen Creek have all put a first-half scare into the Wolves. Let's see if Casteel can as well with RB AJ Murphy, OLB Shakaun Bowser, and sophomore DB JJ Newcombe. Chandler has won 43 consecutive games.

Saguaro over Horizon, Chandler over Queen Creek, and Basha over Highland makes for an interesting debate on 5-8. I wouldn't say any of those results are surprises, but things could get interesting. My only changes this week are flipping Cactus and Queen Creek. Other than that, I added Red Mountain to the bubble list.

1) Chandler
2) Hamilton
3) Basha
4) Saguaro
5) Cactus
6) Queen Creek
7) Highland
8) Horizon

Bubble:
Liberty
Red Mountain

This can be argued against.

A few big games on the board this week with Open implications, but I'll be heading out to Mesa to see (6-1) Mountain View against Mountain Pointe. The Pride come in at 4-3 and could have a Top 5 WR room according to Cody and Chilly. Last year, this was a 27-20 game in favor of the Toros, but MP is a lot better this season. The Pride are averaging 32 points per game, but have given up at least 21 in every contest. I'll get to see junior Chris Arviso and a group of WRs that he has spread the ball out to. Mountain View has only given up 41 points this season (6.8 per game). I saw TE Jackson Bowers last season as a sophomore and was thoroughly impressed by halftime. I hear the Toros have played three different QBs this year, we'll see if they shuffle or just ride with one all game long.

Queen Creek over Liberty definitely messed with a few Open predictions. I have Highland in and Liberty out right now, but as the Hawks begin the gauntlet, I don't expect that to be the case for long. Has Queen Creek been the most surprising team this year? A few possible Open elimination games this week as Horizon takes on Saguaro, Queen Creek takes on Chandler, and Highland takes on Basha.

1) Chandler
2) Hamilton
3) Basha
4) Saguaro
5) Queen Creek
6) Cactus
7) Highland
8) Horizon

Bubble:
Liberty

Jeremy Hathcock

“There is a shame culture too, and I was guilty of it as well, You tell kids you want to play more than one sport but then you’re also saying, ‘Ok go play baseball but someone else is getting those reps.’ It’s not good."