Last one of these threads for the season!
This week I'll be doing my first doubleheader of the year (over 2 nights). Through 13 weeks, I've seen 26 different teams. That number grows by 3 with a Friday night game between Red Mountain & Highland plus an Open contest on Saturday between Chandler & Basha.
I was at Highland last year for a 6A semifinal game against Red Mountain. The Hawks raced out to a 28-0 lead and won 28-14. The teams also met on Nov. 4 and Highland won 17-14 (although RM was without its starting QB and RB).
Red Mountain (8-4) has scored 94 points in its 2 playoff games. Last week in a 49-10 win over Mesa, the Lions rushed for 276 yards. This is Red Mountain's 5th semifinal appearance in 7 seasons. Starting QB Carter Crispin has 2,050 yards and 24 TD passes. The Mountain Lions also have senior leadership at RB with Lenox Lawson (1129 yards, 12 TDs) and WR Ja'Kobi Lane (801 yards, 11 TDs).
Highland (9-3) has outscored its 2 playoff opponents 71-32. There were many that said the Hawks would march right through this bracket due to being upset at missing the Open, but Salpointe battled HHS to a 14-10 game last Friday. Both touchdowns were scored by Kody Cullimore (rushing), who also had a sack and an interception. Highland starts Kalen Fisher at QB, a sophomore who became the starter in Game 6. Carson Mulleneaux leads the Hawks with 752 rushing yards. In last year's playoff game, I watched him have a breakout night with 25 carries for 165 yards & 2 TDs.
Highland has rushed for 250 and 236 yards in its last 2 games against Red Mountain. If the Lions can slow that attack down, they can prevent the Hawks from making a third straight title game appearance.
Basha and Chandler had a memorable ESPNU appearance on Oct. 28. While the national cameras were there to showcase '24 quarterbacks Dylan Raiola and Demond Williams Jr., it was the defenses that showed up in a 14-7 Bears' win. Both teams scored in the first quarter and it stayed 7-7 until Deshaun Buchanan scored his 2nd TD late in the game.
Chandler (9-2) is hoping to have Ca'lil Valentine (1,299 yards, 18 TDs) back at RB. I may be the only Team AZV guy that hasn't seen Dylan Raiola in person. The Ohio State commit has 2,342 yards and 22 TDs this season. He led the Wolves in a fourth-quarter comeback last week against Centennial and matched his season high with 36 attempts. Basha is the only team he did not throw a TD against.
Basha (10-1) will be the first team I've seen twice this year. I waited out the 90-minute rain delay back on Oct. 7 before the Bears were defeated by Liberty, 35-7. Will Basha make it back for a second chance against the Lions? Williams, who has 59 career TD passes, has 23 TDs with just 1 interception this season. That pick came way back in the season opener against Los Alamitos. Buchanan has 1,288 yards and 17 TDs and still has time to stamp himself as the state's Player of the Year.
This game will be played at Dick Pallas Field on the campus of Dobson HS (neutral site).
This week I'll be doing my first doubleheader of the year (over 2 nights). Through 13 weeks, I've seen 26 different teams. That number grows by 3 with a Friday night game between Red Mountain & Highland plus an Open contest on Saturday between Chandler & Basha.
I was at Highland last year for a 6A semifinal game against Red Mountain. The Hawks raced out to a 28-0 lead and won 28-14. The teams also met on Nov. 4 and Highland won 17-14 (although RM was without its starting QB and RB).
Red Mountain (8-4) has scored 94 points in its 2 playoff games. Last week in a 49-10 win over Mesa, the Lions rushed for 276 yards. This is Red Mountain's 5th semifinal appearance in 7 seasons. Starting QB Carter Crispin has 2,050 yards and 24 TD passes. The Mountain Lions also have senior leadership at RB with Lenox Lawson (1129 yards, 12 TDs) and WR Ja'Kobi Lane (801 yards, 11 TDs).
Highland (9-3) has outscored its 2 playoff opponents 71-32. There were many that said the Hawks would march right through this bracket due to being upset at missing the Open, but Salpointe battled HHS to a 14-10 game last Friday. Both touchdowns were scored by Kody Cullimore (rushing), who also had a sack and an interception. Highland starts Kalen Fisher at QB, a sophomore who became the starter in Game 6. Carson Mulleneaux leads the Hawks with 752 rushing yards. In last year's playoff game, I watched him have a breakout night with 25 carries for 165 yards & 2 TDs.
Highland has rushed for 250 and 236 yards in its last 2 games against Red Mountain. If the Lions can slow that attack down, they can prevent the Hawks from making a third straight title game appearance.
Basha and Chandler had a memorable ESPNU appearance on Oct. 28. While the national cameras were there to showcase '24 quarterbacks Dylan Raiola and Demond Williams Jr., it was the defenses that showed up in a 14-7 Bears' win. Both teams scored in the first quarter and it stayed 7-7 until Deshaun Buchanan scored his 2nd TD late in the game.
Chandler (9-2) is hoping to have Ca'lil Valentine (1,299 yards, 18 TDs) back at RB. I may be the only Team AZV guy that hasn't seen Dylan Raiola in person. The Ohio State commit has 2,342 yards and 22 TDs this season. He led the Wolves in a fourth-quarter comeback last week against Centennial and matched his season high with 36 attempts. Basha is the only team he did not throw a TD against.
Basha (10-1) will be the first team I've seen twice this year. I waited out the 90-minute rain delay back on Oct. 7 before the Bears were defeated by Liberty, 35-7. Will Basha make it back for a second chance against the Lions? Williams, who has 59 career TD passes, has 23 TDs with just 1 interception this season. That pick came way back in the season opener against Los Alamitos. Buchanan has 1,288 yards and 17 TDs and still has time to stamp himself as the state's Player of the Year.
This game will be played at Dick Pallas Field on the campus of Dobson HS (neutral site).
