Who advances to the 3A, 2A Arizona HS football title games? Breaking down the semifinals
The Arizona high school football 3A and 2A seasons are in the final stages. The AIA semifinals will be played in Mesa on Saturday with double-headers at Mesa High School and Westwood. The Arizona Republic breaks down the four games and predicts who meets in the finals after Thanksgiving.
3A semifinals
No. 3 Paradise Honors (10-2) vs. No. 2 Valley Christian (11-1), at Mesa High School, 2 p.m.
This is a rematch of a Sept. 22 game, in which Surprise Paradise Honors rolled to a 52-33 victory at Chandler Valley Christian, behind QB Gage Baker's 386 yards and seven TD passes. There are so many weapons that the Trojans have to contend with. Baker's arsenal includes Isaiah Thomas and Josh Morales. Their numbers are off the charts. Thomas has caught 79 passes for 1,518 yards and 24 TDs. Morales has caught 65 passes for 1,246 yards and 24 TDs. And Baker leads the nation with 75 TD passes and 4,867 yards passing. How do you slow this down?
That's going to be a major challenge for Valley Christian, which slipped past Thatcher 21-20 in last week's quarterfinal. Both teams had quarterfinal scares. Paradise Honors trailed Morenci before Baker hit Morales for a scoring pass with 17 seconds left and the Panthers won 42-35. Valley Christian doesn't want to make it a shootout, although QB Gunnar Link is capable of making plays with his arm. Link has thrown for 36 TD passes. He can also extend plays with his legs. He's run for 377 yards and six scores. But unless the Trojans can scheme a defense that cuts down on Baker's big throws, this could be over in the third quarter.
Prediction: Paradise Honors 42, Valley Christian 24
No. 4 Sabino (9-3) vs. No. 1 Mohave (11-1), at Mesa High School, 6 p.m.
Bullhead City Mohave's only loss came on Oct. 27 at Tucson Sabino, a 34-29 decision, in which sophomore QB Joe Yoney had his worst game passing, completing 9 of 16 passes for 95 yards and an interception. But he ran for 113 yards and three scores. The Thunderbirds will need his passing to go with his running to have a shot against the preseason No. 1 team. Sabino quarterback Cameron Hackworth has worked towards this moment since his freshman year. Now a senior, Hackworth ran for two TDs and passed for two scores in the earlier meeting. He's capable of carry this team with help from brothers Savaughan and Shamar Berryhill. Shamar has had a huge season, catching 66 passes for 1,225 yards and 18 TDs.
Yoney is really good making plays with his legs and he's got a big arm. But the Mohave defense has been its strength. It held Baker and Paradise Honors to a season-low four touchdowns in a 56-28 win in Bullhead City on Aug. 25. Isac Urias is the X factor. He can impact the game on both offense and defense and special teams for Mohave. Ask Blue Ridge, which saw Urias intercept two passes, returning one for a TD, and score on a punt return, a catch and a run in a quarterfinal rout. Mohave's last state championship appearance was 1983. Sabino is looking to get back to the final game for the first time since 2016. This should be a thriller coming down to the final minute.
Prediction: Sabino 38, Mohave 37
2A semifinals
No. 3 Scottsdale Christian (10-2) vs. No. 2 Arizona Lutheran Academy (12-0), at Westwood, 2 p.m.
This will be the most difficult 2A game of the year for SCA since the close loss to No. 1 Pima early in the season. Arizona Lutheran's defense and clock-eating, ground-control offense will frustrate the Eagles. But this is SCA's year to make something big happen. It has an explosive offense behind the Big 3 of QB Jack Atkinson, running back Jacob Trapp and wide receiver Andrew Trapp. They're versatile and score quickly. It's a matter of how many chances they'll get on the field.
Arizona Lutheran will be without leading rusher Rylan Bass, who suffered an injury in last week's overtime win over Tanque Verde. That could have coach David Peter returning fullback Gideon Enter to a more prominent running role, which he had last season. His blocking abilities have been huge this year. Elijah Harris is another big-play back for the Coyotes. This could be low-scoring and close.
Prediction: Scottsdale Christian 27, Arizona Lutheran 23
No. 5 San Tan Charter (10-2) vs. No. 1 Pima (12-0) at Westwood, 6 p.m.
San Tan Charter has one of the best 2A quarterbacks in the state in Zayden Neill. He's coming off one of his best-ever games in a 63-36 rout of No. 4 Camp Verde, passing for 301 yards and two TDs and running for 168 yards and three scores. Like Gage Baker and Cameron Hackworth, he's been around and is ready for the big moment. But Pima, a school located near Safford in southeast Arizona, is a different animal. It's lost its top two quarterbacks to season-ending injuries and is going with a freshman to lead the offense.
But this team is built to run, led by Jeremiah Martinez, and might have the best defensive line in small-school football. Martinez has 10 tackles for losses on that side of the ball, but it's. Tuddy Smart and Brock Haws who lead the D. Smart has 22 tackles for losses and Haws has 16 sacks. The key for San Tan Charter is giving Neill time to throw. If Neill can make plays on his own with his legs, then his team has a chance. But Pima won state last year and this team knows how to win big games.
Prediction: Pima 33, San Tan Charter 17
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who advances to the 3A, 2A Arizona HS football title games? Breaking down the semifinals
