Central High's football team is having a great season. Here's why it could still miss playoffs

If Phoenix Central beats rival Camelback on Friday, it will give the Bobcats their first back-to-back region football championships since the 1970s.

And yet, they face the unfortunate reality that no matter how much they win by, this could be it, the end of what was one of the greatest Central football seasons since it won the state championship in 1974.

It is the most talented, best team Chandler Hovik has ever been associated with as a coach.

Central can finish 9-1 with the win, take the Metro Region title, and be left out of the 5A playoffs come Saturday when the Arizona Interscholastic Association releases its football brackets for the big conferences in an extravaganza show in Scottsdale.

The reason: A computer.

Region champs aren't automatic state qualifiers. This isn't like other sports where there are play-in games to get to the 16-team bracket.

Central has outscored opponents 424-134, the highest-scoring team in 5A. In all eight of Central's wins, they've scored at least 40 points.

It has legit future Division I college players in running back Khameron Athy, cornerback/receiver/kicker Izzy Foz, freshman quarterback Cam Allen, jumbo wide receiver Cassidee Miles, and the athletic Ballard brothers, Bre'on and Bryson.

It's been a season in which Athy, a move-in from Tennessee, broke Trung Canidate's single-season school touchdowns record.

Central's only loss came in a close battle with Phoenix Mountain Pointe, a 28-21 setback to a team that will probably make the 6A playoffs. The Pride currently is ranked No. 16 in 6A, but with many top 6A teams poised to move into the Open playoffs, its conference playoff position is likely to elevate.

Central sits at No. 18 in the AIA rankings, two spots outside of the 5A playoff bracket. With losses last week by Desert Mountain and Desert Edge, 4A unbeaten Oro Valley Canyon del Oro (at No. 4) is the only non-6A team among the top eight teams in the AIA's Open rankings heading into the final regular season games on Friday.

There are four teams with 4-5 records ahead of Central in the 5A AIA playoff rankings.

Central may need so much help, even with a win, to get in that it's too mind-boggling to figure out the mathematics. It won't get much help from Camelback (4-5) on Friday, because the Spartans are ranked No. 33 in 5A. Strength of schedule is a major factor the AIA computer algorithm uses to determine rankings and ultimately, the playoff brackets.

Central is the only team with a winning record in the six-team 5A Metro region. They've defeated four - South Mountain, Betty H. Fairfax, Trevor G. Browne and North, with Camelback the final game. Other wins have come against North Canyon (1-8), Mesa Dobson (1-8) and Paradise Valley (4-5).

"We aren't saying we are a Desert Edge, Desert Mountain, Higley, Horizon, but outside of those (5A) teams we feel we match up well and if we do play any of those top four teams, anything can happen on Friday night," Hovik said.

Last year, Central got to the 5A playoffs at 9-1, but Hovik said, "No disrespect to our 9-1 team last year, but this year's team would beat last year's team by four touchdowns."

"Our kids deserve better," he added.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Central Bobcats have best team in years, but could miss HS football playoffs