Open Division state football should stay. Here's why and how it can be better

Yes, it's true that the Arizona Interscholastic Association started an eight-team Open Division state football bracket because of schools like Scottsdale Saguaro and Peoria Centennial, and, to some extent, Tucson Salpointe Catholic (while Bijan Robinson was running wild over teams).

What began in 2019 leading to one of the most exciting brackets in state history concluding with Chandler outlasting Saguaro 42-35 has turned into something people love to pick apart each week the AIA presents a new batch of playoff rankings.

There was panic last week when 4A Oro Valley Canyon del Oro was ranked No. 4 in the Open amid five 6A teams and two 5A teams.

No knock on CDO, but even its coach, Dusty Peace, said it didn't belong in the Open.

On Tuesday, the AIA's new rankings have CDO (8-0) outside of the Open by two spots with 6A Gilbert Highland, after its win over American Leadership Queen Creek, now in the Open eight for the first time, and 5A Desert Mountain (8-0) elevated to No. 4.

ALA Queen Creek (6-2), making a strong impression in its first season in 6A, stayed in the Open eight mix at 8.

Chandler (6-2) wasn't badly penalized for losing 47-42 to defending Open champion Chandler Basha and is at No. 5, two spots behind Basha. Liberty, rightfully, moves into No. 1 (finally), ahead of No. 2 Peoria Centennial (8-0).

Chandler Hamilton, who was outside of the Open bracket a week ago, moves in at No. 7, after a win over Queen Creek Casteel.

These rankings make a lot more sense, so maybe the computer is working itself out the deeper into the season we go. There are only two games left before the playoffs.

This is why the Open needs to stay. Part of it is the buildup three to four weeks leading up to the playoffs with more attention than ever placed on the AIA's rankings.

And, even though Saguaro, Centennial and Salpointe are all in 6A now (based on the AIA's annual promotion of teams based on success), the Open still is a huge payoff for teams with so much attention placed on the ultimate state playoff bracket.

But one tweak could be added: Have a committee of experts choose the Open eight and seed them. There are so many things that play into the second half of the season that the computer simply doesn't compute. Such as injuries, marquee transfers becoming eligible (see Desert Edge). Make it to keep the bias and politics out of it. Level heads would get the right eight in with a decent order. No playoff system is without critics. But it would help eliminate some of the issues.

Growth of the 6A Conference

The 6A Conference has gotten stronger and deeper with the promotion of schools like Saguaro and Centennial. Taking six to seven 6A teams into the Open won't badly diminish the value of the 6A bracket. There will be more parity with seven to eight schools having a chance to win that title.

"Overall, I believe the Open has been great for Arizona football and the playoffs," said Highland coach Brock Farrel, whose teams won the last two 6A championships after being left out of the Open. "I also believe that the Open is the reward for having to play a 6A schedule.

"I know that more 6A teams make the playoffs because of the Open and 6A Conference having playoffs, but that is the reward for playing a 6A schedule where every team is the best the state has to offer."

Desert Mountain coach Conrad Hamilton admitted earlier this season that no 5A team has a shot at winning the Open state championship due to the disparity between 6A and 5A. He's proven to be right. If you look at some of the scores: Pinnacle had little trouble beating Horizon 27-7. But the Huskies gave Desert Mountain all it wanted in a 24-22 loss two weeks later, and, last week, stuffed Higley with all of its transfers 28-6.

Since the Open inception, the three big conferences (6A, 5A and 4A) qualified teams for that elite eight. The conference committees all have voted to be in for the Open each year. So a 4A team can't suddenly decide it doesn't want to be part of the Open late in the season. The conference has to vote no before the season starts to get that approved by the AIA.

The AIA has put the brakes on annual promotions. This is the first of a two-year scheduling block for Arizona high school football teams. That means there will be no movement for next season. They will all stay in their current conferences.

"Since Saguaro left, there is no one (in 4A) capable of competing in the Open," said American Leadership West Foothills coach Chad Mitton, whose team competes in 3A. "The amount of athletes you need to beat one of the big schools is very difficult. All of those schools have Division I athletes. There is a reason for classification.

"Until ALA, I have always coached and competed at the higher level. The good schools from 3A to 4A to 5A are not that far apart. But the 6A schools are another level. There are six to eight 3A schools that could compete in 4A just fine and I am sure in the other conferences that would be the same.

"But the good schools in 6A are on another level. I would say a hard no to 4A being in that Open."

Phoenix Arcadia is 8-0 as a 4A team, but coach Ray Brown has no illusions his team could compete in an Open bracket. Like most 4A teams, he's relying on neighborhood kids who grew up around the school to win games.

"I feel the top teams in 6A and 5A should battle it out for the Open championship," Brown said. "Very rarely will you see a 4A team consistently compete versus upper-level squads. We are just benefitting from holdovers and neighborhood kids who have been together since middle school.  We may be able to compete at a certain level but numbers and roster talent will catch up to us."

Two years ago, when Glendale Cactus and ALA Queen Creek played the regular season in 4A, they both were put into the Open for having such good seasons. It didn't feel like a reward for those players and coaches, knowing how heavily they relied on two-way players with less depth and size in the trenches.

Cactus and ALA QC were competitive for more than a half in their first-round Open games (Cactus lost to eventual champion Saguaro, and ALA CQ fell to Hamilton), but, afterward, both schools could only wonder what if they were allowed to compete for a 4A championship and what kind of final that would be.

"I don’t think 4A should be involved in the Open Division," said Cactus coach Brian Belles, who was the Cobras' defensive coordinator that year. "There is not one 4A school that has a legitimate shot at winning the Open nor do they play the type of competition on a week-to-week basis as 6A and 5A schools play.  That is the reality.

"They should play in their 4A tournament.  Let the schools, players and coaches have a chance at a championship competing with schools that are relative to them in terms of size. Speaking from experience, I feel like in 2021 we had a real chance at a championship but were kicked up to the Open Division.  We did not hide from it or duck it and our kids competed but trying to compare 4A schools to 6A schools is like comparing apples and oranges."

Brophy Prep coach Jason Jewell, who leads the Arizona High School Football Coaches Association, felt that reclassification solved most of the blow-out playoffs and lack of intrigue issues.

"Five years ago, I would have said, 'Absolutely, 4A teams and lower should be part of the Open, but I would not make that argument today," Jewell said. "That being said, I am a huge fan of The Open.

"The tournament has brought national recognition to our state as one of the toughest state championships in the nation. I think it has accomplished exactly what it was intended to do. There is a ton of parity in all of the playoff games, people talk about it constantly and it has brought a huge level of excitement to our state."

Sandra Day O'Connor coach Brian Cole, who got his school into the Open out of 6A last year, agrees.

"I like the Open," he said. "The original idea served its purpose, to get Saguaro and Centennial out of the conference playoffs and compete against similar talent. Those days are gone. There are no 'dynasty' 4A teams out there anymore.

"I don't believe 4A should be included in the Open. But their 4A reps voted to stay in it this year. So as much as people want to blame the AIA power-point system, 4A reps could have chosen not to play in the Open. I don't believe 4A teams play a tough enough schedule to be considered for the Open.

"The Open should now be 6A and 5A. I think this year is an example of 5A teams who can compete in the Open. Both DM (Desert Mountain) and DE (Desert Edge) would be deserving. But for the most part, the majority of schools will be, and should be, 6A. And, for the record, I'm not a fan of 7A. I think the Open creates a fair playoffs for the 6A Conference."

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: Here's why Open Division high school football in Arizona should stay