Here is an analysis of each game in the first round of Friday's 4A AIA Arizona high school football playoff games with predicted scores.
This will be part of a daily series. Monday, we looked at 6A, Tuesday was 5A.
3A, 2A and 1A are coming on Thursday.
4A
No. 16 Apache Junction (7-3) at No. 1 Tucson Salpointe Catholic (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
This is AJ's second straight playoff appearance after winning back-to-back region championships. Before last season, the Prospectors, who finished No. 21 in the rankings, had not won a region title in 35 years and went through a seven-year playoff drought. But this will be tough duty to go beyond the first round with maybe coach Dennis Bene's best Salpointe team since the 2013 14-0 team. AJ will quickly find out how tough it is to contain backs Bijan Robinson and Mario Padilla.
Prediction: Salpointe 45, Apache Junction 14
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No. 9 Cottonwood Mingus (8-2) at No. 8 Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain (8-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Mingus beat Bradshaw Mountain 28-6 three weeks ago. Another stellar defensive effort will be needed, because the Bears have one of the better running backs in the Grand Canyon Region in Anthony Mata (1,025 yards, 20 TDs rushing). Mata was held to 7 yards on 5 carries the last time the teams met.
Prediction: Mingus 21, Bradshaw Mountain 14
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No. 12 Glendale (9-1) at No. 5 Tucson Sahuaro (8-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
The 12-year playoff drought is over for Glendale, but this is a team not just happy to earn a playoff spot. The Cardinals feels they can win. With a big line and the talents of RB Kevin Daniels, theywill try to take the program to another level. It won't be easy. This is a Sahuaro team that was good in 5A before making the move down this year.
Prediction: Glendale 27, Sahuaro 26
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No. 13 Chandler Seton Catholic (7-3) at No. 4 Peoria (9-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
That feel-good story under interim Seton coach Mike Chiurco suddenly took a bad turn with a 69-0 loss to Scottsdale Saguaro and a 37-21 loss to 4-6 Poston Butte to finish the regular season. Can the Sentinels regroup? Peoria is a last-second play from being undefeated and has one of the state's best backs in Juwaun Price, who has 1,539 rushing yards and 30 total TDs.
Prediction: Peoria 36, Seton 15
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No. 14 Sahuarita Walden Grove (8-2) at No. 3 Goodyear Desert Edge (7-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Last year, Walden Grove made its first playoff appearance, losing to Peoria in the first round. The Red Wolves won their first region title this year. But now they face a physical team that won't give up much yardage and has weathered injuries to key skill position players on offense.
Prediction: Desert Edge 33, Walden Grove 14
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No. 11 Prescott (7-3) at No. 6 Phoenix Greenway (9-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
This isGreenway alum Ed Cook's best team as coach. It won the region. It has one of the better quarterbacks in Tyler Duncan, who can run and pass. And the Demons' defense has made the necessary stops to close out wins late. Prescott is a resilient group that relies on its quarterback to be its best running threat. Austin Clark has rushed for 1,805 yards but was limited to 56 in last week's 12-10 loss to Mingus.
Prediction: Greenway 27, Prescott 24
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No. 10 Oro Valley Canyon del Oro (7-3) at No. 7 Glendale Cactus (7-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Canyon del Oro sophomore RB Stevie Rocker is known as the Rocket Man in Tucson. He's got the jets. Cactus will try to derail him. It's going to be tough. Rocker has 1,049 yards on 108 carries. But this should be the best defense he has faced since Salpointe limited him to 39 yards.
Prediction: Cactus 29, Canyon del Oro 15
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No. 15 Goodyear Estrella Foothills (6-4) at No. 2 Scottsdale Saguaro (9-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Saguaro's second season is always its best. It's championship or bust:Saguaro has won five state titles in a row, and nobody is saying it won't win again this year. But Estrella Foothills will see if it can find a way to break through against a great defense and slow down RB Israel Benjamin and RB/WR Marqui Johnson.
Prediction: Saguaro 48, Estrella Foothills 7
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.
