Here is an analysis of each game in the first round of Friday's 5A Arizona high school football playoff games with predicted scores.
This will be part of a daily series. Monday, we looked at 6A. Wednesday will be 4A and the 3A, 2A and 1A are coming on Thursday.
5A
No. 16 Phoenix Sunnyslope (5-5) at No. 1 Peoria Centennial (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Centennial's 49-0 win over Sunnyslope on Oct. 5 began a string of four shutouts by the Coyotes. Why not make it five in a row? Sunnyslope coaches are smart enough to change it up, but this Centennial team is just too fast, physical and grinding. Centennial QB Jonathan Morris is back with his weapons, led by backs Jaydin Young and Tawee Walker and WR A.J. Jackson.
Prediction: Centennial 42, Sunnyslope 0
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No. 9 Marana (7-3) at No. 8 Vail Cienega (8-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Another rematch. On Oct. 12, Cienega beat Marana 44-28, slowing down senior QB Trenton Bourguet, who has 85 career TD passes. Marana's main concern is on defense, figuring ways to slow down the Bobcats, which is coming off a 20-17 loss to Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge. Cienega needs to find ways to get the ball into the hands of speedy receiver Terrell Hayward.
Prediction: Cienega 29, Marana 22
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No. 12 Ironwood Ridge (6-4) at No. 5 Gilbert Higley (7-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Higley needs to get rid of the bad taste of last week's 51-14 loss to Gilbert Williams Field. This is a chance for senior QB Spencer Brasch to bounce back after his lowest-yardage game. However, Ironwood Ridge is starting to roll at the right time, with awin against Cienega showing it is playoff ready.
Prediction: Higley 28, Ironwood Ridge 27
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No. 13 Scottsdale Horizon (6-4) at No. 4 Queen Creek Casteel (8-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Horizon might be the sleeper team in 5A. It can rack up yards, mostly on the ground, behind QB Isaac Enriquez (1,113 rushing yards, 13 TDs), RB Nash Giffin (774 yards, 7 TDs) and RB Chris Grillo (666 yards, 7 TDs). Thedefense, however, will have to figure ways to disconnect the great passing duo of QB Gunner Cruz and Zach Nelson.
Prediction: Casteel 35, Horizon 31
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No. 14 Gilbert (4-6) at No. 3 Scottsdale Notre Dame (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Forget about the four-game losing streak the Tigers roll into this game with. They're in the playoffs for the first time in eight years. And juniorQB Will Plummer will try to will an upset. It's going to be tough, because senior RB/WR Jake Smith has been virtually unstoppable all season with 34 touchdowns, splitting his TDs between running and catching. The Saints have shown a knack for coming back when down.
Prediction: Notre Dame 44, Gilbert 21
No. 11 Tucson Flowing Wells (8-2) at No. 6 Goodyear Millennium (8-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Flowing Wells' 50-43 win against Paradise Valley in mid-September was impressive. But the 42-16 loss last week to Marana Mountain View makes you wonder who the real Caballeros are, as Mountain View rolled up 364 rushing yards. Millennium can run the ball, too, with5-foot-5 dynamo Isaac Oliver leading the way with 801 yards.
Prediction: Millennium 34, Flowing Wells 27
No. 10 Gilbert Campo Verde (6-4) at No. 7 Peoria Sunrise Mountain (7-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Campo Verde lost its last three games, but it was mostly competitive against three of the better 5A teams -- Higley (45-28), Gilbert Williams Field (17-14) and Casteel (20-13). Nobody wants to face this physical team in the first round. Sunrise Mountain will try to quickly forget about last week's 48-0 loss to Centennial while trying to get QB Keegan Freid back on track.
Prediction: Campo Verde 27, Sunrise Mountain 24
No. 15 Maricopa (5-5) at No. 2 Williams Field (9-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
This is a rematch, but Maricopa won't come in intimidated after hanging tough with Williams Field in a 34-21 loss on Oct. 5. The scored was tied at halftime and Maricopa trailed by seven in the final quarter before things got away. Williams Field senior QB Zack Shepherd plays his best in do-or-die games and the Black Hawks' secondary is as good any in Arizona with not only Noa Pola-Gates, but with Tashumbrae' "Scooter" Brown Jr., Jadon Pearson and Shamar Hawkins all clamping it down on receivers. They'll have to be ready for elusive receiver Jacob Cowing, who could be lined up at Wildcat.
Prediction: Williams Field 35, Maricopa 27
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