State semifinals will be extra difficult for Southern Arizona teams thanks to AIA

Pat Nugent‘s 12-0 Cienega Bobcats will play 12-1 Peoria Centennial on Friday night in the state 5A semifinals at Tucson High. Cienega has been a state football power for a decade, and has a 122-37 record dating to 2004. But that almost pales next to Centennial’s 135-15 since 2006, which includes five state championships. Centennial enters Friday’s game with 12 straight victories yet was only seeded No. 5 in the playoffs. Seems a bit off to me, but no one ever said winning a state championship would be easy. … The AIA did no favors to Catalina Foothills for the 4A state semifinals. They are sending Jeff Scurran‘s Falcons to an alleged “neutral site” game at Williams Field High School. That’s 2.9 miles from Higley High School’s campus in Gilbert. One of these years the AIA should consider more fairness and schedule some of these neutral site games in Casa Grande. Cienega High is 23 miles from Friday’s game at THS. … When Salpointe Catholic travels to Scottsdale Desert Mountain High for Friday’s 4A semifinal against powerful Scottsdale Saguaro — that’s 10.7 miles from the Sabercats’ home field — it might be the best team Lancers coach Dennis Bene has ever faced. Bene knows excellence: Salpointe is 87-19 with a state title the last nine seasons. But in the same time, Saguaro is 107-14 with six state titles. As accomplished as Cienega, Salpointe, Sabino and Catalina Foothills have been this season, I think there would be great interest if those four teams played at Arizona Stadium for the Tucson City Championship. Maybe next century. … Ironwood Ridge football coach Matt Johnson completed the season 9-3, which boosts his career victory total to 98. He should become the 12th prep football coach in Tucson history to join the 100 Club next September. After Johnson, Flowing Wells’ Mark Brunenkant has pushed his total to 94 victories at Flowing Wells, Douglas and Foothills.