As Arizona's tackle football playoffs roll on, the number of participating teams is dwindling.
The 6A, 5A and 4A tournaments have reached the quarterfinals stage, and 3A and 2A are on semifinals as some Southern Arizona teams get a chance for revenge in rematches.
Marana, Mica Mountain and Tanque Verde look to continue their long winning streaks as Desert View seeks to make history.
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The games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
FRIDAY
6A playoffs quarterfinals
No. 8 Salpointe (6-5) at No. 1 Phoenix Pinnacle (7-4)
Location: 3535 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix
Notable: In the first rematch of the week, Salpointe travels back to Phoenix Pinnacle with a chance to avenge its 28-21 loss to the Pioneers on Nov. 7. That result more than likely bumped Salpointe out of a spot where it would host a playoff game (the Lancers dropped from No. 14 in the 6A to 17th) and moved Pinnacle into the Open. Last week, the Pioneers would go on to lose 39-36 to Gilbert Williams Field, and Salpointe would beat Queen Creek 23-8 to set up the rematch.
From here on out, the 6A playoffs follow the familiar single elimination format, with the semifinals being staged at the higher seed and the championship game at ASU.
The game will be streamed on the NFHS Network (subscription).
5A playoffs quarterfinals
No. 6 Waddell Canyon View (9-2) at No. 3 Desert View (11-0)
Location: 4101 E. Valencia Road
Notable: Canyon View returns to the Tucson area after having lost 42-29 at Marana on Sept. 5. While Desert View has won 12 straight dating back to its 29-28 win over Sunnyside to close out last season, Canyon View has won five in a row since losing 29-21 to Goodyear Desert Edge, which is the top seed in the 5A tournament and eliminated Cienega 46-7 last week.
Canyon View’s first varsity season was 2020, when it went 4-4. Its first playoff appearance was 2021, when Canyon View lost to Desert Edge in the first round. Last week marked the team's first postseason win and the first time it hosted the tournament.
Desert View debuted in 1985, going 0-9, but by 1987 the Jaguars reached the state quarterfinals. In 2021, Desert View also reached the elite eight, in what was its most successful season until this year (10-2).
It’s not just a battle of “Views,” but both Canyon View and Desert View are the Jaguars.
The game will be streamed on the NFHS Network (subscription).
No. 5 Scottsdale Horizon (9-2) at No. 4 Marana (10-1)
Marana’s Jaxsun Sharp (12) pulls Yuma Catholic’s Maximiliano Orozco (8) along by his shirt tail, trying to turn upfield after a catch during the third quarter of their 5A state playoff game, Nov. 14, 2025.
Location: 12000 W. Emigh Road
Notable: This one’s not a rematch, though last week Horizon did dispatch No. 12 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep 40-29 after losing to the Saints 42-41 in three overtimes in October. Marana is 1-1 against Horizon all-time, having beaten the school in 2018 and then losing in 2019.
Horizon has won three in a row while Marana has won 10 consecutive. Also, the Tigers haven’t lost to a 5A team since they fell 48-24 to ALA - Gilbert North in the 2023 first round.
Marana’s loss this year was at 6A quarterfinalist Salpointe, 20-18, where Tigers senior quarterback Colten Meyer was a few yards from the walk-off touchdown. Marana’s lone loss last year was to 6A Chandler Hamilton 31-22 in the Open quarterfinals.
The game will be streamed on the NFHS Network (subscription).
4A state quarterfinals
No. 7 Mica Mountain (9-2) at No. 2 Snowflake (10-1)
Location: 190 S. 2nd West, Snowflake
Notable: Mica Mountain heads to the mountains to face Snowflake. The town of Snowflake is in the mile=high club with an elevation of 5,686 feet.
The Thunderbolts come in with a seven-game winning streak and having won 23 of their last 25. Snowflake reached the state semifinals last year before losing 59-21 to Chandler AZ College Prep, which Mica Mountain beat 42-13 in the state championship game.
Although Mica Mountain has only played playoff games at home, in Oro Valley or at ASU, its first-year head coach Jay Campos navigated the 3A playoffs when he led Sabino, which included road games to places like Show Low.
Snowflakes are unlikely as The Weather Channel forecasts a high of 51 and a low of 30 with a 6% chance of precipitation as of Wednesday.
The game will be streamed on iTalk Sports’ YouTube channel and on Sports Zone Radio’s YouTube channel.
SATURDAY
3A state semifinals
No. 5 Pusch Ridge Christian (10-2) vs. No. 1 Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (12-0)
Players on the Pusch Ridge Christian Academy football team get hyped up before the start of a game against Sabino on Oct. 3, 2025. Pusch Ridge won 27-8.
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Mesa Westwood, 945 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa
Notable: For the second straight season, Pusch Ridge and Benjamin Franklin meet in the state semifinals, with the Lions hoping for a similar result to the rematch of last year’s rematch. It’s PRCA and Ben Franklin’s fifth meeting since 2023 and second straight year the schools have played twice in a season.
Pusch Ridge beat Benjamin Franklin in 2017 and 2023 but lost to the Chargers 31-7 in the regular season in 2024. The Lions, however, went on to win 12 in a row after the regular season Benjamin Franklin game, a run that included a 24-13 win over the Chargers in the semifinals.
Benjamin Franklin beat Pusch Ridge 35-14 on the road to close out the regular season and clinch the top seed.
The game will be streamed on the NFHS Network (subscription).
2A state semifinals
No. 6 Willcox (10-2) vs. No. 2 Scottsdale Christian (11-1)
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: ALA - Mesa North; 5901 E. Thomas Road, Mesa
Notable: Although both teams fell in the 2A Region Crossover Games — Willcox 42-14 to Tanque Verde and Scottsdale Christian 35-21 to Phoenix Arizona Lutheran — both have reached the final four. St. Johns beat Arizona Lutheran in the quarterfinals.
The Cowboys and Eagles’ previous meeting was in the first round in 2023 when Scottsdale Christian won 49-7 en route to the 2A state championship.
ALA - Mesa North is about 30 minutes from Scottsdale Christian and about three hours from Willcox.
The game will be streamed on Cool FM Live’s Facebook page and on the NFHS Network (subscription).
No. 9 Tanque Verde (11-2) vs. No. 4 St. Johns (11-1)
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Tempe McClintock; 1830 E. Del Rio Drive, Tempe
Notable: From its first season in 2007 until 2023, when Jeffrey Bollnow took over as head coach, Tanque Verde had zero playoff wins and one postseason appearance (in 2022). Since then, the Hawks have won four playoff games — one in 2023 when they beat Parker 24-0 and three this season, including back-to-back upsets on the road, most recently over perviously unbeaten and No. 1 Phoenix Veritas Prep.
TV has won nine in a row, and the only close game in that streak was against the top-seeded Falcons, a 28-23 win. The Redskins have won eight consecutive games.
St. Johns is one of two AIA schools with the Redskins name, the other being Teec Nos Pos Red Mesa, which is in Apache County in the Navajo Nation. St. Johns High School is also in Apache County and is 9.4% American Indian/Alaska native, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The game will be streamed on the NFHS Network (subscription).
Under the Friday night lights, Marana football delivers for its fans
