No. 1 Salpointe (12-0) vs. No. 5 Sahuaro (10-2)

Mountain View Marana, 7 p.m.

 

     Salpointe leads the head-to-head series over Tucson Sahuaro 15-11-1 including the last seven games dating back to 1994. The streak includes a 28-12 win on Sept. 28. The Lancers won a state championship in 2013 and collected on runner-up finishes in 1981, 1991 and 2017 and the Cougars won a championship in 1994 with runner-up finishes in 1984, 1991, 1993 and 1999.

     Salpointe beat No. 9 Mingus Union 62-22 in the quarterfinal round. Jr. RB Bijan Robinson rushed nine times for 259 yards with four TDs, Sr. Mario Padilla added 86 rushing yards with two TDs and So. David Cordero had two rushing TDs on 55 yards. Sr. QB Devin Green has 1,223 yards passing this year with 11 TDs, Robinson has 2,084 yards rushing with 30 TDs, Padilla has 603 yards rushing with 13 TDs and Jr. Lathan Ransom has 509 yards receiving with five TDs. Jr. Ray Figueroa has 106 tackles, Jr. Shamon Davis has 105 tackles and Jr. Trent Strong has 94. Ransom has six interceptions.

     Sahuaro beat No. 13 Seton Catholic 63-19 in the quarterfinal round. Jr. RB Izaiah Davis rushed for 246 with two TDs and Sr. Jakob Goerke added 105 yards with a TD. Sr. Cameron Williams scored four TDs on the ground on 88 yards rushing. Williams has 1,212 yards rushing on the year with 27 TDs. Goerke has 84 tackles from the LB position and Sr. Damion Wright has six interceptions.

     Green threw for 148 yards with two TDs in the win against Sahuaro and Cordero rushed for 188 yards. Robinson did not play but Padilla 70 yards of offense with a TD. Ransom collected 133 yards receiving with two TDs. Williams rushed for 188 yards with a TD in the loss.

Desert Edge is one of two common opponents for Saguaro and Salpointe this year. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)

 

No. 2 Saguaro vs. No. 3 Desert Edge

Coronado High School, 7 p.m.

 

     Scottsdale Saguaro is 2-1 in head-to-head games against Desert Edge. The Scorpions are one of only four teams from Arizona to beat the Sabercats since 2012, part of a 72-4 run. The loss came in the 2012 quarterfinal round but the Sabercats beat the Scorpions a year later in the semifinals and 38-21 on Sept. 28 of this year.

     Saguaro beat No. 7 Cactus 69-6 in the quarterfinals. Jr. QB Tyler Beverett threw for 214 yards with four TDs, Israel Benjamin rushed for 103 yards and the Jr. collected three TDs, Hayden Hatten had 106 yards receiving with two TDs and Sr. Marqui Johnson added two TDs on 93 yards receiving and a TD rushing. Beverett has 1,669 yards passing this year with 21 TDs and Benjamin has 1,479 yards rushing with 24 TDs.

     Desert Edge beat No. 6 Greenway 49-19 in the other quarterfinal game. Fr. QB Adryan Lara has thrown for over 1,000 yards this year and Sr. Kennith Powell is approaching 700 yards rushing and Jihad Marks is nearing 1,000 yards receiving.

     In head-to-head competition this year, So. Frank Schafroth threw for 133 yards against Desert Edge, Benjamin rushed for 171 yards with two TDs and Connor Soelle rushed for 101 yards and two more TDs. Jr. matt Polk had 115 yards receiving. Sr. Nate Polk picked up two interceptions and Seth Robinson had another to help lead Saguaro to victory. Lara threw for 158 yards in a losing effort but the Scorpions also collected two interceptions. The Sabercats led 17-7 at the half but opened the lead to 31-14 after three.

     Saguaro beat Salpointe 28-7 to win the 4A state championship last year and 24-3 to knock the Lancers out in the 2016 semifinal round.