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State basketball, soccer playoff brackets released

By Javier Morales

Posted on March 6, 2021

6A GIRLS BASKETBALL

No. 10 Rincon/University and No. 14 Tucson will begin their state championship pursuit Tuesday at 7 p.m. while on the road.

The Rangers will play at No. 7 Highland and the Badgers will travel to No. 3 Xavier Prep.

5A GIRLS BASKETBALL

Southern Arizona is well represented in the 5A girls bracket with four teams — No. 5 Flowing Wells, No. 9 Sunnyside, No. 14 Cienega and No. 154 Catalina Foothills. They all open the postseason Tuesday at 7 p.m. The schedule:

Flowing Wells hosts No. 12 Canyon View.

Sunnyside travels to No. 8 Gilbert.

Cienega plays at No. 3 Millennium

Catalina Football will travel to No. 2 Verrado

5A BOYS BASKETBALL

Representing Southern Arizona in this bracket are No. 2 Catalina Foothills with Arizona preferred walk-on commit Will Menaugh, No. 5 Buena and No. 7 Nogales.

These teams don’t play until Thursday at 7 p.m., when they will each host their first-round matchup.

Catalina Foothills plays No. 15 McClintock.

Buena goes against No. 12 Sunrise Mountain. The Colts barely got enough qualifying games in — 10 — to make the state playoffs with a 9-1 record. They had to win a doubleheader of games against Desert View and Walden Grove at home on Friday to get into the postseason.

Nogales plays No. 10 Willow Canyon.

4A GIRLS BASKETBALL

A potential rubber match could take place between No. 3 seed Sahuaro and No. 2 Salpointe in the 4A semifinals. Each defeated the other for their only loss of the regular season.

Salpointe opens against No. 15 Desert Edge on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Sahuaro will host No. 14 Thunderbird and No. 10 Pueblo will travel to No. 7 Deer Valley. Both games are Tuesday at 7 p.m.

4A BOYS BASKETBALL

Salpointe, the defending state champion, is the No. 2 seed in the 4A boys basketball state bracket. The Lancers will open the playoffs on Wednesday against No. 15 Dysart at home at 7 p.m.

Pueblo, in the playoffs for the first time in five seasons, is a darkhorse in the tournament under first-year coach Harry Whitaker Jr. The Warriors are the No. 5 seed and will host No. 12 Mesquite on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a first round game.

No. 10 Sahuaro will open at No. 7 Deer Valley on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

3A GIRLS BASKETBALL

Sabino, the defending 3A state champs, is the lone Southern Arizona representative in this bracket. The Sabercats are the 15th seed and will travel to No. 2 Snowflake for a first round game Tuesday at 7 p.m.

3A BOYS BASKETBALL

No. 8 Pusch Ridge and No. 16 Sabino are representing Southern Arizona in the 3A boys playoffs.

The Lions will host No. 9 Gilbert Christian while Sabino will travel to No. 1 Valley Christian to open the playoffs. Both games are Wednesday at 7 p.m.

2A GIRLS BASKETBALL

No. 6 Benson is the lone Southern Arizona team in the bracket after the play-in games and it will host No. 11 Scottsdale Christian on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

2A BOYS BASKETBALL

Benson is the only Southern Arizona representative in this bracket after the play-in games as well as the No. 4 seed against No. 13 Gilbert Classical on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

6A GIRLS SOCCER

No. 12 Tucson is the lone 6A girls soccer team in the state playoffs and the Badgers will start at No. 5 Xavier Prep on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

6A BOYS SOCCER

No. 4 Tucson and No. 7 Rincon/University are in the boys soccer field with the Badgers opening Tuesday against No. 13 Pinnacle at 6 p.m.

The Rangers will host No. 10 Mesa on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

5A GIRLS SOCCER

Cienega is the top local seeded team in the 5A girls soccer playoffs at No. 3 and the Bobcats will open against No. 13 Cactus Shadows at home on Wednesday a 6 p.m.

The other local teams in the 5A playoffs will play each other on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the opening round: No. 12 Ironwood Ridge travels to No. 5 Catalina Foothills

5A BOYS SOCCER

Sunnyside, which has advanced to the 5A state title game, is in the unfamiliar spot as a lower-seeded team in the opening round as a No. 10 seed having to play at No. 7 McClintock on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

No. 8 Nogales will host No. 9 Glendale on Tuesday at 6 p.m. as well.

4A GIRLS SOCCER

Salpointe is the highest seeded local team at No. 3 and the Lancers will host No. 14 Deer Valley on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

The rest of the local schedule on Wednesday at 6 p.m.:

No. 7 Walden Grove hosts No. 10 Estrella Foothills

No. 11 Sahuaro travels to No. 6 Mohave

No. 12 Sahuarita travels to No. 5 Thunderbird

4A BOYS SOCCER

Salpointe, with legendary coach Wolfgang Weber, is the No. 1 seed of the 4A boys bracket. The Lancers are 10-0-1. Weber is 695-123-5 in his 39th year as Salpointe’s coach.

Salpointe opens against No. 16 Thunderbird on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The rest of the local schedule on Tuesday at 6 p.m.:

No. 3 Walden Grove hosts No. 14 Lee Williams

No. 8 Cholla hosts No. 9 Coronado

No. 12 CDO travels to No. 5 Notre Dame Prep

SATURDAY, MARCH 6

1A GIRLS BASKETBALL FIRST ROUND
No. 9 San Manuel at No. 8 Joseph City, 4 p.m.
No. 12 Desert Christian at No. 5 Mogollon, 7 p.m.
No. 10 Fredonia at No. 7 St. David, 7 p.m.

3A SOCCER PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
B: No. 21 Trivium Prep at No. 12 Catalina, 2 p.m.
G: No. 23 Yuma Catholic at No. 10 Sabino, 2 p.m.

GIRLS STATE WRESTLING DAY TWO
Mesquite High School, 9 a.m.
106: Hernandez, Tatiana Sunnyside (2-0)
113: Jimenez, Audrey Sunnyside (2-0)
113: Palacios, Miyah Sahuarita (2-0)
120: General, Aysha Buena (2-0)
120: Gilbert, Sophia Canyon Del Oro (2-0)
120: Tutas, Camron Catalina (2-0)
126: Gladden, Michalella Marana (2-1)
126: Pocase, Candice Santa Rita (2-0)
132: Gallegos, Mikah Cienega (2-1)
132: Seigla, Mylei Canyon Del Oro (2-0)
138: Govan, Leola Cienega (2-1)
138: Proper, Molly Marana (2-1)
145: Gradillas-Flores, Lillian Mountain View (2-0)
152: Gradillas-Flores, Ysela Mountain View (1-0)
170: Suarez, Lluvia Rio Rico (0-0)
182: LaSure, Ryan Rincon/UHS (0-0)

SPIRITLINE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Benson, 8:55 a.m./11:30 a.m./4:05 p.m.
Amphitheater, 9:20 a.m.
Sabino, 9:30 a.m./1:25 p.m.
Sahuarita, 11:35 a.m.
Pusch Ridge, 11:50 a.m.
Salpointe, 1:35 p.m./6:45 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 9

1A BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
No. 5 Ray at No. 4 St. David, 7 p.m.
No. 14 Patagonia at No. 6 El Capitan, 7 p.m.

3A-6A GIRLS BASKETBALL FIRST ROUND

3A-6A BOYS SOCCER FIRST ROUND

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10

2A-4A BOYS BASKETBALL FIRST ROUND

2A GIRLS BASKETBALL FIRST ROUND

3A-6A BOYS SOCCER FIRST ROUND

THURSDAY, MARCH 11

5A-6A BOYS BASKETBALL FIRST ROUND

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

BOYS WRESTLING SECTIONALS
D-I: Basha
D-II: Mountain View
D-III: Florence
D-IV: No Sectional