The first round of the 2A state playoffs is set for Tuesday, Nov. 2 and the semifinal round will follow on Nov. 4. The higher seed will host those rounds and the championship match is set for Nov. 6 at a site to be determined.
Qualifying factors have yet to be determined but the bracket will consist of 8 teams. Bisbee was the only team from Southern Arizona to qualify last year and the Pumas lost in the opening round to top-seeded Chino Valley 5-0. No. 2 Blue Ridge beat Chino Valley 4-0 in the championship final.
Desert Christian was the last team from Southern Arizona to reach the final game and that was in 2012, a 2-0 loss to Blue Ridge. Desert Christian won it all in 1996 and 1997. Benson was the last team to win a state title and that was in 2006.
Pusch Ridge took second place in 2010, The Gregory School took second in 2006 and 2007 and Willcox came in second in 2008. Desert Christian has second place finishes in 1994, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2010 and 2012.
Blue Ridge has 11 state championships including the last two in a row.
Here are the first set of AIA rankings for regular season matches:
1: Snow Flake (5-0)
2: Chino Valley (3-0-1)
3: Phoenix Madison Highland (7-0-1)
4: St. Augustine (4-0-1)
9: Desert Christian (3-1)
10: Willcox (3-3)
14: Benson (1-2)
17: Gregory School (1-2-1)
18: Patagonia (2-3)
25: Bisbee (0-4)
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019, became a member of the Sunnyside Los Mezquites Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2021 and he was a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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