Thursday's matchup of No. 20 Mountain Pointe and Chandler kicks off a big week between highly ranked teams in every Arizona conference
Video: Jaydon Brooks' highlights vs. Chandler
Watch Mountain Pointe's senior wideout.
The fourth week of the football season in Arizona brings a handful of real humdingers that could cause a big shift in the rankings.
Mountain Pointe is the highest ranked team in the Freeman Rankings, which is based on computer results, at No. 40 in the nation and No. 20 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, which is based on a staff writer's opinions.
The Pride host
Chandler on Thursday in a 6A conference game that most believe features the two best teams in the state.
Chandler's Gunner Romney is action earlier this season.
Photo by Darin Sicurello
The MaxPreps rankings have the Wolves at No. 5 in the state and 176 in the nation. The two programs have played some very interesting games over the years with the Pride leading 3-2 since 2011 and the all-time series at 3-3.
"There have been some really good, competitive games," Pride coach Norris Vaughan said. "I expect the same thing. We are two really good teams. They are going to be best team we have faced so far and maybe all year."
A few other intriguing 6A Conference games this week feature
Hamilton, which is No. 7 in Freeman Rankings, at No. 6
Desert Ridge on Friday, while No. 13
Desert Vista travels to No. 10
Skyline.
The featured game in 5A Conference is
Verrado at
Williams Field with the two teams ranked No. 4 and No. 6 within in their conference.
Saguaro, who topped two quality out-of-state programs to start the year, moved to No. 15 in the nation in the Xcellent 25 after shutting out
Catalina Foothills. The Sabercats are No. 2 in the state in Freeman rankings and travel to No. 18
Higley in a game that will be featured in Sunday's national broadcast of New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals.
Saguaro has become a state power and is starting to gain more traction on the national level after topping Serra (Calif.) and Valor Christian (Colo.) to open the season.
"Sag U is going to be a different kind of challenge," Higley coach Eddy Zubey said. "When I was at De La Salle (as a player from 1992-94) we used to say we stepped off the bus with a 14-0 lead because of who we were. There is some of that with Saguaro. We get to face them now, and if we play them again (in the playoffs) that aura won't be there.
"They are nasty, physical and they walk out with a chip on their shoulders to prove something every week."
The 3A featured game centers around
Pusch Ridge, the sixth highest ranked team in the conference, hosting
Safford, which is the ninth best in 3A in the Freeman rankings.
In the smallest 11-man classification, No. 12
Pima, which moved up from 8-man football this season after winning eight state titles in 16 appearances since 1968, is at No. 14
Tombstone.
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic sports writer and current Prep Sports Director for Times Publications, is a 20-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com.
