Arizona 4A-I, 4A-II prep football playoff primer

When the Arizona Interscholastic Association's conference boards went to a seven-conference format six years ago, the impetus was to give more teams the thrill of competing for state championships. In 2011, they will fully reverse course and philosophy, going to a six-conference format for football.

Increased travel and event costs, along with a sense that they had watered down the competition, convinced officials to make the switch.

Starting next season, there will be one less trophy available, so it's time to get while the getting is good. The state playoffs kick off this weekend in Classes 5A-I, 5A-II, 4A-I and 4A-II.

Click here to read about the 5A-I and 5A-II playoffs.

Click here to read about the 3A and 2A quarterfinals and the 1A final.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Arizona football playoff brackets.

Here's a primer for classes 4A-I and 4A-II:

4A-I
Favorite — Canyon del Oro (Tucson): Any team with running back Ka'deem Carey must be considered the favorite. He's a game-changer who can confound the best game plans. CDO has a host of great athletes and plenty of size. Let's see how they respond to being the hunted.

No. 1 contender — Saguaro (Scottsdale): The Sabercats won three straight 4A-I titles before CDO dethroned a young team last season. Saguaro's offensive line is huge and it has big-play capability with quarterback Teddy Ruben and D.J. Foster. The biggest issue is penalties. Saguaro takes lots of them. That can't happen against a quality opponent.

Darkhorses — Cienega (Vail) and Queen Creek: Cienega has been knocking on the door for years. Queen Creek is new to the neighborhood, but both have the ability to play at a high level. We especially like Queen Creek because their coaching is first-rate. If the Bulldogs have running back Chim Nga healthy for the playoffs, watch out. He adds balance to an offense with underrated quarterback Adam Brzeczek.

Best first-round matchup — No. 10 Catalina Foothills (Tucson) at No. 7 Sabino (Tucson): Sabino was cruising along with a 7-0 record until a stunning, 31-28 loss at Catalina Foothills. Sabino is the higher seed, so they have the home-field advantage on their side when they seek revenge.

Final Four prediction: Canyon del Oro vs. Cienega; Saguaro vs. Queen Creek

Championship pick: Saguaro over Canyon del Oro

4A-II
Favorite — Cactus (Glendale): The Cobras' only loss came to 4A-I power Queen Creek and they knocked off 4A-I mega-power Saguaro the week before. Cactus doesn't overwhelm opponents but it always finds ways to win. Longtime followers of Arizona football understand the reason behind that success: coach Larry Fetkenhier, now in his 27th year.

No. 1 contender — Williams Field (Gilbert): When you watch the Black Hawks, you can't figure out what it is that impresses you about them. They don't have great size. They don't have great speed. They don't have great athletes. But they're good in all of those areas and they have an uncanny ability to make plays. Like Cactus, Williams Field is extremely well-coached.

Darkhorses — Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale), Liberty (Peoria): Notre Dame has been here before and believes it can get there again. Liberty is only playing its second year of 4A-II ball and has yet to prove it can beat top-notch competition. Notre Dame has a dangerous array of athletes, led by quarterback Jordan Gehrke and running back Korey Jones. The Saints are itching for a rematch with Williams Field in the semifinals.

Best first-round matchup — No. 11 Greenway (Phoenix) at No. 6 Mingus (Cottonwood): Greenway limped into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak but the Demons traditionally play their best ball in the postseason. Mingus wasn't tested much this season and didn't fare well against better competition, losing to Liberty and Apache Junction. Upset special?

Final Four prediction: Cactus vs. Liberty; Notre Dame vs. Williams Field

Championship pick: Cactus over Notre Dame

Craig Morgan is a freelance writer who has covered professional, college and high school sports in the Phoenix area for the past 18 years. He currently serves as the Phoenix correspondent for CBSSports.com, covering the Arizona Cardinals and other local teams. He also writes a weekly column and other features for The Arizona Republic. You can reach him at craigsmorgan@gmail.com.