Football region titles are a bigger deal in the 4A, 3A and 2A conferences. Those conferences grant automatic playoff berths to their region champs regardless of where they reside in in the final power-ranking unveiling.

That is germane to some local schools with two weeks left in the regular season. A couple 4A region crowns are up for grabs this week involving East Valley schools. In the 4A Skyline -- like last year - Tempe and Greenway are meeting for the region title this week. Last year Greenway won, 6-0, and it ended up putting Tempe on the sideline for postseason.

One of the teams that won a region last year and and did not finish in the top-16 was Apache Junction. AJ and Glendale engaged in a shootout for the 4A Black Canyon Region crown with AJ winning, 53-52. AJ was actually No. 21 in the final 4A power rankings last year, but the region crown punched its ticket and ousted non-region champ and No. 14 Coconino from the playoffs. With two games left AJ and Glendale are ranked  23rd and 25th respectively. That means the loser of this week's game is almost certain not to qualify while the winner gets in and likely bumps a non-region winner. 

In the 3A Metro East, Arizona College Prep and American Leadership-Gilbert North meet this week with region supremacy to the winner. 3A Central Region's top spot can be clinched by American Leadership-Queen Creekwith a victory this week over Coolidge. The 3A Metro West leader is Yuma Catholic, which has a potential obstacle in its finale Nov. 1 at Odyssey Institute. Most local 3A schools in the playoff hunt are fairly secure for the 10 at-large berths in the state playoffs if region titles elude them, but someone could be bumped by 3A North winner - either Ganado or Monument Valley - who are currently  #19 and #23, respectively , in the power rankings. Ganado and Monument Valley battle this week.

The only 2A region with a local team vying for a region title is the Gila Region. Chandler Prep need only defeat San Carlos this week or Tempe Prep on Nov. 1 to lock up the title.

There are region titles not decided involving several 6A and 5A regions for local schools, but again no automatic berth goes to region champs in those conferences. The 6A Desert Valley title likely nods to this week's Chaparral-Pinnacle winner. Neither school is in danger of missing postseason. The 6A Central has four teams in the title mix with Desert Ridge, Desert Vista, Highland and Queen Creek all 2-1. All should be 6A conference playoff participants. Red Mountain is on track to win the 6A East Valley Region and Chandler has a stranglehold on the 6A Premier Region's top spot. Those schools are postseason bound.

The 5A San Tan Region remains unsettled with Higley or Williams Field with the best shot and Campo Verde hanging in. Horizon should nail down the  5A Northeast Valley title this week with its win over Notre Dame earlier giving it a tiebreaker edge if needed. Horizon and Notre Dame Prep remain in the Open Division conversation and 5A conference top spots for certain if OD falls through.

 

All 6A-2A games Friday Oct. 25  start at 7 p.m.

6A 

Brophy Prep (7-1) at Basha (4-4) - Last year Brophy won, 28-23

Pinnacle (7-1) at Chaparral (6-2) - Last year Pinnacle won, 23-7

Corona del Sol (3-5) at Desert Vista (6-2) -  Last year Desert Vista won, 56-15

Queen Creek (6-2) at Highland (6-2) -  Last year Highland won, 38-7

Dobson (2-6) at Kofa (0-8) - Last year - Last year Dobson won, 48-6

Red Mountain (7-1) at Mesa (5-3) - Last year Red Mountain won, 45-21

Desert Ridge (4-4) at Mountain Pointe (1-7) - Last year Mountain Pointe won, 28-20

Skyline (2-6) at Mesa Mtn. View (3-5) - Last year Skyline won, 73-39

Westwood (1-7) at North (2-6) - Last year Westwood won, 52-0

Hamilton (7-1) at Perry (5-3) - Last year Perry won, 63-28

Chandler (8-0) at Tucson (3-5) - Last year Chandler won, 62-0

5A

Campo Verde (7-1) at Williams Field (6-2) - Last year Williams Field won, 17-14

Desert Mountain (3-5) at Cactus Shadows (4-4) - Last year Desert Mountain won, 45-10

Maricopa (3-5) at Casteel (5-3) - Last yea Casteel won, 42-21

Gilbert (3-5) at Higley (6-2) - Last year Higley won, 46-22

McClintock (5-3) at North Canyon (1-8) - Last year McClintock won, 32-26

Horizon (7-1) at Paradise Valley (5-3) - Last year Horizon won, 32-22

4A

Glendale (6-2) at Apache Junction (6-2) - Last year Apache Junction won, 53-52

Tempe (6-2) at Greenway (7-1) - Last year Greenway won, 6-0

Marcos de Niza (5-3) at Mesquite (6-2) - Last year Marcos de Niza won, 35-34 OT 

Arcadia (5-3) at Poston Butte (3-5) - Last year Arcadia won, 48-20 

Seton Catholic (5-3) at Saguaro (7-1) - Last year Saguaro won, 69-0

Combs (4-4) at Washington (3-5) - Last year Combs won, 35-26

3A

American Leaderhip-Gilbert North (4-4) at Arizona College Prep (7-1) - Last year ALA-Gilber North won, 53-14

American Leadership-Ironwood (0-8) at Benjamin Franklin (7-1) - Last year Benjamin Franklin won, 56-6

San Tan Foothills (2-6) at Coolidge (7-1) - Last year Coolidge won, 34-7

Odyssey Institute (6-2) at Coronado (0-8) - Last year Odyssey Institue won, 51-17

American Leadership-Queen Creek (8-0) at Florence (2-6) - Last year ALA-Queen Creek won, 59-19

Fountain Hills (3-5) at Gilbert Christian (5-3) - Last year Fountain Hills won, 47-7

Bourgade Catholic (5-3) at Valley Christian (6-2) - Last year Valley Christian won, 41-24

2A

San Carlos (0-7) at Chandler Prep (5-3) - Last year Chandler Prep won, 54-16

Tempe Prep (1-7) at Globe (3-5) - Last year Globe won, 28-0

Heritage Academy Laveen (2-6) at Scottsdale Christian (2-6) - Last year Scottsdale Christian won, 49-0

Scottsdale Prep (4-3) at Veritas Prep (6-2) - Last year Veritas Prep won, 34-24

 

1A playoffs (all games begin at 6 p.m.)

#9 Anthem Prep (4-4) at #8 Arete Prep (5-3)

#11 Fort Thomas (5-4) at #6 Duncan (7-1)

#12 St. David (5-3) at #5 Hayden (6-2)

#10 Joseph City (4-4) at #7 Mogollon (6-3)