The eight-man football  title is on the line Saturday Nov. 12 as unbeaten top-seed Bagdad hooks up with No. 3 seed Williams at 6 p.m. at Maricopa High School.

Bagdad (10-0) has been a major player in eight-man (1A) football of late. The Sultans, 48-6 the last five seasons under coach Dalton Mills, have done no worse than 8-3 in that span. They've been champs once (2013), runner-up in 2014 and a semifinalist the other years (2012 and 2015). 

Williams (9-1) is nearly new to eight-man football, competing in the conference the last two years. Prior to that it was mostly 2A (11-man) save a run in 1A in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Williams will be appearing in its fourth championship game. It shared a 1A title in 1989 and won in 1993. The Vikings were runner-up in 2A in 1970.

The teams met on Sept. 2 in Bagdad with the Sultans winning convincingly, 56-22. Williams will have to be at its best for a reversal of fortune Bagdad's senior-laden set of skill players.

Noone has had an answer to slowing Bagdad's offense, which averages 67 points a game. Bagdad is led by junior quarterback Israel Loveall, who has owned 1A. Loveall has passed for 2,679 yards and 54 touchdowns. He's thrown one interception. He''s also rushed for 475 yards and 7 scores. Helping the rushing attack is senior Devin Nelson (516 yards rushing, 8 TDs) and a trio of senior receivers  -- older brother Benjamin Loveall, Jorden O'Neill and Michael Mendez. They've combinded for 2,080 yards receiving and 42 TDs. In the earlier matchup with Williams, Israel Loveall passed foir 358 yards and six TDs and checked in with an additional 104 yards rushing. Bagdad's season-low scoring total is 54. 

Bagdad's defense is led by speedy linebackers Connor Pacheco and Nelson and lineman O'Neill. Pacheco is the team's leading tackler, O'Neill the sack leader (10) and Ben Loveall and Scott Finnerty have combined for 15 interceptions on the corners.

Williams is coached by Jeff Brownlee, who is 60-24 in eight seasons as head coach. The Vikings rely on junior quarterback Martin Soria. Soria has more modest passing totals than his counterpart Loveall. Soria has thrown for 1,496 yards and 18 TDs. Soria helped Williams secure a 42-40 overtime win in the semis last week against Superior by knocking away a pass for a two-point conversion that  vould have tied the game,

Soria is more a threat running and just short of 1,000 yards for the season (932 yards, 18 TDs). Senior running back Tyler Smith has piled up 817 yards on the ground with 17 TDs. He's one of four main receiving targets along with juniors Daniel Lopez and Zack Perkins and senior Francisco Ortiz.

Williams is led defensively by junior linebacker Tate Grantham (103 tackles), senior linebacker Ethan Johnson and defensive end Perkins (7 sacks).