The first week of the playoffs don't generate many upsets. The ones that happen most are 10 beating 7 or 9 beating 8. Invariably there will be a couple.

In 40 first-round games in 2016 (6A-2A), five were won by lower seed. A 13 and 10 in 6A, a 15 and 13 in 3A and a 10 in 2A. The most notable was 3A with No. 15 Payson upending No. 2 Snowflake, 7-6.The 6A 13 seed winning was Red Mountain by three over No. 4 Skyline. The teams met the week before and Skyline won by three.The 3A 13 seed was Winslow which knocked off #4 Monument Valley, 40-6. That was a turnaround since Monument Valley beat Winslow, 24-23, in the season opener. Monument Valley hs reached the playoffs 10 times since 2005, but has no playoff wins.

Here are the first round matchups for East Valley and Northeast Valley schools 6A-2A:

FRIDAY NOV. 3

6A

#14 Mesa Mtn. View (6-4) at #3 Chandler (8-2): Mountain View got a look at Mountain Pointe, Perry, Pinnacle and Red Mountain during the season. The Wolves are at a higher level.

#15 Westview (5-5) at #2 Desert Ridge (9-1): 'Smoke and mirrors". That's how Jeremy Hathcock describes how the Jags have navigated the season. They'll keep going.

#12 Skyline (6-4) at #5 Hamilton (7-3): A rematch from September, won by Hamilton 27-17. Fourth time they've met since 2014. All competitive games won by the Huskies.

#9 Desert Mountain (6-4) at #8 Highland (7-3): Highland has controlled many a team's run game. Desert Mountain doesn't run much. Offense vs. Defense in this one.

#16 Cibola (5-5) at #1 Mountain Pointe (8-2): Mountain Pointe isn't  playing at a championship level at the moment. Won't need to in this one.

#13 Boulder Creek (4-6) at #4 Perry (9-1): Teams have never met. Perry averaging 56 points a game. Boulder Creek 21. Sounds about right for a final score.

#11 Cesar Chavez (7-3) at #6 Pinnacle (8-3): Chavez's losses to playoff teams -- Queen Creek, Hamilton and Highland. They'll try to hang with Pioneers, but a tall order.

#10 Horizon (7-3) at #7 Red Mountain (8-2): Horizon in a tailspin (two losses in a row). Red Mountain has won eight in row, but must ratchet up its level of play.

5A

#14 Campo Verde (7-3) at #3 Liberty (9-1): Campo Verde slipped in to postseason after getting bumped last year. Will Liberty be emotionally spent after win over Centennial?

#13 Desert Edge (7-3) at #4 Notre Dame Prep (10-0): Rematch of August overtime contest won by NDP, 27-21. Pretty good 13-4 game.

#12 Marana Mtn. View (7-3) at #5 Queen Creek (9-1): Queen Creek no doubt was dazed by season-ending loss to Williams Field. No time to wallow in the loss.

#10 Chaparral (6-4) at #7 Williams Field (8-2): Willams Field apparently is ready to defend its title. Road to repeat a rugged one. Chaparral  whacked Williams Field, 33-7, in mid-September. 

4A

#9 Marcos de Niza (5-5) at #8 Cactus Shadows (6-4): Close in seeding. Close in records. Played a close game Oct. 6. Won by MDN, 31-24.

#14 Buckeye (8-3) at #3 Higley (9-1): Higley one of the teams destined for the final four. Buckeye still hangs a second straight region title banner for its effort.

#15 Mingus (5-5) at #2 Saguaro (8-2): Saguaro destined for the final four.

#11 Catalina Foothills (6-4) at #6 Seton Catholic (8-2): Both trying to bounce back from losses -- CFH to Walden Grove and Seton to Higley. Each has a win over a playoff team.  

#16 Apache Junction (6-4) at #1 Sunrise Mountain (9-1): Sunrise Mountain destined for the final four.

SATURDAY NOV. 4

3A

#15 Ganado (7-3) at #2 American Leadership (9-1): A long trip for a short game.

#13 Page (8-2) at #4 Benjamin Franklin (9-1): Another long trip for short game.

#14 Empire (6-4) at #3 Casteel (10-0): Casteel won a Sept. 1 clash, 62-0.

#12 Fountain Hills (6-4) at #5 Sabino (8-2): Sabino has losses to No. 1 Pusch Ridge and No. 2 American Leadership; Fountain HIlls to ALA, Casteel, Yuma Catholic and NWC.

2A

#10 Tempe Prep (6-4) at #7 Gilbert Christian (7-3): Gilbert Christian won a shootout with Tempe Prep a month ago, 46-38, needing a second-half comeback to do so.

#5 Scottsdale Christian (9-2) at #12 Alchesay (8-2): Short stay for Alchesay. Alchesay's losses to #2 Phoenix Christian and #6 St. Johns. 2nd year in a row Falcons earned  playofff berth. 

#6 St. Johns (7-3) at #11 San Tan Foothills (8-2): San Tan Foothills best season since 2014. St. Johns a tough foe with losses to two of top 3 teams in 2A -- Round Valley & Thatcher.