Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Assistant coach Kix Conger helps prepare the offensive line during pre-game warm-up drills. Duncan ended its regular season with a 14-48 home loss to Lincoln Prep on Oct. 13. The No. 20 Wildkats tied for the most consecutive non-qualifying state meets with four, from 2004-07. They had qualified for the post-season during 11 of the previous 20 (2003-2022) seasons.
Duncan No. 20, Fort Thomas No. 21 in final rankings
By Raymundo Frasquillo
STATEWIDE – The No. 5-8 seeded teams will host No. 9-12 for a first-round 8-man playoff game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20. The top four teams host the winners in the quarterfinals on Oct. 27. Semifinals will be Nov. 3-4, with the final on Nov. 11 at the Scottsdale Coronado campus, 7501 E. Virginia Ave.
Four of the eight South Region teams are in the Top 12 while the North and West Regions have three apiece and the East Region has two.
First-round upper bracket pairings have No. 9 San Manuel (6-3 overall, 5-1 South Region) at No. 8 Saint David (5-4, 5-1 South Region) and No. 2 Elfrida Valley Union (3-3) at No. 5 Colorado City El Capitan / Academy (6-1, 5-0 North Region).
The lower bracket has No. 11 Williams (3-4, 3-2 North Region) at No. 6 Heber Mogollon (6-2, 4-1 North Region) and No. 10 Sells Baboquivari (5-3, 4-2 South Region) at No. 7 Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (5-2, 3-2 West Region).
Quarterfinal round pairings have No. 1 Winkelman Hayden (8-0, 5-0 East Region) versus the Saint David – San Manuel winner, No. 4 Salome (8-1, 4-1 West Region) versus the Colorado City El Capitan / Academy – Valley Union winner, No. 3 Scottsdale Cicero Prep (5-1, 4-1 East Region) versus the Williams – Mogollon winner, and No. 2 Bagdad (7-1, 5-0 West Region) versus the Baboquivari – Mohave Accelerated winner.
1A State Rankings
The final Top 12 rankings listed on Oct. 14 were Winkelman Hayden (8-0 overall, 18.1911 rating) as No. 1 of 25, Bagdad (7-1, 12.7101) No. 2, Scottsdale Cicero Prep (5-1, 9.7695) No. 3, Salome (8-1, 8.8205) No. 4, Colorado City El Capitan (6-1, 8.6769) No. 5, Heber Mogollon (6-2, 7.5308) No. 6, Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (5-2, 4.5829) No. 7, San Manuel (6-3, 3.9492) No. 8, Saint David (5-4, 3.7556) No. 9, Sells Baboquivari (5-3, 2.2651) No. 10, Williams (3-4, 1.7203) No. 11, and Elfrida Valley Union (5-3, 0.9415) No. 12.
Each of the dozen teams are involved in the playoffs. Chandler Lincoln Prep (4-4, 0.3086) and Phoenix Maryvale Prep (3-3, minus 0.1900) dropped out of the final rankings.
Initial 1A Class statewide rankings (Sept. 26) had Hayden (6-0 overall, 14.6660 rating) as No. 1 of 25, Bagdad (5-1, 10.5951) No. 2, Salome (6-0, 9.2264) No. 3, Cicero Prep (3-0, 7.5780) No. 4, Mohave Accelerated (4-1, 6.6740) No. 5, El Capitan (4-1, 6.2542) No. 6, Mogollon (3-2, 5.0349) No. 7, Saint David (4-2, 3.8842) No. 8, Lincoln Prep (3-2, 3.3950) No. 9, Williams (2-2, 2.7614) No. 10, San Manuel (4-2, 1.7713) No. 11, and Maryvale Prep (2-3, 0.0490) No. 12.
The non-qualifying post-season South Region teams were No. 13 (5-4, 0.3609 rating) Lincoln Prep, No. 14 (5-4, minus 0.1860) Ray, No. 20 (1-7, minus 8.3581) Duncan, and No. 21 (1-7, minus 10.5776) Fort Thomas.
South Region teams ranked below No. 12 during the first listing were No. 13 Ray (5-4, minus 0.4003), No. 14 Baboquivari (5-3, minus 0.9082), No. 15 Valley Union (6-3, minus 1.5725), No. 19 Duncan (1-7, minus 6.7085), and No. 23 Fort Thomas (1-7, minus 9.3681).
1A South Region Standings
The final standings for South Region members were San Manuel (6-3 overall, 5-1 region) first, Saint David (5-4, 5-1) second, Sells Baboquivari (5-3, 4-2) third, Kearny Ray (5-4, 3-3) fourth, Elfrida Valley Union (6-3, 3-3) fifth, Duncan (1-7, 1-5) sixth, and Fort Thomas (2-7, 0-6) seventh.
No. 20 Duncan Wildkats
The Dan Coats-coached Duncan Wildkats (1-7 overall, 1-5 region) averaged an 18-41 (140-331) score per game or a 23-point deficit.
Duncan had a win over Fort Thomas (12-0, Aug. 24) along with losses to New Mexico Lordsburg (36-64, Aug. 18), San Manuel (12-50, Sept. 1), Saint David (14-45, Sept. 8), Sells Baboquivari (32-42, Sept. 22), Ray (16-36, Sept. 29), Valley Union (6-46, Oct. 6), and Lincoln Prep (14-48, Oct. 13).
Following nine weeks of play, Duncan’s opponents, minus pairings with the Wildkats, were a combined 30-29 (.508).
Lordsburg (NM) Mavericks
The Dale Hooper-coached Lordsburg Mavericks (3-4 overall, 2-0 8-Man District 2) averaged a 33-37 (232-260) score per game or a 4-point deficit.
Lordsburg defeated Duncan (64-36, Aug. 18), Magdalena Alamo Navajo (54-0, Sept. 22), and Magdalena (42-6, Oct. 12).
The losses were to Tatum (46-64, Sept. 1), Albuquerque Legacy Academy (6-56, Sept. 7), Melrose (0-50, Sept. 15), and Menual (20-48, Oct. 5).
Lordsburg closes its regular season at Las Cruces Mesilla Valley Christian on Oct. 20.
No. 21 Fort Thomas Apaches
The Enrique Aguilar-coached Fort Thomas Apaches (2-7, 0-6 South Region) averaged a score of 18-44 (161-396) per game or a 26-point deficit.
Fort Thomas (2-6) received a forfeit from Dishchii’bikoh (1-0, Sept. 8) and defeated Tempe Prep (64-20, Sept. 15).
The losses were to Baboquivari (0-44, Aug. 18), Duncan (0-12, Aug. 24), Superior (12-60, Sept. 1), San Manuel (12-62, Sept. 22), Valley Union (24-52, Sept. 29), Saint David (34-76, Oct. 6), and Ray (14-70, Oct. 13).
No. 8 San Manuel Miners
The Ernie Ivy-coached San Manuel Miners (6-2, 5-1 South Region) averaged a score of 35-20 (282-158) per game or a 15-point margin.
San Manuel had wins over Duncan (50-12, Sept. 1), Glendale Desert Heights Prep (45-30, Sept. 8), Valley Union (35-8, Sept. 15), Fort Thomas (62-12, Sept. 22), Saint David (16-14, Sept. 29), and Ray (40-6, Oct. 6).
The losses were to Mogollon (0-38, Aug. 25) and Scottsdale Cicero Prep (34-38, Aug. 25).
No. 9 Saint David Tigers
The Braden Davis-coached Saint David Tigers (5-4, 5-1 South Region) averaged a 33-24 (296-215) score per game or a 9-point margin.
Saint David had wins over Ray (50-0, Aug. 18) and Baboquivari (47-8, Aug. 25), Duncan (45-14, Sept. 8), Valley Union (49-14, Sept. 22), and Fort Thomas (76-34, Oct. 6).
The losses were to Bagdad (7-29, Sept. 1), Mogollon (8-44, Sept. 15), San Manuel (14-16, Sept. 29), and Hayden (0-56, Oct. 13).
No. 10 Baboquivari Warriors
The Richard Garcia-coached Baboquivari Warriors (5-3, 4-2 South Region) averaged a score of 36-37 (288-293) per game or a 1-point deficit.
Babowuivari had wins over Fort Thomas (44-0, Aug. 18), Ray (28-24, Sept. 15), Duncan (42-32, Sept. 22), Glendale Desert Heights Prep (64-46, Sept. 29), and San Manuel (38-22, Oct. 13).
The losses were to Saint David (8-47, Aug. 25), Valley Union (48-50, Sept. 1), and Cicero Prep (16-50, Sept. 7).
No. 14 Ray Bearcats
The Zach Moore-coached Ray Bearcats (5-4, 3-3 South Region) averaged a score of 29-26 (265-234) per game or a 3-point margin.
Ray (5-4) had wins over Valley Union (34-30, Aug. 25), Joseph City (45-8, Sept. 1), Superior (36-26, Sept. 8), Duncan (36-16, Sept. 29), and Fort Thomas (70-14, Oct. 13).
The losses were to Saint David (0-50, Aug. 18), Baboquivari (24-28, Sept. 15), Lincoln Prep (14-22, Sept. 22), and San Manuel (6-40, Oct. 6).
No. 12 Valley Union Blue Devils
The Skyler Hill-coached Valley Union Blue Devils (5-3, 3-3 South Region) averaged a score of 33-28 (301-253) per game or a 5-point margin.
Valley Union had wins over Baboquivari (50-48, Sept. 1), Anthem Prep (56-27, Sept. 8), Fort Thomas (52-24, Sept. 29), Duncan (46-6, Oct. 6), and Superior (44-30, Oct. 13) as well as losses to Ray (30-34, Aug. 25), San Manuel (8-35, Sept. 15) and Saint David (14-49, Sept. 22).
The Blue Devils received a forfeit from Dishchii’bikoh (1-0, Aug. 18).
No. 13 Lincoln Prep Lightning
The Paul Schubring-coached Lincoln Prep Lighting (5-4 overall, 2-3 East Region) averaged a score of 34-34 (306-303) per game.
Lincoln Prep had wins over Anthem Prep (66-6, Aug. 18), Joseph City (52-20, Aug. 25), Ray (22-14, Sept. 22), Tempe Prep (50-8, Sept. 29), and Duncan (14-48, Oct. 13) as well as losses to Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (6-48, Sept. 7), Winkelman Hayden (26-83, Sept. 15), Scottsdale Cicero Prep (12-44, Sept. 26), and Superior (24-66, Oct. 5).
The Lightning also received a forfeit from Dishchii’bikoh (Oct. 13).
