The series is deadlocked at 10 wins apiece
By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – The 11th-ranked Elfrida Valley Union Blue Devils (4-2 seeding, 1.3611 rating) visit the Dan Coats-coached No. 20 Duncan Wildkats (1-5, minus 9.2367) on Friday, Oct. 11. The pairing will be the tie-breaker as both teams have 10 previous wins in the 8-man format, with Valley Union averaging a 28-25 (564-508) score per game or 3-point margin.
However, the Wildkats are 5-4 in region and 3-2 in section pairings with the Blue Devils.
Last season, Valley Union left Packer Field with a 46-6 (Oct. 6) region win, breaking a 5-game Duncan win streak over the Blue Devils.
This week in the region, No. 13 Ray (4-3, minus 0.4527) visits No. 14 Superior (2-4, minus 2.0974), No. 17 San Manuel (2-5, minus 6.9421) hosts No. 10 Desert Heights Prep (4-3, 2.7593), and No. 18 Sells Baboquivari (1-6, minus 7.8819) visits No. 6 Desert Christian (4-1, 5.3124).
Saint David (7-1 seeding, 6.0359 rating) shutout No. 16 Fort Thomas (2-6, minus 6.8903) 50-6 as No. 5 on Oct. 10.
Valley Union Blue Devils (4-2, 4-1)
Valley Union (4-2 seeding, 4-1 region) is averaging a score of 34-28 (202169) per game or a 6-point margin. The Blue Devils have wins over Sells Baboquivari (24-13, Sept. 6), Ray (36-6, Sept. 13), San Manuel (52-20, Sept. 20), and Fort Thomas (48-24, Oct. 4).
The losses are to Glendale Desert Heights Prep (36-40, Aug. 23) and Saint David (6-66, Sept. 27).
Valley Union hosts Superior (Oct. 18) to conclude its regular season.
Duncan Wildkats (1-5, 1-4)
Duncan (1-5, 1-4) is averaging a score of 30-52 (180-311) per game or a 22-point deficit. The Wildkats have a win over San Manuel (22-16, Sept. 6).
The losses are to Lordsburg, NM (66-98, Aug. 23), Fort Thomas (36-58, Aug. 30), Saint David (8-59, Sept. 13), Baboquivari (28-40, Sept. 27), and Ray (20-24, Oct. 4).
Duncan finishes out its regular season visiting Chandler Lincoln Prep (Oct. 18).
1A State Rankings
There were no teams dropping out or being added, merely some switching positions from the first listing. The Top 12 teams listed after Oct. 18 regular season pairings will be involved in the playoffs.
The 1A Class (8-man) statewide rankings as of Oct. 8 had Hayden (7-0 overall, 17.3552 rating) as No. 1 of 22, Bagdad (5-1, 11.2885) No. 2, Heber Mogollon (5-1, 10.5607) No. 3, Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (6-1, 6.8171) No. 4, Saint David (6-1, 6.0359) No. 5, and Tucson Desert Christian (4-1, 5.3124) No. 6.
Colorado City El Capitan (5-2, 4.5424) was No. 7, Lincoln Prep (5-2, 4.4699) No. 8, Williams (4-3, 3.8643) No. 9, Glendale Desert Heights Prep (4-3, 2.7593) No. 10, Valley Union (4-2, 1.3611) No. 11, and Salome (4-3, 1.3036) No. 12.
Initial 1A Class (8-man) statewide rankings (Oct. 1) had Hayden (6-0 overall, 16.4283 rating) as No. 1 of 22, Mogollon (5-1, 9.8429) No. 2, Bagdad (4-1, 9.2381) No. 3, Desert Christian (4-0, 8.3806) No. 4, Lincoln Prep (5-1, 5.7938) No. 5, and Saint David (5-1, 5.3708) No. 6.
Mohave Accelerated (5-1, 4.2958) was No. 7, El Capitan (4-2, 3.3967) No. 8, Williams (3-3, 2.2789) No. 9, Desert Heights Prep (3-3, 2.1973) No. 10, Salome (3-3, 0.8152) No. 11, and Valley Union (3-2, 0.5921) No. 12.
Other South Region member rankings were Ray (4-3, minus 0.4527) No. 13, Fort Thomas (2-5, minus 6.8903) No. 16, San Manuel (2-5, minus 6.9421) No. 17, Baboquivari (1-6, minus 7.8819) No. 18, and Duncan (1-5, minus 9.2367) No. 20.
1A South Region Standings
Region standings are Saint David (7-1 overall, 6-0 region), Valley Union (4-2, 4-1), Ray (4-3, 4-2), Fort Thomas (2-6, 2-4), Baboquivari (1-6, 1-5), Duncan (1-5, 1-4), San Manuel (1-4, 2-5).
Saint David (7-1, 6-0) has seeding wins over Scottsdale Cicero Prep (60-6, Aug. 23), Baboquivari (70-22, Aug. 31), Ray (65-0, Sept. 6), Duncan (59-8, Sept. 13), Valley Union (66-6, Sept. 27), San Manuel (49-0, Oct. 4), and Fort Thomas (50-6, Oct. 10). The loss is to Heber Mogollon (36-66, Sept. 20).
Valley Union (4-2, 4-1) has wins over Baboquivari (24-13, Sept. 6), Ray (36-6, Sept. 13), San Manuel (52-20, Sept. 20), and Fort Thomas (48-24, Oct. 4) along with losses to Desert Heights Prep (36-40, Aug. 23) and Saint David (6-66, Sept. 27).
Ray (4-3, 4-2) has wins over San Manuel (32-12, Aug. 30), Baboquivari (40-22, Sept. 20), Fort Thomas (63-20, Sept. 27), and Duncan (40-20, Oct. 4) as well as losses to Heber Mogollon (6-52, Aug. 23), Saint David (0-65, Sept. 6), and Valley Union (6-36, Sept. 13).
Fort Thomas (2-6, 2-4) has wins over Baboquivari (36-20, Aug. 23) and Duncan (58-36, Aug. 30) along with losses to Lincoln Prep (6-40, Sept. 6), San Manuel (32-40, Sept. 13), Superior (22-50, Sept. 20), Ray (20-63, Sept. 27), Valley Union (24-48, Oct. 4), and Saint David (6-50, Oct. 10).
Baboquivari (1-6, 1-5) has a win over Duncan (40-28, Sept. 27) as well as losses to Fort Thomas (20-36, Aug. 23), Saint David (22-70, Aug. 30), Valley Union (13-24, Sept. 6), Mohave Accelerated (12-45, Sept. 13), Ray (22-40, Sept. 20), and Hayden (0-44, Oct. 4).
Duncan (1-5, 1-4) has a win over San Manuel (22-16, Sept. 6) and losses to Lordsburg, NM (66-98, Aug. 23), Fort Thomas (36-58, Aug. 30), Saint David (8-59, Sept. 13), Baboquivari (28-40, Sept. 27), and Ray (20-40, Oct. 4).
San Manuel (1-4, 2-5) has wins over Fort Thomas (40-32, Sept. 13) and Cicero Prep (48-20, Sept. 27) along with losses to Lincoln Prep (6-14, Aug. 23), Ray (12-32, Aug. 30), Duncan (16-22, Sept. 6), Valley Union (20-52, Sept. 20), and Saint David (0-49, Oct. 4).
