PHOENIX — The weather is cooling off across Arizona (finally) and we are reaching the end of the regular season on Friday Night Fever for the big schools and the small schools are now heading into the playoffs!
Last week we saw a fantastic game as our Game of the Week! West Point at Paradise Valley won the poll with 33,234 (51.32%) of the 64,757 votes! And the game lived up to the hype as Paradise Valley won in overtime after sophomore kicker Emily Vaiasicca nailed the extra point!
Now it is time to reveal which games all of you fans will get to vote for this week, so here we go!
#15 Monument Valley at #2 Eastmark
Game #1 this week comes from the 1st round of the 3A Playoffs: #15 Monument Valley at #2 Eastmark.
Eastmark finished their season 9-1 as the champions of the 3A Central region. The Firebirds' only loss this season was the 3A #1 Thatcher, who finished the season 10-0. Eastmark beat Robertson (Las Vegas, New Mexico), ALA-Gilbert North, San Tan Foothills, Mohave, ALA-Ironwood, Florence, Sabino, Coolidge, and Wickenburg.
Monument Valley is traveling 350 miles south from Kayenta for Friday's game. The Mustangs finished 4th in the 3A Northeast region with a record of 6-4. Monument Valley beat Tuba City, Chinle, Winslow, Ganado, Blue Ridge, and Shiprock (NM). They lost to Window Rock, Page, Round Valley, and Show Low.
This will be the first time that the Firebirds and Mustangs will meet on the football field.
#12 Payson at #5 Paradise Honors
Game #2 this week also comes from the 3A playoffs: #12 Payson at #5 Paradise Honors.
Paradise Honors finished their regular season 8-1 and as the champions of the 3A Metro West region. The Panthers lost to Pusch Ridge in week 2 but won the rest of their games against Wickenburg, Moon Valley, Bourgade Catholic, Odyssey Institute, ALA-West Foothills, Kingman, Dysart, and Shadow Mountain.
Payson finished 2nd in the Metro East region with a 7-3 record. They beat Blue Ridge, Miami, Mingus Union, Tempe, Arizona Lutheran, Fountain Hills, and Phoenix Christian. The Longhorns lost to Show Low, Valley Christian, and Safford.
This will be the first time that Paradise Honors and Payson will play each other in football.
Centennial at Liberty
Game #3 is a huge rivalry game in Peoria that is sure to have implications on which teams will make the top 8 and qualify for the Open Division playoffs: Centennial at Liberty.
Centennial is currently 7-1 and in 2nd place in the 6A Desert Valley region. The Coyotes have beaten Brophy, Desert Vista, Millennium, Williams Field, O'Connor, Boulder Creek, and Mountain Ridge. Their lone loss came in Week 1 to Hamilton.
Liberty, who is poised to be the #1-ranked team in Arizona after Chandler's loss to Basha last week, is 8-0 and in 1st place in the 6A Desert Valley region. They have beaten Sunrise Mountain, Pinnacle, Valor Christian (Colorado), Saguaro, Basha, Brophy, Mountain Ridge, and O'Connor.
This will be the 12th time the Coyotes and Lions will meet in football (regular season and playoffs combined). Centennial leads the all-time series 7-4.
VOTE
Now it's time to vote! Make your choice in the poll below, and if you don't see it, click here.
The poll will be open until Thursday at 10 am, and remember, you can vote for your school or favorite game as many times as you want, so refresh this page and vote again!
Also, be sure to vote for our Hot Shots Play of the Week from Week 9 by clicking here.
Be a believer and catch Friday Night Fever this Friday at 11:35 pm.