PHOENIX — The regular season for high school football has officially wrapped up, and excitement is building as teams prepare to challenge for the state championships. On Saturday, playoff brackets were released by the Arizona Interscholastic Association for multiple divisions, including Open Division, 6A, 5A, 4A, and flag football across 6A, 5A, and 4A.
The playoffs have already kicked off in the 3A, 2A, and 1A football conferences. Each conference follows different structures. The 1A conference features a 12-team bracket, with the top four seeds receiving byes to the quarterfinals. However, the 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A conferences each operate with a 16-team bracket. The Open Division showcases an eight-team bracket, which includes the top eight teams from both the 5A and 6A ranks according to the AIA.
For flag football, all three conferences follow the same format with a 16-team bracket. It’s worth noting that the top four teams in 6A – namely Basha, ALA-Queen Creek, Liberty, and Hamilton – will be competing in the Open Division playoffs and will not take part in the typical 6A playoffs.
The first round of the 6A playoffs is set for Friday, November 15, with games occurring at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded teams. Fans can mark their calendars for the 6A State Championship Game, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, at Arizona State’s Mountain America Stadium in Tempe. Notably, this season will crown a new champion in the 6A bracket as defending champions Saguaro have missed out on the playoff action.
As teams gear up for these crucial matchups, the atmosphere in Phoenix and across Arizona will surely be electric, with fans excited to see which team will ultimately rise to the challenge and claim victory.
