Page 30 - AIA Football Program 2A-Open

sunrise mOuntain snags tOp seeD in 5a fielD six teams lOOking fOr their first-ever title
By Les Willsey AZPreps365
Despite three teams moving up a conference and most Southern Arizona schools unable to qualify due to lack of games/late starts, the 2020 5A playoff field has plenty of repeat qualifiers. Six, however, have nev- er won a football championship.
Six teams are returning to the postseason in 2019. They are Sunrise Mountain, Campo Verde, Notre Dame Prep, Sunnyslope, Ironwood and Verrado. Wel- comed to the fray are Desert Mountain and Cactus Shadows. The only two with titles are Notre Dame Prep and Cactus Shadows.
THE 8 TEAMS
#1 Sunrise Mountain (6-2) #2 Sunnyslope (5-1)
#3 Desert Mountain (4-2) #4 Cactus Shadows (4-2) #5 Campo Verde (4-2)
#6 Ironwood (5-2)
#7 Notre Dame Prep (4-2) #8 Verrado (3-4)
WON-LOSS RECORDS OF QUALIFYING TEAMS’ OPPONENTS
Sunrise Mountain’s opponents are 39-20. Seven are playoff teams - Cactus, Mesquite, Liberty, Ironwood, Desert Edge, Verrado and Cactus Shadows. Sunnys- lope’s opponents are 21-22. Two are playoff teams - Desert Mountain and Boulder Creek. Desert Moun- tain’s opponents are 25-14. Four are playoff teams - Peoria, Sunnyslope, Cactus Shadows and Salpointe. Cactus Shadows’ opponents are 22-22. Three are playoff teams - Verrado, Desert Mountain and Sunrise Mountain. Campo Verde’s opponents are 20-24. Two are playoff teams - Notre Dame Prep and Salpointe. Ironwood’s opponents are 23-29. Three are playoff teams - Desert Edge, Sunrise Mountain and Verrado. Notre Dame Prep’s opponents are 14-29. One is a play- off team - Campo Verde. Verrado’s opponents are 34- 17. Five are playoff teams - Sandra Day O’Connor, Cac- tus Shadows, Ironwood, Sunrise Mountain and Desert Edge.
Sunrise Mountain gets together after its game against Ironwood. (Steve Paynter photo/MaxPreps)