Arizona’s 2024 High School Football Playoff Showdown: Quarterfinals Teams Revealed!

As the 2024 high school football season progresses, the smallest schools in Arizona are gearing up for the commencement of the 1A playoffs. With the anticipation building, the quest for the coveted golden football is officially underway.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) kicked off the playoffs with first-round matchups in the 1A division, which features eight-man football. A 12-team bracket was released last Saturday, providing the top four seeds—Hayden, Bagdad, Mogollon, and St. David—with a bye in the first round.

This past Friday night, several teams competed for advancement in the playoffs. Here are the key results from the first round:

No. 5 Mohave Accelerated triumphed over No. 12 Salome with a score of 36-22, securing a spot in the quarterfinals against No. 4 St. David. In another match, No. 6 El Capitan faced No. 11 Superior at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the winner set to challenge No. 3 Mogollon next. No. 7 Lincoln Prep edged out No. 10 Desert Heights Prep, finishing 40-35, and now prepares to meet No. 2 Bagdad. Lastly, No. 8 Desert Christian dominated No. 9 Williams, winning 56-16, and will compete against No. 1 Hayden in the quarterfinals.

All quarterfinal games are scheduled for November 1 at 7 p.m., hosted at the higher-seeded team’s stadium. The journey will culminate with the 1A State Championship on November 16 at 6 p.m., held at Coronado High School in Scottsdale.

Defending champions Hayden, who secured the 2023 title by defeating Mogollon 60-32, are poised to reclaim their championship status. The upcoming weeks promise exciting matchups as teams vie for the title.