Breaking down 6A Arizona high school football semifinals
Gilbert Highland is trying to reach the 6A final for the third consecutive year. Casteel is trying to get there in the 6A Conference for the first time after winning the championship in 3A in 2017. They are the favorites in Friday’s high school football semifinals. The championship game is on Dec. 10 at 1 p.m., at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.
Let’s break down the semifinals:
6A Conference semifinals
No. 4 Pinnacle (8-4) at No. 1 Casteel (9-3), 7 p.m.
Both teams have had challenging schedules. Casteel came out of the Premier Region, losing all of its games there, to Hamilton, Chandler and Basha. In this bracket, the Colts are explosive, led by senior quarterback Landon Jury and his speedy receivers. Pinnacle also has an explosive, well-balanced offense, led by sophomore QB Wyatt Horton and senior 5-star receiver Duce Robinson. If Robinson gets free out of the bracketing coverage he’ll get, this game could get out of hand early. But Casteel takes pride in playing a stout defense that is led by cornerback Jeremiah Newcombe and linebacker Austin Young. Pinnacle’s worst games came against Liberty (49-7 loss) and Highland (25-0). But it is capable of breaking through in this one after showing it can run the ball in last week’s 24-14 win over Queen Creek. The X factor is Pinnacle running back Jacobie Rucker, who ran for 121 yards last week.
Pinnacle 28, Casteel 24
Prediction:
No. 6 Mesa Red Mountain (8-4) at No. 2 Highland (9-3), 7 p.m.
Red Mountain’s road to the semifinals hit a roadblock in the first quarter of the first round, getting down 17-0 to No. 11 Brophy Prep. But since then, the Lions have been rolling, despite quarterback Carter Crispin playing on an injured knee that will need surgery. Those playmakers in wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane and running back Lenox Lawson make Crispin’s job easier. But the defense will need to play great against an emerging Highland offense led by sophomore QB Kalen Fisher and running backs Carson Mullenaux and Kody Cullimore, another in a line of Cullimore brothers who will play anywhere and do anything to win. This Highland defense is incredibly strong and the team is on a mission after wanting to be part of the Open Division playoffs. Red Mountain is a difficult matchup for the Hawks, especially with Lawson and Crispin ready to go.
Prediction: Red Mountain 20, Highland 19, OT