NOTE: This football preview primarily covers the area from north Scottsdale west through Phoenix, the southwest and northwest Valley, northwest Arizona, northern Arizona and northeast Arizona.

By Don Ketchum

While the southeast Valley has its football party with the Division I semifinals on Friday (Nov. 18), the rest of the state gets its chance to shine in divisions II through V.

Perhaps the biggest game will come in Division II, when fifth-seeded Peoria Centennial (11-1) takes on No. 1 Scottsdale Chaparral (12-1) on Friday night at Phoenix North Canyon High. Kickoff is at 7. It is a rematch of the participants in last season’s Class 5A Division II title game won by Chaparral.

Few teams can match Chaparral’s overall speed, but Centennial is capable of coming as close as any.

Chaparral is led by quarterback Connor Brewer and all-purpose player Devonte Neal. Centennial is led by safety-running back Zach Hoffpauir, who came back from an injury to make a couple of key defensive stops against Glendale Deer Valley in the quarterfinals, as well as running back-defensive back Jalen Ortiz and quarterback Justin Sanchez.

The winner of this game will face the winner of a Friday night game in Tucson between No. 2 Vail Cienega (12-0) and No. 6 Tucson Ironwood Ridge (10-2) for the championship on Nov. 26 at Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium.

Semifinals in divisions III-V will be played on Saturday (Nov. 19).

Division III – No. 5 Scottsdale Saguaro (10-2) vs. No. 1 Tucson Sabino (11-1) at Tucson Salpointe Catholic, 7 p.m.

Saguaro, the champion in the old Class 4A Division I last season, features D.J. Foster, one of the state’s top all-around players.

Division III – No. 7 Phoenix Arcadia (10-2) vs. No. 3 Glendale Cactus (10-1) at North Canyon, 7 p.m.

Cactus’ defense will have its work cut out for it as it attempts to bring down Arcadia’s bruising fullback, Sosaia Maafu. He plays much bigger than his listed size of 6 feet and 217 pounds.

Division IV – (both games at Phoenix Paradise Valley) – No. 7 Florence (10-2) vs. No. 3 Show Low (10-3), 3 p.m.

Former big-school coach George De La Torre has done a wonderful job, and a win over last season’s Class 3A champion here would do wonders for the program. Show Low is led by Josh Weeks, who began the year as a running back but plays now as a quarterback out of the “Wildcat’’ formation.

No. 4 Chandler Seton Catholic (12-0) vs. No. 1 Lakeside Blue Ridge (12-0), 7 p.m.

Blue Ridge won 11 Class 3A titles under coach Paul Moro, the last in 2009, so the playoff experience that has been handed down over the years should count for something.

Division V (both games at Phoenix Arcadia) – No. 14 Queen Creek San Tan Foothills (8-4) vs. No. 2 Yuma Catholic (11-1), 3 p.m., and No. 5 St. Johns (9-3) vs. No. 1 Phoenix Northwest Christian, 7 p.m.

Northwest Christian defeated defeated Yuma Catholic 30-27 in last season’s Class 2A state title game, and a rematch is possible in this new division. Northwest Christian also defeated Yuma Catholic 13-6 way back on Aug. 27 in the reagular-season opener.

Northwest Christian features the state’s newly minted career rushing leader, Casey Jahn.