The winter soccer state tournaments are ready to go (boys start Tuesday, Jan. 31, girls on Wednesday, Feb. 1). Hopefully, the great weather we have been having will hold on a bit longer and we won’t have the ferocious wind and bitter cold (at least for Arizona) that plagued some of last year’s matches.

Two of the most interesting boys’ first-round matches will come in Division I at Phoenix Maryvale, Phoenix Carl Hayden vs. Glendale Ironwood at 5 p.m. and Mesa Mountain View against Maryvale at 7.

Carl Hayden is the No. 12 seed and is led by coach Abner Calderon. He usually fields a team capable of challenging for a title. The Falcons finished as Class 5A Division II runner-up in 2010. Ironwood, seeded fifth this season,  won the 5A-II title last year under coach Tim Beck.

The winner here will have a challenging second-round match on Saturday (Feb. 4) against either No. 13 Avondale Westview or No. 4 Chandler Hamilton, the latter finishing as the Class 5A Division I runner-up the last two seasons.

In Division II, Buckeye Verrado would like nothing better than to make up for last year’s setback to Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep in the Class 4A Division II title match.

If the second-seeded Vipers can get past visiting No. 15 Queen Creek in the first round, it is possible they could meet Notre Dame in the second round. Notre Dame, the No. 7 seed, faces No. 10 Bullhead City Mohave at 5 p.m. at Tempe Marcos de Niza.

The Division III bracket is highlighted by No. 1 Chandler Seton Catholic and No. 2 Phoenix Northwest Christian. The latter team won the last two 1A-3A winter titles.

Northwest Christian plays host to No. 15 Phoenix Horizon Honors at 7 p.m., and Seton plays host to No. 16 Phoenix Scottsdale Christian at 7 p.m.

Class 5A Division I champion Chandler Hamilton and runner-up Phoenix Xavier Prep are the top two seeds among Division I girls’ teams.

In Division II girls’ play, No. 8 seed Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, last year’s 4A-II runner-up, will be riding a wave of emotion when it faces No. 9 Phoenix Thunderbird at 5 p.m. at Cave Creek Cactus Shadows. Notre Dame coach Scot Bemis, also the school’s football coach, died recently after a brief battle with lung cancer.

Cactus Shadows is the No. 1 seed in Division II. Flagstaff, which earned the 4A-II crown against Notre Dame, is seeded No. 2.

The girls’ Division III bracket appears to be as wide-open as any this year.

Tucson Palo Verde is the top seed, with Gilbert Campo Verde No. 2. And keep an eye on the next two seeds, No. 3 Buckeye Verrado and No. 4 Chandler Seton Catholic.

For a full schedule and additional information, see Les Willsey’s story (Willsey Wisdom) on AIA365.com.