Arizona high school soccer's cruel postseason fate

The favorite for the Division I boys soccer title has seemingly changed from week to week.

Corona del Sol (Tempe) to Hamilton (Chandler) to Brophy College Prep (Phoenix) and then back again with a few others mixed in throughout the year.

It isn't much clearer as the regular season nears an end next week.

Corona defeated Hamilton on Monday, but the Huskies won the first meeting in December tournament. Next week No. 1 Brophy (9-0 as of Thursday) and No. 2 Pinnacle (Phoenix) (9-0) play on Tuesday.

"The top eight all have a legitimate shot of doing a damage if they get on a run," Highland (Gilbert) boys coach Rich Esperti said. "Right now, Brophy, Corona and Hamilton look to be the favorites. It's going to come down to the seeding for the rest.

"It's definitely not like some years where it's like it doesn't matter what happens that team is going to win it."
 
The Desert Vista (Phoenix) boys have played the hardest schedule in the state — the Thunder's 8.18 average opponent ranking is nearly two points higher than any other team — and were winless in the regular season until this week.

Desert Vista has a good chance to get into the postseason based on its strength of schedule with a few wins down the stretch like the Thunder's first win on Wednesday.

"We are as good as anyone else when we want to play," Desert Vista second-year coach Mark Wilson said. "When they come to play they are fabulous. They move, they get their opportunities and this is who we want to be. They work hard and don't let up they can play with the best."

It means the Thunder could be a bracket buster — something Wilson knows something about as he led the Mountain Pointe girls to the state title as the 11th seed in 2008 — if everything comes together.

"We've been doing well recently," Thunder sophomore Brendan Hicks said. "The results haven't explained how we are playing. We are playing a lot better soccer that is possession based. If we continue to play well then we will get the wins that we need to get in the playoffs.

"And then anything can happen."

While Desert Vista's stay in the postseason is a bit tenuous, teams like Corona, Hamilton and Brophy on the boys side and the Desert Vista, Xavier College Prep (Phoenix) and Perry (Gilbert) on the girls sides have championship aspirations.

In soccer, however, maybe more than any other sport, the best team doesn't always win and advance in the playoffs.

The level of play ratchets up and opportunities lessen when defenses pack it in to fend off the better teams' attacks. So all it takes one slip of a defender and an open lane becomes the path to victory for the lesser team.

"Soccer can be cruel," Esperti said. "You can dominate the ball up and down the field and come away with a loss."

Here is a look at all the divisions through Wednesday's action:

Boys

Division I
How it is: 1. Brophy; 2. Pinnacle; 3. Corona del Sol; 4. Gilbert.
How we see it: 1. Corona del Sol; 2. Hamilton; 3. Brophy; 4. Highland.
Comment: The Aztecs and Huskies have split a pair of matches, while the Broncos have played a lesser schedule. Corona's John Rea and Ryan Flood have combined for 40 goals and 29 assists. Hard to envision a team stopping both guys on the same night.

Division II
How it is: 1. Rincon/University (Tucson); 2. Gila Ridge (Yuma); 3. Tucson; 4. Kofa (Yuma)
How we see it: 1. Rincon; 2. Kofa, 3. Gila Ridge; 4. Tucson
Comment: Rincon hasn't been challenged very often, winning most of the matches by multiple goals, and Kofa is a top team from Yuma, which always produces a top contender.

Division III
How it is: 1. Yuma Catholic; 2. Flowing Wells (Tucson); 3. Amphitheater (Tucson); 4. Lake Havasu
How we see it: 1. . Yuma Catholic; 2. Amphitheater; 3. Flowing Wells; 4. Lake Havasu
Comment: Yuma Catholic is following up last year's undefeated season and seems to be a clear favorite. Amphi beat Flowing Wells in tournament play, but a 61-4 scoring ratio on the season clearly puts Yuma Catholic as the front-runner.

Division IV
How it is: 1. Red Rock (Sedona); 2. Dysart (El Mirage); 3. Pueblo (Tucson); 4. Tempe Prep
How we see it: 1. Pueblo; 2. Sedona Red Rock; 3. Dysart; 4. Tempe Prep
Comment: Pueblo has played the toughest schedules among the top teams in this new division and it just might be the Warriors' title to win.

Girls

Division I
How it is: 1. Xavier; 2. Desert Vista; 3. Perry; 4. Hamilton (Chandler)
How we see it: 1. Desert Vista; 2. Xavier; 3. Perry; 4. Hamilton
Comment: The Thunder have had some struggles against Xavier over the years, but knocked off the Gators last week 1-0. One game doesn't make a season, but it does give the players firsthand knowledge they can beat Xavier.

Division II
How it is: 1. Willow Canyon (Surprise); 2. Arcadia (Phoenix); 3. Salpointe Catholic (Tucson); 4. Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale)
How we see it: 1. Notre Dame; 2. Willow Canyon; 3. Arcadia; 4. Salpointe Catholic;
Comment: Notre Dame is the defending champion and enters the final week undefeated in the regular season. Until the Saints — led by Taylor Culver's 14 goals — lose, they are the favorites.

Division III
How it is: 1. North Canyon (Phoenix); 2. Yuma Catholic; 3. Walden Grove (Sahuarita); 4. Palo Verde (Tucson)
How we see it: 1. North Canyon; 2. Yuma Catholic; 3. Walden Grove; 4. Independence (Glendale)
Comment: The top two teams seem to be destined for a collision course in the finals.

Division IV
How it is: 1. River Valley (Mohave Valley); 2. Thatcher; 3. Youngker (Buckeye); 4. Red Rock (Sedona)
How we see it: 1. River Valley; 2. Thatcher; 3. Youngker; 4. Red Rock
Comment: River Valley has only had one match that wasn't a blowout and that was a 4-3 win over Youngker. Thatcher has had a few closer games, but might have enough to find a way into the finals.


Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic sports writer and current Prep Sports Director for 1013 Communications, is a 20-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com.