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Scottsdale schools contending for championships
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ON THE RUN: Chaparral High School's Dwayne Garrett runs for yardage last week in the 4A-I state quarterfinals against Cienega.
Tribune File
SETTING UP: Saguaro quarterback Cole Rarrick throws the ball during an Oct. 17 game against Chaparral.
Tribune File
IN FOR THE SCORE: Andy Wilder of Notre Dame Prep runs for a touchdown during the 2007 state championship game against Mingus.
Tribune File
OFF AND RUNNING: Coronado's Kaylin Ashley pulls away from Queen Creek's defense Oct. 10 during the first quarter of a game at Queen Creek High School.
Tribune File
The arts, shopping, nightlife and vanity. These are Scottsdale's well-worn calling cards.
Today, the city can pride itself on a wholly different attribute: championship-caliber football.
When the Class 4A Division I and 4A Division II state football semifinals kick off today, four Scottsdale high schools will be vying for spots in their respective conference title games Dec. 6 at Sun Devil Stadium.
"It's certainly created some interest in the community and it's a nice shift from where the East Valley schools were getting most of the attention for dominating football," said Joe Corte, who coached the now defunct Scottsdale High School football team for seven years before taking the same post at Coronado High, then becoming the Scottsdale district athletic director before he retired in 2003.
"I think this is just wonderful for the city of Scottsdale."
Since the Arizona Interscholastic Association began sanctioning state championships in 1959, no two Scottsdale schools have ever played each other for a title.
This year, it could happen twice.
If the seeding goes according to form today, both the 4A-I and 4A-II championships will feature two Scottsdale schools.
In 4A-I, top-seed and two-time defending state champ Saguaro meets No. 4 Peoria at 7 p.m. at Paradise Valley High School.
In the other 4A-I game, No. 2 Chaparral takes on No. 6 Tucson Canyon del Oro at 3 p.m. at Phoenix North Canyon High.
In 4A-II, top seed and defending champ Notre Dame faces No. 5 Phoenix Greenway at 7 p.m. at North Canyon High, while No. 2 Coronado will try to advance to its first title game since 1976 when it beat Phoenix South Mountain for the 5A title.
Coronado faces No. 6 Tucson Santa Rita at 3 p.m. at Paradise Valley High.
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