Rankings (1A-6A): Preseason

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 is upon us and we are thrilled to release our preseason top 10 rankings for each conference. The poll was voted on by Prepdig scouts and writers and will be updated weekly for each conference. The talent level and depth of each conference was on display in our rankings!&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pre-Season Rankings</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Xavier</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sandra Day O'Connor </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Corona Del Sol</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Liberty</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Casteel</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Millennium </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hamilton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Highland</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Perry</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sunnyslope</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To put this lightly 6A is going to be a blood bath this year. We will see multiple teams in the top 10 beat up on each other week in and week out. Most of the non conference schedule is the top 10 playing against each other. Most importantly almost all the teams in the top 10 have multiple Division 1 commits on their teams (not to mention future D1 commits). We do see Xavier as the top of the crop in 6A, their whole starting line up is chalk full of D1 commits lead by Minnesota commit [player_tooltip player_id='774402' first='Tessa' last='Larkin'] and two other returning 1st team all conference performers. Next up would be Corona Del Sol and returning all conference performer Hayden Connor and top AZ recruit [player_tooltip player_id='448314' first='Erin' last='Clark'] at libero.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 predictions: Xavier, Corona Del Sol, Liberty, Sandra Day O'Connor</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State champion prediction: Xavier&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Horizon</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Chaparral</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sunrise Mountain</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Notre Dame Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Centennial</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Canyon View</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Verrado</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Canyon Del Oro</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Ironwood</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li> Buckeye</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Winning 4 straight state titles means you are the team at the top of rankings heading into week 1. We do see a number of contenders in 5A with both Chaparral and Sunrise Mountain returning most of their key offensive weapons from the year before. The question is can they put it together to compete with the 4 time defending champions? Plenty of dark horses this year in 5A but we do like Ironwood as a team to look out for with all their freshman starters becoming a year older, it will be fun to see how they compete this year. They still might be a year away from really doing damage but Coach Lopez has got something cooking over there.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 Prediction: Horizon, Chaparral, Sunrise Mountain, Notre Dame Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champion Prediction: Horizon</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Estrella Foothills</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Salpointe</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Ironwood Ridge</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Flagstaff</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Saguaro</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mica Mountain</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mesquite</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cactus Shadows</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>ALA Queen Creek</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Thunderbird</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4A has a lot of depth, with multiple teams in the top being able to compete for a chance at the title. We do think Southern AZ has a lot of talent, especially the Kino region with 3 of our top 10 coming from that 1 region. Estrella Foothills brings in a new coach but returns plenty of talent including [player_tooltip player_id='874832' first='Sadie' last='Snyder'] who was the player of the year in the conference last year. We have a few dark horses in Cactus Shadows and ALA Queen Creek, both return multiple high level starters and play in tough regions which means they will be battle tested before the playoffs start.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 prediction: Estrella Foothills, Salpointe, Ironwood Ridge, Flagstaff</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champion Prediction: Estrella Foothills</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Valley Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Gilbert Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Northwest Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Seton Catholic</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Snowflake</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Monument Valley</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pusch Ridge</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>ALA West Foothills</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Benjamin Franklin</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Oydessy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valley Christian leads the way as our number one team to start. As the defending champions and returning 5 starters we see them as the favorite to win it all. They are led by [player_tooltip player_id='784641' first='Sadie' last='Wahlin'] who is committed to Pepperdine University and [player_tooltip player_id='807441' first='Sydney' last='Simon'] who just recently committed to Dallas Baptist University. Gilbert Christian and Northwest Christian both return enough firepower to compete with Valley Christian and we will get a preview with all 3 of them playing each other throughout the season. A couple of dark horse teams we like are ALA West Foothills and Benjamin Franklin who both return multiple high caliber starters and will see if they can string together some upsets this year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 prediction: Valley Christian, Gilbert Chrisitan, Northwest Chrisitan, Seton Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champion Prediction: Valley Chrisitan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Phoenix Country Day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Scottsdale Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Trivium Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Northland Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Johns</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Veritas</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Rancho Solano</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Horizon Honors</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Camp Verde</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North Valley Christian Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With 3 of the last 4 state titles Phoenix Country Day starts as our number 1 ranked team, however with the loss of Quincy Rodin and Mia Warner we will see how the new talent fills the roles lost by those two. We do expect Scottsdale Christian with returning 2A Offensive Player of the Year in [player_tooltip player_id='806073' first='Kaya' last='Olafson'] to compete for the title as well. Northland Prep is a team to be on the watch for, we love what they are doing up there in Flagstaff and lost a heartbreak in 5 to the eventual state champs last season in the quarterfinals. They return a lot of talent including Zillah Wildblood Crawford and Makenna Murphy.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 prediction: Phoenix Country Day, Scottsdale Christian, Trivium Prep, Northland Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champion Prediction: Phoenix Country Day</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cicero</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>El Capitan</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. David</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North Phoenix Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mogollon</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Joseph City</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Anthem Prep</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fort Thomas</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Desert Heights</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Ash Fork</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the 1A conference all roads lead through Cicero. With back to back state championships and returning the player of the year in Nicole Damian it will be a tough road for teams to get through them. We see some depth from 2-10 in the rankings with any of those 10 teams making a run to the finals. Specifically we like Joseph City and Anthem Prep as teams to watch from outside the top 5. Both these teams return some talent and have the depth to pull off the upsets needed to make a run to the finals.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final 4 Prediction: St. David, Cicero, North Phoenix Prep, El Capitan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champion Prediction: Cicero</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->