Nov. 7--Tempe Corona del Sol saw another tough, fourth-quarter loss Friday night end its late bid for a playoff berth on the final night of the 2009 regular season.

The Aztecs gave up a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to Gilbert Highland and bowed to the Hawks, 25-21. The Aztecs' loss allowed Phoenix North Canyon and its 3-7 record to nab the 16th spot in Varsity Xtra's projected power point rankings. Corona won three straight games to make its bid but couldn't hold a 21-12 lead as the fourth period began.

As a result, the unofficial/projected matchups for next week's 5A-I state playoffs will feature several rematches from the regular season, including Fiesta Region rivals Mesa High and Mesa Red Mountain, Mesa Desert Ridge and Gilbert Mesquite and Mesa Westwood and Phoenix Mountain Pointe.

In 5A-II the team that clung to life was Gilbert Perry, which snatched the 15th playoff spot despite a tough 31-28 loss to Mesa Desert Ridge. Top-ranked Peoria Centennial completed a perfect regular season at 11-0 with a 34-10 win over Laveen Cesar Chavez. Three unbeaten teams in 5A-II lost their regular-season finales -- Scottsdale Chaparral, Tempe Marcos de Niza and Tucson Sunnyside. They still remained in the top four of the final power rankings despite losing to Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Mountain Pointe and Tucson Salpointe, respectively.

Here are the projected final power rankings and projected first-round playoff matchups for 5A-I and 5A-II:

5A-I projected power points

1. Hamilton (10-0) 805

2. Mountain Pointe (10-0) 715

3. Brophy ((8-2) 700

4. Chandler (7-3) 650

5. Mountain View (7-3) 630

6. Red Mountain (6-4) 600

7. Basha (7-3) 565

8. Mesquite (6-4) 565

9. Desert Ridge (6-4) 565

10. St. Mary's( 5-5) 565

11. Mesa (6-4) 560

12. Marvyale (7-3) 555

13. Trevor Browne (6-4) 540

14. Mountain Ridge (5-5) 515

15. Westwood (5-5) 515

16. North Canyon (3-7) 465

17. Desert Vista (2-8) 445

18. Corona del Sol (4-6) 430

Projected first-round pairings

No. 16 North Canyon at No. 1 Hamilton

No. 9 Desert Ridge at No. 8 Mesquite

No. 12 Maryvale at No. 5 Mountain View

No. 13 Trevor Browne at No. 4 Chandler

No. 14 Mountain Ridge at No. 3 Brophy

No. 11 Mesa at No. 6 Red Mountain

No. 10 St. Mary's at No. 7 Basha

No. 15 Westwood at No. 2 Mountain Pointe

5A-II projected power points

1. Centennial (10-0) 760

2. Chaparral (9-1) 740

3. Pinnacle (9-1) 675

4. Marcos de Niza (9-1) 665

5. Sunnyside (9-1) 656.20

6. Desert Mountain (7-3) 620

7. Millennium (7-3) 605

8. Westview (7-3) 605

9. Boulder Creek (7-3) 605

10. Sandra Day O'Connor (7-3) 590

11. Ironwood Ridge (6-4) 568.80

12. Ironwood (6-4) 560

13. Horizon (5-5) 560

14. Central (7-3) 555

15. Perry (5-5) 520

*16. Cibola (5-5) 41.66

*- Qualifies as region champ despite not being in the top 16 in power points

Projected first-round pairings

No. 16 Cibola at No. 1 Centennial

No. 9 Boulder Creek at No. 8 Westview

No. 12 Ironwood at No. 5 Sunnyside

No. 13 Horizon at No. 4 Marcos de Niza

No. 14 Central at No. 3 Pinnacle

No. 11 Ironwood Ridge at No. 6 Desert Mountain

No. 10 Sandra Day O'Connor at No. 7 Millennium

No. 15 Perry at No. 2 Chaparral

Note: Tiebreaking procedure among Millennium, Westview and Boulder Creek is unclear. Projection based on best interpretation of tiebreakers

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