North Valley high school fall sports enter their final stretch as postseason badminton brackets advance, golf championships conclude, and football teams play their regular-season finales through Friday, according to the Scottsdale Independent.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Volleyball Matchups: Teams like Pinnacle and Notre Dame Prep battle through tight five-set matches during the final stretch of the season.
- Playoff Positioning: Badminton contenders Chaparral, Xavier, and Pinnacle face critical quarterfinal fixtures that could determine their playoff positions.
Volleyball and Flag Football Standings Shift
Monday’s heavy slate of volleyball action reshaped local records, with Saguaro picking up a 3-1 victory over Deer Valley and Notre Dame Prep outlasting Horizon 3-2. Pinnacle also leveled its score against Liberty with a hard-fought 3-2 win. Meanwhile, Arcadia fell 3-0 to Cactus, Cactus Shadows dropped a 3-0 decision to St. Mary’s, Desert Mountain lost 3-2 to Campo Verde, and Chaparral was swept 3-0 by Sunrise Mountain. Chaparral rebounded quickly on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over Campo Verde on senior night, while Phoenix Country Day School swept Heritage Academy Laveen 3-0, and Xavier fell 3-0 to Corona del Sol.
On the flag football field, Xavier dropped a 36-0 result to Marana on Monday, and Scottsdale Christian Academy shut out Horizon 42-0. Notre Dame Prep fell 27-20 to ACP, while Chaparral handled Centennial in a 34-7 win. Tuesday action saw Desert Mountain defeat McClintock 34-0 and Pinnacle blank Shadow Ridge 41-0. Cactus Shadows fell 33-13 to Sunrise Mountain, and Saguaro was shut out 45-0 by Mesquite.
Badminton Playoffs and Golf Championships
All three North Valley badminton programs advanced past the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday. In Division II, no. 3 Chaparral defeated no. 14 Willow Canyon 5-0. In Division I, no. 8 Xavier downed no. 9 Mountain Ridge 5-1, and no. 7 Pinnacle swept no. 10 Perry 5-0.
In girls golf, Notre Dame Prep captured first place at the Division II State Championships on Tuesday. The Saints carded a 37-over-par 613, defeating second-place Chaparral by 21 strokes. Junior Olivia Richardson paced the field for NDP, shooting a six-under-par 138 to secure the individual first-place finish overall. Brophy Boys Beach Volleyball added a 5-0 victory over Deer Valley on Monday to round out sand competition.
| Team / School | Sport | Result / Standing | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame Prep | Girls Golf | 1st Place (Div. II State) | 37-over-par 613 team score |
| Olivia Richardson (NDP) | Girls Golf | 1st Overall (Individual) | 6-under-par 138 |
| Chaparral | Badminton (Div. II) | Quarterfinal Advance | 5-0 win over Willow Canyon |
| Xavier | Badminton (Div. I) | Quarterfinal Advance | 5-1 win over Mountain Ridge |
| Pinnacle | Badminton (Div. I) | Quarterfinal Advance | 5-0 win over Perry |
Final Regular Season Push and Playoff Schedules
The regular season concludes on Friday, with teams making their final push across the board. Wednesday features Horizon traveling to Willow Canyon, Desert Mountain visiting Notre Dame Prep, Arcadia hosting Deer Valley, Pinnacle heading to Mountain Ridge, and Cactus Shadows hosting Cactus. A high-profile matchup sends Xavier to Millennium on Wednesday. On the hardwood and turf, the badminton quarterfinals pit #3 Chaparral against #6 Skyline, #8 Xavier against top-ranked Hamilton, and #7 Pinnacle against #2 Red Mountain.
Boys golfers compete for the Division II State Championship on Wednesday and Thursday at Aguila Golf Course. Brophy boys beach volleyball concludes its season Wednesday against Millennium. In flag football, Notre Dame Prep hosts Maricopa on Wednesday, while Thursday features Chaparral traveling to Mountain Pointe, Xavier visiting Sunnyside in Tucson, Desert Mountain hosting Saguaro, Horizon hosting North Canyon, and Arcadia hosting Coronado. Notre Dame Prep hosts North Canyon on Friday to close out the week.
In tackle football, Pinnacle meets Chandler on Thursday night as the sole North Valley participant on that night. Friday night features Horizon playing Chaparral, Desert Mountain hosting Notre Dame Prep, Cactus Shadows traveling to Tucson High, Brophy hosting Saguaro, and Arcadia hosting Snowflake. Brittany Bowyer covers sports for Independent Newsmedia in Arizona as a Report for America corps member.
