In order to understand how good the flag football has become in Arizona in just three short seasons take a look at some of the programs that failed to make the postseason this year.

The programs that finished just outside of the top 16 in 6A and 5A for the 2025 playoffs probably would have been placed somewhere in the middle of the seeded teams in 2023 bracket.

“There are some really good teams that didn’t make it into the playoffs this year,” Hamilton coach Matt Stone said. “A few years ago, there’s no question teams like Perry and Corona de Sol would be still be playing.

“It goes to show how far this sport has become already. The coaches are better, the players are better, and the level of play is exponentially better.”

Over the next 11 days, the top teams in the 6A and 5A Flag Football State Championship will have the opportunity to show off the improvements and investments programs around the state have put into their teams.

The first three rounds of the 16-team tournaments are hosted by the higher seed with the first round on Nov. 12, with the quarterfinals on Nov. 15 and the semifinals on Nov. 19.

The state championships will be a quadruple header as all four conferences play at Corona del Sol on Saturday, Nov. 22.

The top four seeds – Highland, Marana, Hamilton, and Red Mountain in 6A and Campo Verde, Chaparral, Casa Grande, and AZ College Prep in 5A – have earned a possibility of three home games.

“We intentionally built one of the toughest schedules in the state to challenge our team early and strengthen our résumé with high PowerPoints throughout the season,” Marna coach Shaun Lara said.  “More importantly, our players stayed consistent, focused, and never overlooked an opponent. That mindset has been the key to earning the No. 2 seed heading into playoffs.”

As the tournament fields narrow with each successive round, what does it take for teams to advance to the championship games.

It has become clear an elite quarterback is vital to success, but it doesn’t stop there. A dynamic wide receiver or two is just as important. Putting points on the board is always a good idea.

The biggest difference, however, might be a defensive unit that can limit points against and stop drives goes along way in helping a team make it to the title game.

It’s an offensive game. No doubt. Seven players on the field creates a ton of space that isn’t available in a 11-man game.

Hamilton coach Matt Stone raises the 6A state championship trophy. (Darin Sicurello/MaxPreps)

In order to stop, or at least slow down the opposition, is as vital as anything else. Looking at the teams that made it to the championship game the last season, the defense was stifling for the four teams that made the 6A and 5A championship games.

In the three rounds leading up to the championship game in 2024, the four teams that advanced to the championship game gave up an average of 4.5 points a game with six shutouts in 12 total games.

Add in the new rules – eliminating the kickoff and starting drives at the 14-yard line – and defenses really have a chance of shifting the game.

“Having a strong defense is very crucial to field position and momentum,” Campo Verde coach Brian Coger said. “If you have a strong defense, you are creating good field position for your offense.”

If the defense is opportunistic with interceptions, getting sacks and disrupting the offensive rhythm of the opponent it can be the difference between being a state qualifier and state champion.

“Turnovers are unique in our sport as they have to come through interceptions and not fumbles,” Stone said. “An interception can flip the field and completely swing the all-important field position before for the half.”

It means the biggest weapons of the state tournament might come on the defensive side.

It could be 6A sack leader Ava Klene, who had 42 sacks for Red Mountain, while Highland’s Kylee Riggs finished with 37. In 5A, Campo Verde’s Payton Davis had 45, North’s Avyanne Buchanan has 27 and Mountain Pointe’s Malia Cooks had 22.

When it comes to interceptions, the leaders in 5A were Chaparral’s Stella Hulse who had 20, Casa Grande’s Kayla Tacker with 16 and Desert Mountain’s Caroline Workman and Jaiyana Bogan-Jacobs of Campo Verde had 15 each, while 6A leaders who made the playoffs are Liberty’s Makenna Johnson with 14, Mountain View’s Emma Fischbeck at 13 and Hamilton’s Samaya Taylor Jenkins with 10.

“I love making big plays on defense,” said Taylor Jenkins after she had a Pick 6 against Highland in the championship game in the Copper State Invitational in October. “You take their momentum away, and if you take it to the house, it’s hurts even more.”