The football playoffs heat up this week as top-seeded Mountain Pointe battles fourth-ranked Brophy Prep in the Division I semifinals on Friday night at Tempe McClintock High School.

The Pride are in search of their first trip ever to the state title game since opening in 1991, while the Broncos are seeking their third state championship.

Mountain Pointe's (11-1) lone loss this season was to Brophy (11-2), despite holding a 21-10 halftime lead. The Broncos scored 44 points in the second half en route to a 54-28 victory at Phoenix College in Week 6 of the regular season.

MP will need to have an answer for Brophy running back Marche Dennard this time around. The senior rumbled for 268 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season meeting.

Mountain Pointe crushed Cibola 49-0 in the first round before cruising to a 45-14 victory over Desert Mountain in last week's quarterfinals. Brophy beat Chandler in the opening round 54-44, before pulling out a 14-13 win over Red Mountain in the quarters.

The Broncos have won three straight in the series and are 4-and-1 all-time against the Pride, including a 28-3 opening round playoff victory last year. Brophy's only loss to MP was in the second round of the 2009 postseason.

Brophy is aiming for its first title game appearance since losing to Hamilton in 2008. The Broncos have won two state championships in school history in 2005 and 2007.

The winner of Friday's semifinal showdown will meet either second-seeded Desert Ridge or third-ranked Hamilton in the Division I Championship Game on November 24th at University of Phoenix Stadium.

One way or another we will have a new champion this year. Kickoff Friday is set for 7pm.

Thomas Jenkins