Pima High’s introduction to 2A Conference opponents this year wasn’t warm. 

It was downright unpleasant for most of Pima’s opponents. At 9-2, Pima’s first-year 11-man team proved this season that it can continue to ball just like it did in 8-man football. 

Coach Jace Hancock even said from the outset he had a solid team. Sorry we doubted you, coach.

Pima is one win away from the 2A semifinals, a year after an undefeated, 8-man championship season. Hancock’s teams haven’t lost three games in a season since he took over his alma mater, Pima, in 2011. 

“Our kids have tremendous heart and won’t lay down for anybody,” Hancock said. “They give you everything they got.”

Pima changed some of its schemes, not to adjust for 11-man football, but because of its personnel.

Pima’s quarterback was mostly under center last year, but, with an offensive line that lacks size, that’s not the case this year. With an enrollment of 255 students, there aren’t too many 280-pound linemen roaming the halls of Pima High.

First-year quarterback Josh Whitaker, a junior, stepped in and is taking command of the offense, Hancock said. Pima’s run game is still potent if defenses try to shut down its passing game. 

Whitaker can run and so can another junior, Emilio Molinar. Nothing about Molinar’s 5-6, 140-pound frame screams punishing runner. 

But then again running over people isn’t his game plan.

“Emilio is very quick and tough,” Hancock said. “He play both ways and is a safety also.”

Manny Rivera, Aaron Judd and Henry Boswell also are stepping up when called to carry the ball.

The Pima kids who were blessed with size and athleticism are the Kartchner twins, Justin (6-5, 220) and Jarret (6-5, 220), who are two-way threats. 

Pima won football and baseball titles and reached the state semifinals in basketball thanks to the big bodies and gifts of the twins. When Pima played a couple of 2A’s big boys, No. 1 seed Round Valley and No. 3 Thatcher, Pima lost but proved that it was for real during those games.

“Midway through the season we said, ‘Hey, we are not bad at this 11-man stuff,’” Hancock said.

Pima threw four interceptions in the Round Valley game, which wasn’t decided until the final minute.

In the Thatcher game, Pima played Thatcher without its starting quarterback. But after looking at the film, back up quarterback Ryne Lewis did a good job of handling the pressure, and the mistakes Pima made were correctable, Hancock said.   

The o-line might lack size, but it has “improved greatly” this year. Hadley Schmidt and Whitaker’s brother, Jacob, anchor the offensive line.

Schmidt and Jacob also play big roles on defense as well as Lewis, a middle linebacker. Pima might have the ingredients to win another title. 

The program won nine state titles in 8-man football, but nobody thought it had a shot at an 11-man title in its first year.    

“The kids had something to prove,” Hancock said.

2A Quarterfinal games 

No. 9 Paradise Honors (10-1) at No. 1 Round Valley (11-0): Before the season started, Paradise Valley warned the state about its three-headed running monster of Sekou Tyler, Cristian Moga and Brandon Brown. The trio has disappointed, as each has rushed for more than 1,000 yards. … Paradise Honors’ only loss came in Week 1. … Jordon Gourley has completed only 46 passes but 11 of those went for TDs. … Shane Kratzer, Nate Tomilson and Brandon Brown are each averaging 10 or more tackles per game. … Round Valley’s Kyron Woolf is the team’s leading passer (23 TDs) and leading rusher (878 yards) but the team has four other players who have also rushed for 550 yards or more. … Round Valley has 26 sacks.

No. 5 Benson (9-2) at No. 4 Pima (9-2): Benson’s Brandon Laird has rushed for 2,637 yards and 35 TDs in his career. … Eight of Benson’s Tyson Coleman’s 14 receptions went for touchdowns. … Benson’s secondary picked off opponents 22 times during its state title run last year. This year, the team has 23 INTs.

No. 6 Phoenix Christian (10-1) vs. No. 3 Thatcher (9-2) at Safford: The last time Phoenix Christian won 10 games was 2008. … Matt Hocking (6-0, 205) is averaging 10 yards per carry and has 1,581 rushing yards and 19 TDs. … QB Tylin Rodgers has rushed for 728 yards and 12 TDs. … In six games, Tyller Graham has rushed for 646 yards and 10 TDs. … PC’s defense is giving up only 15 points per game. … Thatcher’s defense is giving up about 10 points per game. … Thatcher lost its two games by a combined eight points. … Thatcher suffered a key injury to its split-back veer run attack in the season but didn’t miss a beat despite also playing with a new offensive line this year. … MLB Brandon Hayes and FS Tyler Roebuck were the team’s leaders on defense.

No. 10 Scottsdale Christian (10-2) at No. 2 Santa Cruz (10-0): Scottsdale Christian QB Jack Miller ranks No. 20 in the nation with 3,495 yards, but is the only freshman ranked in the top-20 in that category. … Shayne Pahnke has 836 rushing yards and 8 TDs. … Jr. Jacob Kaites has 1,138 receiving yards and 20 TDs. … Five receivers have 20 or more receptions. … Ryan Salmon has 19 sacks. … Santa Cruz is averaging 306 yards rushing, and its defense has given up only  61 yards. … Emilio Cosillos is completing 73.7 percent of his passes for. … Devin Neal has rushed for 1,246 yards and leads the team with 5 INTs.

Phoenix Christian (photo) takes on Thatcher in Saturday's quarterfinal round. Photo by Mark Jones/maxpreps.com.