BJ's Final 3A Rankings
- Brandon Jones
- Nov 1
- 6 min read
The AIA released their 3A bracket here: https://azpreps365.com/brackets/football/3a/1595-2025-aia-11-man-football-3a-state-championship
Here is how I would have seeded the 3A conference:
Ben Franklin
Ranking: 1
Overall Record: 10-0
Blowout Wins: #3 Valley Christian (+29), #4 Pusch Ridge (+21), #6 Crismon (+23), #7 Gilbert Christian (+37), #15 Seton Catholic (+43), #16 Dysart (+39)
Quality losses: None
Blowout losses: None
Bad losses: None
There's not even a debate on who the best team in 3A is.
Thatcher
Ranking: 2
Overall Record: 9-1
Blowout Wins: #14 Sabino (+40)
Quality losses: #1 Ben Franklin (-15)
Blowout losses: None
Bad losses: None
Valley Christian
Ranking: 3
Overall Record: 9-1
Blowout Wins: #16 Dysart (+25)
Other Ranked Wins: #6 Crismon (+14), #7 Gilbert Christian (+7), #10 Show Low (+6), #11 Blue Ridge (+14), #14 Sabino (+8), #15 Seton Catholic (+10)
Quality losses: None
Blowout losses: #1 Ben Franklin (-29)
Bad losses: None
The margin between Valley Christian and Pusch Ridge for the 3rd seed is razor thin. Valley Christian has more quality wins though, despite being less competitive with Ben Franklin.
Pusch Ridge
Ranking: 4
Overall Record: 8-2
Blowout Wins: #14 Sabino (+19)
Blowout losses: None
Bad losses: None
The defending 3A champs are right back in the conversation for a 3A title after going 8-2 with their only losses to #1 and 2.
Round Valley
Ranking: 5
Overall Record: 9-1
Blowout Wins: #9 Payson (+24), #12 Florence (+25), #15 Seton Catholic (+24), 2A #2 St. John's (+17), 2A #8 Pima (+36)
Other Ranked Wins: #10 Show Low (+7)
Quality losses: #11 Blue Ridge (-7)
Blowout losses: None
Bad losses: None
Round Valley is another team with an incredible resumé and probably would be #2 if not for a headscratching loss to #11 Blue Ridge. It's not a bad loss by any means, but the teams I have above them have only lost to each other.
Crismon
Ranking: 6
Overall Record: 6-4
Blowout losses: #1 Ben Franklin (-23)
Bad losses: None
Gilbert Christian
Ranking: 7
Overall Record: 7-3
Blowout Wins: #15 Seton Catholic (+23)
Other Ranked Wins: #14 Sabino (+8)
Blowout losses: #1 Ben Franklin (-37)
Bad losses: None
The Knights started off 6-0 before losing three in a row, but they were all to top 6 teams. Outside of those three games, Gilbert Christian has handled business and should have had a home playoff game in my opinion.
River Valley
Ranking: 8
Overall Record: 7-3
Blowout Wins: #15 Seton Catholic (+34)
Blowout losses: #6 Crismon (-21)
Bad losses: None
After a 1-3 start, the Dust Devils have railed off 6 straight wins, including their signature win over Payson. It is also noteworthy that they are the only team to come within one score of Ben Franklin. They could end up wreaking havoc in this 3A bracket.
Payson
Ranking: 9
Overall Record: 7-3
Other Ranked Wins: #10 Show Low (+10)
Blowout losses: #5 Round Valley (-24)
Bad losses: None
Payson is among the cluster of elite 7-3 squads. The Longhorns have impressive dominant wins over Blue Ridge and Page and closed the regular season out with a win over Show Low. Another dangerous team this postseason.
Show Low
Ranking: 10
Overall Record: 7-3
Other Ranked Wins: #11 Blue Ridge (+7)
Blowout losses: None
Bad losses: None
If Show Low had won the regular season finale against Payson, they would be a top 8 seed in my rankings. However, it seems the computer did not care and gave them a home game anyways. 7-10 is all very debatable, but regardless of seeding, they all are capable of deep runs.
Blue Ridge
Ranking: 11
Overall Record: 6-4
Blowout Wins: None
Other Ranked Wins: #5 Round Valley (+4)
Blowout losses: #9 Payson (-29)
Bad losses: None
The Round Valley win is doing a lot of heavy lifting for the Yellow Jackets' resumé, but it is arguably the most impressive win of the 3A season. I'm not sure if Blue Ridge has shown enough consistency though to make it past the first round.
Florence
Ranking: 12
Overall Record: 6-4
Blowout Wins: #14 Sabino (+20)
Other Ranked Wins: None
Bad losses: None
Since getting rolled in the first two weeks by Round Valley and Show Low, the Gophers have been playing great football, giving Thatcher and Pusch Ridge a run for their money and handling business elsewhere. Tough first round draw for Thatcher that probably shouldn't have happened.
Page
Ranking: 13
Overall Record: 8-2
Blowout Wins: 2A #21 Tuba City (+56)
Other Ranked Wins: None
Quality losses: None
Bad losses: None
Page has won a lot of games, but they haven't really been tested. The Sand Devils obliterated 2A playoff foe Tuba City and didn't put up much of a fight against Payson and Show Low. They've shellacked everyone else on their schedule, but none of those teams were very good.
Sabino
Ranking: 14
Overall Record: 4-6
Blowout Wins: None
Other Ranked Wins: None
Bad losses: None
The 2023 3A champions look a lot better than last year and should be proud of making it to the playoffs. But their streak of 4 straight blowout losses to playoff opponents showed that it is probably unlikely that they pull off a first-round upset.
Seton Catholic
Ranking: 15
Overall Record: 4-6
Blowout Wins: None
Quality losses: #3 Valley Christian (-10)
Blowout losses: #1 Ben Franklin (-43), #5 Round Valley (-24), #6 Crismon (-21), #7 Gilbert Christian (-23), #8 River Valley (-34)
Bad losses: None
I think it's fair to say I underestimated the absolute gauntlet that my preseason #1 Sentinels were about to go through after moving down from 4A this season. And it was certainly a challenging season, but they got back to the playoffs for a second straight season and were rewarded for their difficult schedule.
It is likely that their season ends where it started, at the iconic Round Valley Dome. Not the season that Seton Catholic hopes for, but they made playoffs and return a lot of talent next season.
Dysart
Ranking: 16
Overall Record: 5-5
Blowout Wins: None
Other Ranked Wins: None
Bad losses: None
The Demons of Dysart are my last seed into 3A playoffs, just like the computer rankings decided. It was pretty clear cut all year long who the top 16 teams in 3A were and Dysart is a lot closer to 14 and 15 than they are to being out in my opinion.
They had a pretty rough schedule but did a solid job of weathering the storm, they just didn't have any big wins.
Like Seton Catholic, their season will likely end where it began. For them, it's at #1 Ben Franklin. 6 straight .500 or better seasons at Dysart and back to back playoff appearances shows the upward projectory of this program.
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