Mario Padilla (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)

Four big schools from Southern Arizona will live to see another week thanks to a couple of thrilling finishes from the 5A ranks and dominating performances from Cienega and Salpointe.

Starting from the top, No. 1 Cienega took care of No. 16 Fairfax, 24-6 to set up a rematch with No. 9 Marana in the 5A quarterfinal round next Friday night. If you recall, Cienega beat Marana 57-50 in a thriller way back on Aug. 25.

The rematch almost didn’t happen because the Tigers were stuck in a battle at No. 8 Verrado but held on for a 35-33 win. The Tigers led 35-21 entering the fourth quarter but the Vipers cut the lead down to 35-27 and then came up with a stop to get the ball back with 1:46 left.

Starting from their own 10-yard line, the Vipers wasted little time and found themselves at the Marana 10 with 1:05 left in the game and later hit on a huge fourth-down pass from 11 yards out to cut the lead down to 35-33. The 2-point conversion failed and Marana collected the onside kick to preserve the win.

Terrell Hayward set the tone for Cienega in the other game thanks to a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and then Thomas Webb scored twice to put the Bobcats up 21-0. Ezra Figueroa kicked a 34-yard field goal to give Cienega the 24-6 margin of victory.

No. 6 Ironwood Ridge beat No. 11 Apollo 48-41 in double overtime in the other 5A thriller of the night. Nick Brahler had four TDs and the Nighthawks will travel to play No. 3 Liberty next Friday night.

No. 4 Salpointe took care of No. 13 Pueblo 42-0 to advance to the 4A quarterfinals. The Lancers will take on No. 5 Cactus at home next Friday night at 7 p.m.

Bijan Robinson collected 92 yards and two TDs and Mario Padilla added 98 and two more scores. The duo saw limited action due the score margin and a running clock. The Lancers used four quarterbacks with Rodrigo Nieto throwing for 109 yards with a bulk of that going to Andrew Jacobs on a 74-yard TD.

Junior QB Devin Green saw some action in the third quarter and he hit Jacobs on a 15-yard TD pass to put the Lancers up 42-0. Sophomore QB Jackson Bolin saw some playing time and Padilla ran a few plays from the Wildcat position.

The Lancer defense set a new school record by recording its fifth shutout of the year.

The Warriors saw some success on the ground and went over 120 yards rushing with Ruben Rivera IV going for 52 on the night but the team was unable to sustain a drive. It was the program’s first eight-win season since 1988.

In other action from Southern Arizona, No. 5 Queen Creek beat No. 12 Marana Mountain View 48-20, No. 6 Seton Catholic beat No. 11 Catalina Foothills 29-22 despite a late charge by the Falcons and No. 10 Walden Grove lost to No. 7 Peoria 33-7.

No. 14 Willcox lost to No. 3 Thatcher 62-6 in the only 2A game of the night.