The time has finally come to watch the best teams in the state of Arizona compete for a state championship and with the 1A and 2A conferences set to begin their playoff journey this week, we look at the top teams to watch in May. 

1A BASEBALL 

HAYDEN 

Looking for a fourth straight state championship, Hayden (15-6, 7-1 1A East) trails only St. David (6) when it comes to small-school title reigns in state history. And St. David won six titles back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a far different time when it comes to high school baseball. 

They would be just the fourth team to win four titles in a row at any level in state history. 

Led by Tyler Garner, who sports a .542 (No. 5) average, which is among the best in the state, No. 1-seeded Hayden has won three straight entering the state playoffs and will face No. 16 Fort Thomas on May 2, 4 p.m. 

At age 74, coach Robert Lorona said he feels no pressure to win it all again. 

“I am out here to have fun. I enjoy the game. I don’t put pressure on the kids,” Lorona said. 

MOGOLLON 

Having won five of their last six games entering the 1A state playoffs, Mogollon (18-6, 5-3 1A East) is led by Stetson Owens, who is third in the state in RBIs with 28. 

Coach Reed Porter said his team is “fortunate” with eight senior starters, which will matter come crunch time as teams make their way through the playoff bracket. 

“Each of them provides leadership in different ways,” Porter said. 

The Mustangs lost to Hayden in the 1A state semifinals a season ago, and will open this year’s bracket as the No. 2 seed hosting No. 15 Baboquivari on May 2, 2 p.m. 

WILLIAMS 

Featuring one of the best teams in 1A baseball from the northern part of Arizona, Williams (19-7, 5-0 1A North) has won six straight entering the state playoff bracket. 

Coach Ethan Johnson said one of the biggest factors to their success this season has been depth. 

“We have a very tough pitching staff with lots of options,” Johnson said. “Our one-two combo would be seniors Jace Maebe and Mario Pedraza. Both seniors have shared the ace role for many years.” 

Maebe sports a 0.51 ERA in 41 innings pitched this season with 68 strikeouts and just 10 walks. Pedraza is 3-0 with a 2.26 ERA with 57 strikeouts. 

The No. 4-seeded Vikings host No. 13 Patagonia Union on May 2, 2 p.m. 

SAN MANUEL 

With Ivan Flores landing in the Top 10 across the 1A state conference in batting average at a .507 clip, San Manuel (14-8, 4-4 1A East) averaged 7.59 runs per game offensively this season. 

Coach Larry Duke said his club has thrived this year due to team chemistry and the energy they bring every day to the field. 

“It doesn’t matter if they’re part of the starting nine, or if they’re currently on the bench. Every single one of them is pumped up the whole entire time,” Duke said. 

San Manuel opens the state playoffs as. No. 5 seed and will host No. 12 Superior on May 2, 4 p.m. 

BAGDAD 

Having made the 1A state championship game in three of the last four years, Bagdad (12-10, 7-2 1A West) earned a No. 6 seed this year and recently beat Valley Lutheran 6-5, and lost a close one to Williams 4-1 just a week before brackets were revealed. 

Coach Dalton Mills said this spring’s club is “unique.” 

“We have some young guys and guys with not a lot of experience, but they seem to be enjoying the process and we hope to be well-oiled by playoff time,” Mills said. 

Rowdy Hooper leads the group with a .523 average, four home runs, seven doubles and five triples. 

The Sultans open against No. 11 Duncan on May 2, 4 p.m. 

2A BASEBALL 

SCOTTSDALE CHRISTIAN 

Having won 12 straight entering the 2A state playoffs, Scottsdale Christian (22-2, 10-0 2A Central) is looking to win their first baseball title since the 2022 campaign. 

If the Eagles are successful, it would be the program’s sixth championship since 1994 when they won their first. 

Owen Kendrick, the son of former Major League Baseball All-Star Howie Kendrick, leads Scottsdale Christian with a .550 average, three home runs, nine doubles and 30 RBIs. 

The No. 1 Eagles face off against No. 16 Northland Prep. on May 8 to open the 2A playoffs at the Goodyear Baseball Complex. First pitch has yet to be determined. 

ROUND VALLEY 

The boys from Eager, Arizona, won 17 power point games this season, the most in 2A baseball, and have earned the No. 2 seed in the upcoming state playoffs. 

Led by Jeffery Cochran and his .625 batting average, which is among the nation’s best, Round Valley (22-4, 8-0 2A North) has won nine in a row entering the tournament. 

“He’s the hardest worker on the planet,” coach Darin Emerald said. “More reps. More reps. More reps. It’s unreal with him.” 

Emerald, who is a cattle rancher, graduated from Round Valley and led the softball program to a state title before he started coaching the school’s baseball program two years ago. 

The Elks crossed the plate an impressive 353 times this year, meaning they average about 13.5 runs per game. 

Round Valley opens with No. 15 Pima on May 8. 

SAN TAN CHARTER 

Entering only the third year of baseball operations in Gilbert, San Tan Charter (16-3, 7-0 2A East) allowed opponents to score only 28 runs all season against them and started the season 10-0 before losing 1-0 to Snowflake. They beat Hayden (5-3) and Bagdad (11-2), two top teams in 1A, and lost to Phoenix Country Day (5-0) and Scottsdale Christian (8-0) in late April. 

“We will need to continue to play solid and consistent baseball,” coach Phil Cardis said. “Our players have done a real nice job in working together and improving as a group throughout the season.” 

Players to watch include Braden Peasel, Ian Rank, Jalen O’Neal, Joe Markland and Jake Fury. 

The No. 3-seeded Roadrunners will face No. 14 Glendale Prep. to open the 2A playoffs on May 8. 

OTHER NOTES 

Phoenix Christian, which won the 2A state championship a season ago, is the No. 4 seed in this year’s playoffs, winning 18 games, and have four players with 21-plus RBIs this season. … Tombstone, who lost 7-6 to Phoenix Christian in the 2A finals last year, did not make the playoffs this spring. … Phoenix Country Day is seeded No. 11 and will face No. 6 Bisbee to open the 2A playoffs on May 8. They feature one of the top hitters in the state at any level in Reed Ross, who smashed 13 home runs this spring, the most of any player in Arizona. Rocco Haggard of Tanque Verde finished behind him with 12. 

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.