Mesa High made its first visit to postseason since its runner-up finish in 2009 on Friday night and the Jackrabbits made it a victorious one.

Wide out Jackson Clement hauled in three touchdown passes and running back Kris Jackson tallied twice as No. 8 seed Mesa outscored No. 9 Sandra Day O'Connor, 35-27, in a Divsion II playoff game at Jackrabbit Stadium.

Mesa (8-3) moves on to the quarterfinals next Friday (Nov. 13)  and gets a rematch from its regular-season finale with top-seed Skyline (11-0) at Skyline. Skyline survived the opening round edging No. 16 Sahuaro, 15-10. SDO closed its season 7-5, but battled to the end before bowing out.

Mesa moved the ball efficiently --- when it had it. Mesa was more successful through the air in the first half and on more adept on the the ground in the second half. Mesa's passing prowess in the first half may have made SDO too wary of that aspect. Mesa came out in the second half and its ground attack ruled.

"I think I got too pass happy the first half," Mesa coach Scott Hare said. "To do what we do we need to establish the run and did a better job of that the second half. Our defense was on the field a lot because of the time of possession. They came through when we needed them late."

Mesa's fourth-quarter play was the difference. The Jackrabbits broke a 21-21 tie -- the third time the game was tied -- on Jackson's 6-yard touchdown run (his second of the game) on the first play of the final quarter. It capped an 8-play, 80-yard drive and with the extra point owned a 28-21 advantage with 11:56 to play. Mesa didn't have the ball much in the first three quarters wth SDO owning a 23-minute-to-13-minute time of possession advantage. Jackson finished with 91 yards rushing -- 71 in the second half.

SDO rebounded with a chance to tie with 7:26 left after elusive quarterback Bailin Markridge scampered 54 runs on a counter to pull the Eagles within 28-27. Mesa pressured the extra-point attempt and it was just wide to the left keeping it in front. Markridge was tough to corral all night for the Jackrabbits defense. Markridge completed 15 of 26 passes for 240 yards and two TDs. He added 69 yards rushing.

Mesa's offense, kept off the field nearly all of the second period and a big chunk of the third, came through again on its next possession. Heber Anderson bobbled the ensuing kickoff, but managed to escape tackles for a 34-yard return to the SDO 46. Mesa drove to the 28 and faced a fourth-and-six. The Jackrabbits opted not to try a long field goal and went for the first down.

As it did at least a half dozen times in the game, Mesa elected to go deep for Clement. Clement responded with a leaping grab in the end zone out-battling a defender. Mesa's extra point was good and the lead was 35-27 with 4:29 to play. Clement caught TD passes of 49 yards and 10 yards in the first half. He finished with six receptions for 166 yards. Quarterback Roberto Baeza tossed all three TDs to Clement. Baeza was 11-of 23 for 219 yards -- 163 of those in the first half.

SDO had one possession left to try for the tie, but was forced to punt with just over three minutes left. A sack by Jackson of Markridge was the key play in forcing a fourth-and-20 for SDO. Mesa picked up two first downs after the punt and ran out the clock.

SDO's first-half scores were on a 9-yard reception from Markridge to Michael Tytler and a 3-yard run by Seth Kutter. Jamal Jennings 42-yard reception from Markridge in the third period waged the game's third tie at 21.