The Division II state football playoffs feature an array of quarterfinalists. Three teams who dropped down from D-I to D-II this season (Skyline, Mesa and Westivew), three teams who moved up from D-III to D-II (Williams Field, Saguaro and Queen Creek) and two that competed in D-II the last several seasons (Ironwood Ridge and Marcos de Niza).

It adds up to a very competitive elite eight. Two of the matchups are rematches from just a couple weeks ago. The other two feature teams that didn't face one another this year, although one of those matchups has taken place in the regular season or postseason each of the last half decade.

Here's a brief look at those contests. All games will be played Friday (Nov. 13) beginning at 7 p.m. at the site of the high seed:

#8 Mesa (8-3) at #1 Skyline (11-0) -- Skyline kept its hopes alive for an unbeaten title season with a narrow escape in the opening round over No. 16 seed Sahuaro, 15-10. Skyline survived four turnovers. A misstep like that again likely won't leave the Coyotes as fortunate. This is a rematch of the regular-season finale won by Skyline, 39-32. Skyline relies on a ground-and-pound mentality that builds off that with play-action passing. The Coyotes possess two 1,000-yard rushers in Amarii' Keyes and Kaleb Hardin. Keyes has missed what amounts to three games (and last two). His total is still 1,218 yards for the year -- 150 per game.  Keyes carried one time in the first Mesa game and left with an injury. He has a good chance of playing this week. Quarterback TJ Duarte has been effective when defenses key on the run, passing for 1,500 yards and 13 TDs. Duarte has several targets and an excellent rapport with two-way starter Manny Ruiz (WR-DB). Mesa is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009 when it reached the D-I finals and lost to Hamilton. Second-year coach Scott Hare's team relies on sophomore running back Kris Jackson and senior wide out Jackson Clement for much of the team's offensive output. Clement was sensational in the Jackrabbits' 35-27 win over Sandra Day O'Connor last week with 166 yards receiving and three TDs. Jackson scored twice and rushed for 145 yards. Jackson rushed for 142 yards and three TDs in the earlier loss to Skyline.

#5 Marcos de Niza (10-2) at #4 Ironwood Ridge (9-2) -- These teams play almost as often as natural sister-school rivals. This will be their sixth meeting since 2011. Ironwood Ridge has won five of the six contests and they've split two playoff games. This year's regular-season matchup went Ironwood Ridge's way last month. Marcos led 17-0 early in the third period in what ended up a 35-24 loss. Marcos de Niza thrives on a vertical passing game with junior quarterback Nazareth Greer (2,669 yards and 20 TDs). Greer passed for 283 in their regular-season meeting  The Padres have lots of speed and their top playmaker is running back Shaun Richards. Richards has nearly 1,100 yards rushing and receving and has scored 14 TDs. Ironwood Ridge is a running team. The Nighthawks rushed for more than 200 yards in the win over Marcos  and also got a rare big-play in the passing game that helped fuel their rally. Two-way starter Harrison Beemiller makes plays and leads the Nighthawks in rushing. Last week's 34-30 win over Sunnyside needed the Nighthawks to produce big plays in the passing game and they did for more than 200 yards.

#6 Westview (9-2) at #3 Williams Field (9-2) -- This is the first-ever meeting for the schools, who have been separated by two divisions (Williams Field in D-III and Westview in D-I) until this year. Westview's two losses have come to the tournament's No. 1 and No. 2 seeds -- Skyline and Queen Creek.. The Knights will have to reverse the trend of losing to East Valley teams in this one to advance. Westview had no trouble running the ball last week - its forte -- as it blasted Tucson High. Running backs Tyler Vasko and Stacy Campbell have each passed the 1,000-yard mark this season and have 30 TDs between them. Williams Field lit up the scoreboard and gave top rival Higley no chance in a rout in their opening-round game. Williams Field uncovered an offensive weapon for its injury-riddled backfield as safety Trevor Maxwell got a healthy dose of action on offense with a three-touchdown night. Maxwell piled up 212 yards rushing (2 TDs) and had a 75-yard TD reception in the 55-27 win over Higley. Quarterback Weston Murphy has been efficient this season and fired off three TD passes to one of his top targets Max Fine in last week's posteason tune-up.

#7 Saguaro (9-2) at #2 Queen Creek (9-2) -- Queen Creek is out to end five years of frustration vs. Saguaro. Saguaro has dominated the D-III landscape with Queen Creek often playing second or third fiddle to the Sabercats. Now both in D-II, this will be the ninth meeting between them since 2010 -- Saguaro has won the previous eight.  Queen Creek's losses this season are to the No. 3 seeds in D-I and D-II -- Hamilton and Williams Field, respectively. Saguaro's two losses are to D-I Centennial and Pinnacle. Queen Creek has won seven games in a row, but has played the last three weeks without leading rusher Gavin Danielson, who is injured and out for the year. Jace Koester has done his best to pick up the slack as the go-to back. The Bulldogs have a decent passing game with quarterback  Kaleb Honea seeking two primary targets -- Armon McGuire and Ian Woods. Saguaro has managed its share of injuries and still hopes to notch a third consecutive state title with three more wins.The Sabercats are an offensive juggernaut that's put up a few yards short of 5,000 for the season. Wide receiver Byron Murphy has 67 receptions for 1,378 yards and 16 TDs, running back Stone Matthews 1,560 yards rushing and 20 TDs and quarterback Kare Lyles has thrown for 2,818 yards and 32 TDs.