Football games of the week — Week 10

Thursday Night Lights Game

Legacy at Shadow Ridge — The Mustangs missed the playoffs by one game last season, and dropped the last three Northwest League games of the year, including the last game to the Longhorns.

Shadow Ridge graduated running back Malik Lindsey, but had two juniors who appear poised to step in. Elisha Young rushed for 479 yards and Aubrey Nellems had six touchdowns in the Mustangs’ run-heavy offense — they passed only 57 times all year.

The Longhorns won the first playoff game in their history last year, and are looking to return to the postseason for the sixth year in a row.

Games of the Week

Palo Verde at Centennial — Both squads won just three games last year, but the Panthers won them all against Northwest League opponents and snuck into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed.

These two also met on the last game of the season in what turned into a de facto Sunset Region play-in game. Palo Verde won 48-20 to extend their streak of making the postseason to 17 seasons.

Centennial missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009, and will be looking to get right back. A victory in the last week of the season against Palo Verde could be what it takes.

Green Valley at Foothill — The Gators went 3-1 last season, but stumbled in league play and missed out on the postseason. But had the last game of the season gone differently, it would have been the Falcons that missed out.

Foothill beat Green Valley 20-9 in what turned into a de facto Sunrise Region play-in game, and moved on to knock off the Northeast League’s top seed in the playoffs. Green Valley will look to return to the playoffs, and in order to do that, it may need a breakout season from wide receiver Christian Mayberry, who is primed for a big season.