Ironwood Ridge needs a win Friday night in Sierra Vista to keep its playoff hopes alive.

The No. 23 Nighthawks (6-3, 4-1 5A Sonoran) travel to No. 20 Buena (6-3, 4-1) for a 7 p.m. kickoff Oct. 30 in the final game of the 5A regular season. The 5A Sonoran Region title and a spot in the 24-team state playoff bracket hang on the outcome, according to tucson.com.

Ironwood Ridge, Buena and No. 16 Marana all share 4-1 region records heading into Week 10. But the Nighthawks' path is narrow. A 48-3 loss to Marana on Oct. 2 cost Ironwood Ridge the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Tigers, according to tucson.com. That means the Nighthawks can only play spoiler in the region title race. A Buena win clinches the title for the Colts. If Ironwood Ridge wins and Marana also wins against Casa Grande Vista Grande, Marana and Ironwood Ridge would share the top of the standings, with Marana earning the title on the tiebreaker, AllSportsTucson.com reported.

An Ironwood Ridge win would put the Nighthawks into the playoffs. A loss could knock them out. Only the top 24 teams in 5A qualify, and seven Southern Arizona teams sit between spots 16 and 26, according to tucson.com's Week 10 preview.

Harder leads a hot Nighthawks offense

Ironwood Ridge quarterback Maximus Harder has been the engine for the Nighthawks' surge. In the team's most recent game, a 40-34 win over Tucson High, Harder rushed for 216 yards and three touchdowns on 9.4 yards per carry, according to MaxPreps. He also threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns, completing 75% of his passes. His longest rush covered 70 yards.

In an earlier win over Vista Grande, Harder passed for over 300 yards and six touchdowns, according to tucson.com.

The Nighthawks' defense also showed up against Tucson High, recording three sacks.

Buena riding momentum under first-year coach

Buena enters on a three-game winning streak. The Colts routed Canyon del Oro 42-14 in their most recent outing, building a 21-0 halftime lead, according to MaxPreps.

First-year Buena coach Chris Determan, a 20-year veteran head coach in Southern Arizona, has the Colts in position to win what tucson.com described as their first region title in at least 30 years.

Running back James Lesueur rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries against Canyon del Oro, according to MaxPreps. Lesueur has averaged 109.3 rushing yards per game over his last three games. Aydan Fregoso added 96 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

The Colts' defense picked off three passes in that game. Hutson Johnson, Lucas Portis and Tariq Howard each grabbed an interception. Howard returned his for a touchdown.

Buena holds a key advantage in the region race. A Sept. 28 win over Marana gives the Colts the head-to-head edge, leaving them in control of their own destiny, according to tucson.com.

What's next

Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at 5225 E. Buena School Blvd. in Sierra Vista. The game will be streamed live on the NFHS Network, according to MaxPreps.