Tucson Canyon del Oro loves to put a scare into Scottsdale schools deep in the postseason. And this is one time Chaparral will gladly be in Saguaro’s company.

SLIDESHOW: Chaparral vs. Canyon del Oro

SLIDESHOW: 4A semifinal action

The sixth-seeded Dorados had a first-and-10 at Chaparral’s 25-yard line late in the fourth quarter Friday, but Cord Claffey picked off a fourth-down pass by Doug Steele to secure the 13-7 victory in the 4A-I semifinals at Phoenix North Canyon.

Second-seeded Chaparral will play top-ranked Saguaro in the championship game, the first time two Scottsdale schools have ever met for the title.

Chaparral coach Charlie Ragle relishes another shot at the Sabercats, who beat his team 21-0 in the regular season and knocked it out of the state playoffs in last year’s semifinals.

“If you want to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man,” Ragle said. “We’ve got tremendous respect for their program, and we don’t want to take a shortcut.”

In last season’s championship game against Saguaro, Canyon del Oro trailed by 13 points late, but scored a pair of touchdowns to go ahead by one point before the Sabercats rallied for the win.

The Dorados (11-2) got as close as six in this one, and were driving after Spencer Stone threw an interception on a third-and-12 right after Canyon del Oro scored its touchdown, but the Firebirds’ defense held tough, as it had done all game.

“Thank God our defense came through in the end after I threw that freakin’ pick,” Stone said. “It’s not a good feeling when you give them such good field position like that, but our defense held. That was it, a total team effort tonight.”

Canyon del Oro mustered just 138 yards of offense, and only one of its eight completions went more than 12 yards.

“We just feel unstoppable,” defensive tackle Derek Nsubuga said. “Our run defense is the strength of our defense, and our secondary played big. We knew we were going to win this game.”

Dwayne Garrett did the majority of the damage offensively, rushing for 201 yards and a touchdown, but the Firebirds also passed the ball more than in previous weeks.

Stone finished 10-for-19 for 172 yards. He set up a field goal with a 31-yard pass to Jordie Hein on the first play of the game, and set up Garrett’s touchdown run with a 47-yard pass to Tommy Tyma on a flea flicker in the second quarter.

Stone couldn’t do much last year in the semifinal loss to Saguaro because the game was played on a muddy field covered in water.

“I’m just so happy right now I can’t even talk,” Stone said.

The Firebirds took a 13-0 lead at the half with two field goals from Ben Damari and Garrett’s touchdown run. It had a chance to be 16-0, but Damari’s third field-goal attempt was blocked right before halftime.

It looked like that miss could prove costly when Canyon del Oro kept moving the ball late, but the Firebirds wouldn’t be denied. It is their first trip to the title game since 2002 after making it to the semifinals the last three seasons.

“It feels good,” said Ragle, in his second season as Chaparral’s coach. “We’ve got one more to go, though.”

Chaparral linebacker Tommy Russell was ejected in the second quarter for kicking a Canyon del Oro player following a tackle, meaning he won’t be allowed to play in the title game because of a suspension.