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Teams from 3A, 2A and 1A start this week, while the rest start Thursday, Aug. 28.

In Class 3A, schools will play the standard preset 10-game regular season with a 16-team playoff. In 2A, however, they will play nine games and then a region winner will play another for an automatic bid to the 24-team tournament. The 1A schedule features eight or nine games and a 12-team playoff.

But the postseason doesn’t start for these schools until October. Right now, everyone’s a playoff contender at 0-0.

Game times are 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

FRIDAY

3A

Sabino (3-7 2024) at Chandler Valley Christian (3-6 2024)

Location: 6900 W. Galveston Street, Chandler

Notable: Sabino and Chandler Valley Christian face off for the first time ever. Both teams had a tough 2024 after deep playoff runs in 2023. The Trojans went 11-2 and reached the state semifinals two seasons ago, while Sabino went 11-3 and won the state title.

2A

Desert Christian (6-4 2024) at Florence ALA - Anthem South (2-8 2024)

Location: 8450 W. Franklin Road, Florence

Notable: After a breakout debut season, Desert Christian moves up to 2A and 11-person football. Last year, the Eagles not only reached the playoffs in their first season after winning five of the seven regular games they played (they forfeited their first), they made the state finals. All Sports Tucson reports that former Pusch Ridge head coach for Desert Christian’s first head coach, Jason McKibben, who resigned before practice started.

Benson (5-5 2024) at Bisbee (10-2 2024)

Location: 99 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Street #73, Bisbee

Notable: The Cochise County rivals face off to open the season. According to All Sports Tucson, . Benson had won 10 of 11, but Bisbee won the last three in the series.

Tombstone (6-4 2024) at Miami (7-4 2024)

Location: 4739 S. Ragus Road, Miami

Notable: Tombstone heads north to face Miami for the first time since 2017. According to , the Yellow Jackets are 4-1 against Miami, including a 45-21 win in the 2002 playoffs in their first matchup.

Willcox (7-4 2024) at Palo Verde (4-6 2024)

Location: 1302 S. Avenida Vega

Notable: Formerly region rivals in 2A San Pedro, Willcox is now in 2A South 2 and Palo Verde is in 2A South 1. There are four other teams in 2A South 1 (Bisbee, Santa Rita, Tanque Verde and Tombstone) and three others in South 2 (Benson, Desert Christian and Eloy Santa Cruz Valley).

Catalina (1-9 2024) at Santa Rita (0-10 2024)

Location: 3951 S. Pantano Road

Notable: TUSD 2A rivals face off to open the season in Virgil Henderson’s debut as head coach of his alma mater Catalina. Henderson has also led Cholla and Rincon/University. Santa Rita has lost 14 varsity games in a row. They didn’t play varsity in 2023 and canceled the 2022 season after two losses. Their last varsity win was 40-6 over Catalina on Oct. 15 2021.

Phoenix Christian (8-2 2024) at Tanque Verde (6-4 2024)

Location: 4201 N. Melpomene Way

Notable: It’s the third season Phoenix Christian and Tanque Verde have played in a row. Their first team matchups were in 2011 and 2012. Phoenix Christian leads the all-time series 3-1.

1A

Topawa Baboquivari (1-8 2024) at Fort Thomas (2-6 2024)

Location: 15502 W. Hwy 70

Notable: Baboquivari’s Warriors kick off the season by traveling to Fort Thomas to face the Apaches. Fort Thomas started last year 2-0, but then lost six straight. Baboquivari ended the season dropping three in a row.

Elfrida Valley Union (5-3 2024) at St. David (9-2 2024)

Location: 70 E. Patton Street, St. David

Notable: St. David looks to keep up its streak of six straight playoff appearances. After reaching the state semifinals last year, the Tigers open the season with Valley Union, who they beat 56-6 last season and have won seven in a row against.

SATURDAY

3A

San Tan Foothills (4-6 2024) at Pusch Ridge Christian (13-1 2024)

Location: 9500 N. Oracle Road

Notable: In the only Saturday game in the 3A this week, Pusch Ridge also opens up region play. PRCA and Sabino have been moved out of the 3A South and into the 3A East. Safford and Thatcher also moved over from the old South Region, which Pusch Ridge won last year. This new 3A East has seven teams, while the 3A South had five.