Get tickets now: Top 10 must-see 2014 Arizona high school football games

So it begins.

Big-time players will shine, unknowns will get their highlights on television and wins will be celebrated at local pizza parlors late into Friday night.

There will be games that are labeled as classics before the lights even go out at the stadium. They will be talked about for years to come. Some players will the direction of a program and legends will be made out of a individuals whose names will always be tied to that signature win.

We think it will be one of the 10 games listed below, but it could be like a microburst — boom — that comes out of nowhere and surprises everyone.

Until it becomes known, here are the 10 most anticipated games for the 2014 football season.


Aug 22: Poston Butte (San Tan Valley) at Queen Creek
There isn't a football fan out there who isn't intrigued by the idea of Paul Moro, the king of the White Mountains, coming to the Valley and competing at the Division II level. This is the first look at Poston Butte and what strides have been made under Moro, who won 13 state titles for at Blue Ridge in 30 years. It's not going to be easy considering the challenge Queen Creek and 2,000-yard rusher Weston Barlow present out of the gate.

Aug. 29: Chandler at Centennial (Peoria)
The Wolves believe this is their year. They got to the semifinals. It's the next stepping stone after beating Hamilton in the regular season for the first time. Bryce Perkins, Chase Lucas and Co. are ready to change the perception from talent factory to a state champion. A good indicator will be the opener against Centennial, although the Coyotes have lost some luster in recent years. Richard Taylor will have Centennial back in position, but if the Wolves are good as expected, a score similar to last season (41-21) might be in the offing.

Aug. 29: Chaparral (Scottsdale) at Saguaro (Scottsdale)
This one has been wrought with controversy, great players and offensive showdowns over the years. The old bitter days of Charlie Ragle-John Sanders are over, but this game is still one that grabs attention every year. These two annual contenders in Division II (Chaparral) and Division III (Saguaro) will trade blows with some of the state's top players.

Sept. 19: Chandler at Mountain Pointe (Phoenix)
When this game comes around, the hype will be that it's a state championship preview. Hopefully it will be more competitive than last year, when the Pride rolled 38-14 at Chandler despite the fact quarterback Antonio Hinojosa started slow and Wesley Payne hurt his elbow and never returned. Surely the Wolves remember it all too well, and will be ready to try and knock the Pride off their lofty perch. The speedy defense did a job of containing Perkins last season until he piled on some yardage after the game was essentially decided. Not sure the ASU commit can be slowed like that again by a whole new defensive backfield.

Sept. 19: Miami at Globe
This one may not have much of an impact in the big picture, but it is the 100th meeting between two very proud programs that crosses family bloodlines. The battle for the Copper Kettle trophy is a classic and it will be made special this year as the teams will wear 1920s uniforms.

Sept. 26: Mountain Pointe at Hamilton (Chandler)
The combatants of the last two Division I state title games meet once again. The Pride have taken over the momentum in this series, having won the last two regular-season meetings and last year's state title game. Can they keep it rolling and extend it to four wins in the last five? No one has had that kind of success against Hamilton. The Huskies have won 59 in a row at home, so a loss at Hamilton would be awfully rare. Mountain Pointe will have just played Chandler, so the Pride will either be really confident or fighting to keep it from becoming a losing streak.

Oct. 2: Chandler at Hamilton
This one always rocks despite the fact Hamilton has only lost once in the history of the matchup. This might be the first time since Year One that the Huskies are considered No. 3 in the preseason rankings, and you better believe Steve Belles is loving it. He will make sure the Huskies know full well that their rival Wolves are considered the more talented team. Of course, talent hasn't always translated into wins. Caleb Peart (a Vanderbilt commit at LB) is one of the known quantities for the Huskies and he will anchor the defense. But by October, there will be plenty of Hamilton stars.

Oct. 2: Centennial (Peoria) at Deer Valley (Glendale)
Perennial Division II champion Centennial had its season derailed in the state quarterfinals by a Deer Valley team that rallied around some controversy that had their playoff eligibility in limbo for a bit. Centennial brings back two-way stud Dedrick Young, who might have trouble getting loose against the Deer Valley defense led by Brian Calhoun.

Oct. 10: Show Low at Blue Ridge (Lakeside)
The central figure — Moro — maybe gone, but these two programs (and the towns that come to a standstill) will continue to form one of the most anticipated games. Show Low's Randy Ricedorf runs one of the state's top programs and new Blue Ridge coach Jake Belshe will bring a fresh voice to a program that could win eight games in a down year.

Oct. 23: Pinnacle (Phoenix) at Horizon (Scottsdale)
This matchup is between two of the state's top offenses that just might put last year's 49-39 win by Pinnacle to shame. If the defenses let the game get away, the records for combined points and total yards might be in jeopardy with both triggermen — Pinnacle's Brian Lewerke and Horizon's Dalton Sneed — back running the show.

Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothill News staff writer, is a 19-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.