For those who anxiously awaited the release of the 2020 schedule for Arizona high school football, the wait is finally over.
Teams began releasing their schedules on social media this week and while there is still no guarantee of a season taking place, it gave players, coaches and fans something to look forward to.
Not every schedule has officially been announced, but there’s enough to establish a list of some of the top games taking place involving East Valley teams. This will be an ongoing series for each conference.
With that said, here’s a breakdown of some of the top East Valley games in the 6A Conference.
Week 1 (Aug. 21)
Chandler at Centennial
Spoiler: Expect to see a lot of Chandler on this list. The Wolves open against a perennial West Valley power in Centennial, a team that won the state title at the highest division in 2015, beating Desert Ridge. This will be the first meeting between Chandler and Centennial since 2014, when the Wolves narrowly escaped with a 28-24 victory.
Williams Field at Higley
Is this the year Higley gets over the hump and beats Williams Field? With Cal-commit Kai Millner under center anything is possible. History, however, favors the Black Hawks. Williams Field is 9-0 against the Higley at the varsity level. This matchup typically brings in a large crowd, as the schools are just miles apart from one another. But that might change due to the ongoing pandemic.
Honorable mention: Perry at Casteel
Week 2 (Aug. 28)
Chandler at JSerra (Calif.)
The status of this matchup is still up in the air due to the uncertainty surrounding sports in California. But should it happen, this will be yet another test for Chandler right out of the gate. JSerra has long been one of the premier programs in California, playing in arguably the toughest high school football conference in the country, the Trinity League. Chandler coach Rick Garretson’s ties to southern California made this game possible on paper. Hopefully, it is able to play out.
Mountain Pointe at Brophy
Now under the direction of Eric Lauer, Mountain Pointe is expected to improve from its 1-9 record in 2019 that was met with turmoil inside the program. But just how much the Pride improve remains to be seen. Mountain Pointe opens the season against a gritty Corona del Sol team then follows it up with a matchup against a tough Brophy squad headed in the right direction under second-year coach Jason Jewell.
Honorable mention: Perry at Desert Vista
Week 3 (Sep. 4)
Skyline at Mountain View
Two teams who at one point had success now trying to find their foothold in the state’s top conference, Skyline is expected to improve in the second year of the George Hawthorne era. Mountain View lost several senior starters, including wideout Cash Clark and running back Deshaun Jackson. The Toros, however, return junior-to-be quarterback Willy Roberts, who played a key role in four games last season.
Pinnacle at Highland
Gage Dayley vs Devon Dampier is a matchup not many expected to see in Week 3, but it’s one everyone will surely be thankful for. Dayley, a soon-to-be junior, and Dampier, a soon-to-be sophomore, are two of the best quarterbacks in their respective classes. Dayley was having a stellar sophomore season before he was derailed by a broken collarbone late in the year. Dampier is the latest to emerge in the Pinnacle quarterback factory, and many believe he has potential to be the best overall. Expect to see plenty of points in this one.
Honorable mention: Franklin (Texas) at Basha
Week 4 (Sep. 11)
Chandler at Liberty
The first-ever meeting between Liberty and Chandler comes after a year in which both were crowned champions. The Lions will be considered underdogs, as most teams will be against Chandler, especially considering they are with a new coach and several new starters. This matchup once again brings a challenge to the Wolves, who by this point in the season will already be battle-tested.
Chaparral at Saguaro
It would be a travesty to keep these two schools apart, especially after the performance both put on last season. Chaparral outplayed Saguaro in the first half of last season’s game with sophomore Brayton Silbor under center for the injured Jack Miller. Against arguably the top secondary in the country, Silbor passed for 301 yards despite the loss. Silbor now steps in as the starter for Chaparral while either Xander Werner or Ridge Docekal take over for Saguaro.
Honorable mention: Brophy at Notre Dame
Week 5 (Sep. 18)
Notre Dame at Chandler
Remember when I said Notre Dame, despite being in the 5A Conference, appeared on several 6A schedules? I wasn’t kidding. Another first-ever meeting for the Saints comes against the reigning Open Division champion.
Desert Vista at Highland
This game came down to the wire last year as Desert Vista narrowly escaped with a victory after a failed two-point conversion. Both Daniel Wood and Tyson Grubbs ran all over the opposing defenses, rushing for nearly five yards a carry. Both teams return talented running backs in Max Davis and Devon Grubbs.
Honorable mention: Williams Field at Queen Creek
Week 6 (Sep. 25)
Centennial at Williams Field
Speaking of rivalries renewed. While Williams Field and Centennial don’t have a ton of history in terms of matchups, they two have played for a state title. The Black Hawks prevailed of the Coyotes in 2016, capping off an undefeated season. This matchup will surely draw a large crowd, should it be allowed.
Desert Ridge at Higley
Remember when Higley was initially moved to 6A and Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock extended the offer to Higley coach Eddy Zubey to play each other in 2020? Well, it’s happening. These two have history, but not in the way you may think. Higley has been a popular destination for Desert Ridge transfers, including Jason Harris, Isaiah Eastman and Matt Purnell. If that weren’t enough, the quarterback matchup between Kai Millner and Austin Kolb is must-see football.
Honorable mention: Desert Vista at Basha
Week 7 (Oct. 2)
Highland at Perry
For the first time since 2017, Preston Jones will face the school he once coached. Both teams should know where they stand at this point in terms of making a run toward the Open of 6A Conference playoffs. But the lure of Highland and Perry, two schools separated by 10 miles, finally facing one another makes this game standout.
Hamilton at Helix (Calif.)
Hamilton is expected to be even better than last year’s team that nearly knocked off Chandler at the end of the regular season and Saguaro in the Open Division semifinals. Led by Nicco Marchiol, a transfer from Colorado and the top passer in the 2022 class, the Huskies will look to make a statement against a Helix team that knocked off nationally ranked Cathedral Catholic last year on its way to the California 1-AA semifinals.
Honorable mention: Desert Ridge at Red Mountain
Week 8 (Oct. 9)
Centennial at Hamilton
This is the bye week for several teams in the 6A Conference, as most are on fall break. However, Centennial and Hamilton plan to bless fans with yet another high-caliber matchup with Open Division implications. It’s hard to imagine Centennial not wanting payback after Hamilton ended the Coyotes season in the Open Division quarterfinals.
Chaparral at Liberty
A rematch of the game that likely was the difference in Chaparral making the Open Division. The Firebirds, led by the heroics from Jack Miller, won thanks to a last-second touchdown pass. The rematch between these two programs, with several new starters, will likely be yet another historic meeting.
Honorable mention: Desert Vista at Granite Hills (Calif.)
Week 9 (Oct. 16)
Hamilton at Highland
The two have split the series the last two seasons, with Highland winning in 2018 and Hamilton in 2019 in the form of a key defensive stop. The meeting between these two will once again be one of the top games of the week thanks to a pair of talented quarterbacks.
Casteel at Chaparral
If one thing can be made clear this year, it’s the season of firsts. For the first time, Casteel and Chaparral will face off in what is yet another matchup between two great quarterbacks in Brayton Silbor and Dane Christiensen. Couple that with a pair of stellar wideouts in Isaiah Newcombe and Max Minor and it will be an offensive show. Not to mention, Jared Williams returns as one of the most underrated running backs in the state for the Firebirds.
Honorable mention: Higley at Perry
Week 10 (Oct. 23)
Chandler at Highland
Finally, a rematch of the 2018 semifinal that to this day I claim to be the best game I have ever seen. The Wolves ran a play developed when current Highland coach Brock Farrel was an assistant at Chandler called "Manapua." Could we see Garretson break it out for old times’ sake against one of his good friends? We’ll see.
Red Mountain at Williams Field
Both teams have been had their success in recent years, including in 2019 when both made it to their respective conference championship game. This could very well be a preview for the 6A title game should both not be in contention for the Open.
Honorable mention: Chaparral at Centennial
Week 11 (Oct. 30)
Hamilton at Chandler
This has all the makings for a potential preview for the Open Division championship game. Both teams are expected to be among the top-eight teams in the state, as both return an enormous amount of talent on both sides of the ball. It’ll be hard to top last year’s meeting, but this could go down as one of the best games in the history of the rivalry.
Desert Vista at Mountain Pointe
For the first time since 2008, the Tukee Bowl will be played in the final week of the regular season. In my opinion, that’s how it should be. Barring crowd restrictions due to COVID-19, this game has potential to once again have overflow crowds similar to when both programs were at their peak a few years ago. Not to mention, this could have major playoff implications.
Some of the best games of the year were truly saved for the last week of the season. Honorable mention(s): Casteel at Red Mountain, Williams Field at Brophy, Queen Creek at Desert Ridge, Highland at Higley, Perry at Basha.
