NOTE: This high school football advance for games of Aug. 26 covers the area from north Scottsdale west through Phoenix, the southwest and northwest Valley, northwest Arizona, northern Arizona and northeast Arizona, including Native American communities.

By Don Ketchum

Here we go!

The first full night of high school football, becoming seemingly earlier each by the year, kicks off on Friday night (Aug. 26), 2011-style.

Quite a few interesting openers are on the slate, most starting before the sun goes down in triple-digit temperatures. So make sure players, coaches, band members and fans are hydrated.

Here are some of the games worth noting (new division and section in parentheses) . . .

Goodyear Desert Edge (Division III, Section III) at Phoenix Thunderbird (D III, S III) – This is a rematch of last year’s Class 4A Division II semifinal, won by eventual state champion Thunderbird in two overtimes. The opener obviously does not have as much at stake, but the teams want to start the season on the right foot against a quality opponent.

Phoenix Horizon (Division II, Section III) at Phoenix North Canyon (D I, S III) – Horizon is in the same section as Scottsdale Chaparral and Tempe Marcos de Niza, so the team wants to show it is capable of challenging them. North Canyon, with a new coach in former Chaparral defensive coordinator Conrad Hamilton, is certain to be at an emotional fever pitch.

Cottonwood Mingus (Division IV, Section III) at Lakeside Blue Ridge (D IV , S I) – Expect a playoff-type atmosphere for this game between Blue Ridge, a perennial contender in the old Class 3A, and Mingus, always a factor in the old Class 4A Division II. Two of the state’s top coaches match wits – Blue Ridge’s Paul Moro and Mingus’ Bob Young.

St. Johns (Division V, Section I) at Show Low (D IV, S I) – St. Johns, a powerhouse in the old Class 2A, has its work cut out for it. The Redskins must avoid looking to Week 2 and a game against Round Valley, now coached by former St. Johns star player Marcus Bell, and doing so against a Show Low team licking its wounds from a narrow 28-26 loss to Moapa Valley, Nev., in last week’s Sollenberger Classic. Show Low was the Class 3A champ in 2010.

Cave Creek Cactus Shadows (Division II, Section III) at Anthem Boulder Creek (D I, S III) – Cactus Shadows, which threw the ball seemingly every play under former coach Chad DeGrenier, should offer more balance under new field boss Greg Davis. Coach Dan Friedman’s Boulder Creek team has a lot of talent and the aggressiveness to match.

Mesa Red Mountain (Division I, Section III) at Avondale Westview (D I, S I) – Ron Wisniewski had a year for his players to get used to his system a year ago in his first season guiding Red Mountain, and now the Mountain Lions must step up and contend. Receiver Marcus Brantley brings over some impressive credentials with his transfer from Gilbert, but does Red Mountain have anyone who can get him the ball on a consistent basis? Westview should continue to pound the ball on the ground as it has done virtually every year since the program began. Coach Jeff Bowen’s Knights have become quite good at it.

Glendale Apollo (Division II, Section I) at Peoria (D III, S II) – Peoria seems to have some of the best all-around athletes every year, and they better be ready to figure out a way to stop Apollo quarterback Jonathan Brown.

Goodyear Millennium (Division II, Section I) at Laveen Betty H. Fairfax (D II, S I) – Quietly, slowly and surely, Tim Belcher has built a strong program that reached the playoffs for the first time last year. Is the team now ready for a breakout season?  It is led by defensive lineman Dwight Melvin, who has committed to play for Arizona State. Millennium should have one of the most productive offenses in its history. Quarterback Chad Hons, son of former ASU quarterback Todd Hons, is the leader.

Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain (Division II, Section III) at Prescott (D II, S III) – Might as well start off with a rock ’em, sock ’em  rivalry game. Same region, same section? Perfect. This likely will be a defensive struggle. Steve Moran is the new coach at Prescott.

Phoenix Paradise Valley (Division III, Section III) at Scottsdale Saguaro (D III, S III) – Paradise Valley probably would rather play someone other than perennial powerhouse Saguaro to start things off, but it is what it is. You never know what can happen. Saguaro features one of the state’s top players in receiver-running back-defensive back D.J. Foster.

Glendale Mountain Ridge (Division I, Section III) vs. Phoenix Brophy Prep (D I, S III) at Phoenix College – In its last game of 2010, Mountain Ridge had the lead against Brophy in the first round of the playoffs, but fell victim to a rally. Can “The Ridge’’ avoid a similar fate here? Brophy had a group of young players last season, and now they are older and they hope wiser. Quarterback Tyler Bruggman, now a junior, injured his ankle midway through the season and now will see how it responds under fire.

Buckeye (Division IV, Section III) at Phoenix Cortez (D IV, S III) – Buckeye coach Bobby Barnes is the perennial optimist, and says this year’s team has the potential to be one of the best since he has been at the school. We’ll see if the Hawks can come through for him. Coach Jeff Huelster’s Cortez team now is in a division/section that should allow it to be more competitive. The first order of business, however, is putting an end to a losing streak that has reached 27 games.

Phoenix St. Mary’s (Division I, Section I) at Phoenix North (D I, S I) – The ghosts of Knights past, wearing the famed yellow playoff pants, are beckoning. But this is not the program it once was. St. Mary’s is playing in a division that should allow it to make a playoff run under new coach Todd Williamson. A win at North, a school around the corner, would boost the Knights’ spirits. Defense will be a strength for North, led by new coach Bob Chappelle.

Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor (Division I, Section III) at Phoenix Pinnacle (D I, S III) – The good news for SDO is that the team had an outstanding 11-1 season for coach John Rodriguez in 2010. What isn’t so good is that most of the players are gone. That leaves Rodriguez to see if he can plug the right players into the right spots. Doing so against Pinnacle will not be an easy task. Pinnacle is now at the top level after playing in Class 5A Division II last season. Pinnacle showed some promise in the Fiesta Bowl 7 on 7 passing tournament this summer. We’ll see if coach Dana Zupke can mix that with a defense that needs to play more consistently than its predecessors.