Some rivalries get after it as we turn into Week 3 of the Arizona high school football season.

To get this far for those who have yet to be impacted by COVID-19 is a big accomplishment. Some teams have had to go without a game for two weeks, while quarantining.

Scottsdale Chaparral has yet to play a game this season and will be 0-0 heading into Week 4 after two players tested positive for the virus two days before it was supposed to open at Scottsdale Saguaro.

Let’s run down the top 10 games for Week 3:

1. Comeback kids

Queen Creek (2-0) at Queen Creek Casteel (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

This is a great matchup of well-coached, resilient teams that feature future major college players. Queen Creek has one of the better defenses with great linebacker and safety tandems. Casteel had to rally late to win its last two games with UCLA commit Isaiah Newcombe coming through in the clutch.

2. In the neighborhood

Peoria Sunrise Mountain (2-0) at Peoria Liberty (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

The schools are less than two miles apart with almost everybody in the community knowing each other. It makes it one of the greatest rivalries in Arizona, even with Liberty now in 6A and Sunrise Mountain in 5A. Not much separates them. The only thing missing from this one will be the overflow crowd with COVID-restricted crowds.

3. Championship rematch

Peoria Centennial (1-1) at Gilbert Williams Field (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Centennial bounced back nicely from a Week 1 42-0 loss at Chandler Hamilton by shutting out Phoenix Mountain Pointe 37-0 last week. This is a strong offensive line that will try to keep Williams Field’s potent offense, led by RB Kaden Cloud and WR Myles Taylor, off the field. This is a rematch of the 2016 5A championship game that Williams Field won 14-6.

4. Rivalry in making

Mesa Desert Ridge (1-1) at Gilbert Higley (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Desert Ridge has been looking forward to this game for a long time. Several of Desert Ridge’s top football players a few years ago transferred to Higley, which has been growing strong under coach Eddy Zubey. This is a game Higley needs after seeing a lead slip away late to Casteel last week.

5. Champions battle

American Leadership Queen Creek (2-0) at Gilbert Mesquite (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

These teams both won their conference titles last year with ALA-QC capturing 3A and Mesquite rallying to win the 4A crown. Mesquite is led by QB Ty Thompson, who wasn’t quite able to get his team over the hump after it had dug itself a huge first-half hole to Sunrise Mountain.

6. Brown derby

Mesa Red Mountain (1-1) at Mesa Mountain View (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

This is the annual battle for Brown Road in Mesa. Mountain View coach Mike Fell won his first taste of the Brown Road battle in his first year as head coach in 2016. But since then, Red Mountain has won every year. And now the Lions are hungry after a getting shut out by a fire-up Liberty team that had gotten beat badly by Chandler in Week 1.

7. Milestone game

St. Johns (0-1) at Holbrook (0-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

This should be the game that gives St. Johns coach Mike Morgan the all-time state wins record by himself. He came into the season with 336 career wins, tied for the most all-time in Arizona with Paul Moro, who died in January 2019. St. Johns has had two weeks to think about this historic moment.

8. White Mountains rising

Snowflake (2-0) at Lakeside Blue Ridge (1-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

The White Mountains giants are back with Snowflake and Blue Ridge leading the way. A very good Snowflake defense could be challenged by dual-threat quarterback P.J. London, son of head coach Bob London.

9. Learning curve

Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep (2-0) at Glendale Mountain Ridge (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Mountain Ridge might be a year away with a loaded sophomore class, led by QB Brendan Anderson and WR Deric English. They found out hard it will be against good teams last week in a loss to Desert Ridge. They’ll see maybe an even tougher defense in the Saints, who are led by ends J.D. Roberts and Brady Blessing.

10. West Valley drama

Goodyear Desert Edge (2-0) at Glendale Cactus (1-1), Saturday, 7 p.m.

These are two of the best West Valley programs with Desert Edge relying on a potent, balanced offense, led by QB Adryan Lara, WR Andrew Patterson and RB Jeryll Mcintosh. Cactus will get better in two weeks when key transfers become eligible. But it made a big bounce-back statement last week in a 43-0 rout of rival Peoria.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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