Saturday’s 7^th annual Sollenberger Classic tends to mark the start of Arizona’s high school football season, but the 2012-13 season officially kicks off Thursday when a veteran program meets a new member.

Host Phoenix Bourgade Catholic and first-year Arizona Interscholastic Association school Mesa Sequoia Charter get to welcome in the new season first. A good cause led the teams to move their game from Friday to Thursday.

Bourgade Catholic’s annual blood drive is held on Friday. One of the state’s highly-respected teachers, coach Pat Lavin, is in charge of a Bourgade Catholic team that’s young but better than it was at this point last year, when it only won two games.

After five successful years playing 8-man football in the Charter Athletic Association, Sequoia Charter is making the jump to 11-man in its first year with the AIA. Sequoia Charter participated in three CAA state championships and had a winning record in each of its five seasons.

Head coach Justin Fox has worked with Sequoia Charter’s football program since its opened. He returns 18 players from last year’s 7-3 team and has 34 players on his roster.

“We are definitely excited about our first game,” Fox said. “We are also obviously nervous. We want to make sure we make a good impression.”