By Don Ketchum

Coming soon to a professional football stadium near you -- Josh Weeks, one of the most sure-handed  high school receivers in Arizona history.

Weeks’ talents will be on display on Saturday (Aug. 20) at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, when he and his Show Low teammates play in the first of two games of the Sollenberger Classic.

The Cougars, who captured the Class 3A championship in 2010, will face Moapa Valley, Nev., at 3 p.m., followed by a contest between Scottsdale Chaparral and Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m.

“Being invited to play in the Cardinals’ stadium and everything that comes with it is a real honor,’’ said Weeks, named this week to the MaxPreps preseason All-America team. “Our team is looking forward to it. We want to show that even though Show Low is a smaller school, that we are capable of playing with almost anybody.’’

At Show Low, football is a community project.

“We get a lot of support from people in the area,’’ Weeks said. “We have a big fan base. I have teachers coming up to me at school asking what time our games are. And it’s a fan base that likes to travel. So we should have a lot of people there.’’

Included are members of Weeks’ family. Some of his brothers and sisters live in the Valley.

Is there enough family to rope off an entire section?

“Yeah, maybe,’’ Weeks said, laughing.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior has been frustrating opponents since he stepped on the field as a freshman. He came in as a quarterback, but the Cougars already had Rathen Ricedorff, a strong-armed kid who was a year older.

Weeks’ all-around athletic ability prompted Show Low coach Randy Ricedorff, Rathen’s father, to suggest that Weeks move to wide receiver.

Weeks said he wasn’t quite sure at first, “but I put my trust in him (coach). Everything has worked out great.’’

Rathen Ricedorff and Weeks became best friends, not to mention one of the most prolific passing combinations in state history.

Rathen Ricedorff recently departed to serve a two-year mission for the Mormon Church, and Weeks will follow next year. When Weeks’ mission is complete, he will play for Brigham Young University, the alma mater of his parents.

“I have wanted to play for them ever since I can remember,’’ Weeks said. “I’ve gone to a lot of their camps.’’

Weeks has 149 career catches for 3,311 yards and 41 touchdowns, all among the leading numbers for Arizona’s 11-man classifications.

He won’t have Rathen Ricedorff throwing to him now, so Weeks has been working hard over the summer with Ricedorff’s successor, junior Zach Winn.

“Rathen did a lot in tutoring Zach, telling him about throwing the ball, laying it out there deep, going over some of the little things,’’ Weeks said. “It was kind of a rough transition at first, but things have been getting better and better.’’

Among the reasons for Weeks’ success, he said, “is that I am able to run solid, crisp routes, so the quarterback knows where I’m going to be. I just try to be smart and play smart. I like to think that I am capable of changing the momentum of a game at any time.’’

He also plays cornerback and is on all the kicking teams, so that means he rarely comes off the field. That’s just the way he wants it.

“I’m going to be a receiver in college, but this gives me one last shot at trying to help our team in any way I can,’’ he said.

Weeks and his teammates are playing in new Division IV, Section I, which includes rival Lakeside Blue Ridge, which Show Low defeated for the final 3A title. The new division/section also features such teams as Snowflake, Winslow, Page and Kayenta Monument Valley.

“We know we have a target on our back,’’ Weeks said. “Everybody is going to be gunning for us. We can be a team that is capable of winning the title every year. We know that teams will be bringing their “A’ game, but so will we. They really want to beat us. We win a lot of games because we outwork the other team.’’