By Don Ketchum

Pack up the hype and save it for another day. It’s time to play football now.

Scottsdale Chaparral and Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, listed among the nation’s top preseason teams by MaxPreps, figure to put on one of the most entertaining games in the six-year history of the Sollenberger Classic when they meet on Saturday (Aug. 20) at 7:30 p.m. at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

The game will be televised nationally on the Fox Sports Networks, including the Phoenix area.

Chaparral won Arizona’s last two Class 5A Division II championships and Bishop Gorman was Nevada’s Class 4A winner in 2010.

Chaparral features a dangerous passing combination of quarterback Connor Brewer and slot/wideout Davonte Neal and a hard-hitting defense led by linebacker Cody Ippolito.

“Right now, it’s the most important game for our program,’’ Ippolito said.

The Firebirds were helped by a scrimmage against Phoenix Desert Vista last week, he said.

“It felt good to hit another team, and we learned a lot. Bishop Gorman is a good team, but we feel we are ready,’’ he said.

Zach Hutchins, a tight end and defensive end for Bishop Gorman, played against Arizona’s Chandler Hamilton in last year’s Sollenberger Classic.

Bishop Gorman fell in that game, but the team learned a lot about playing in high-profile games. The Sollenberger Classic’s profile appears to be rising each year.

“We’ve played in a lot of big games, and I think that helped get us started. We aren’t as nervous,’’ Hutchins said. “We were in the championship game and now we are back here again in this game. We are looking forward to it.’’