NOTE: This weekly football preview primarily 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

High school football remains a hot commodity in Arizona entering Week 2.

Temperatures still are in the triple digits, so bring plenty of water or replenishing drink when you watch your favorite teams.

Will it be a laborious Labor Day weekend or glorious? Here are some of the area’s top games on Friday night (Sept. 2) . . .

Round Valley at St. Johns – This has all the flavor of a state-championship game. Former St. Johns star Marcus Bell returns to his home field as the coach – gasp! – of the Redskins’ heated rival.

Anthem Boulder Creek vs. Phoenix Brophy Prep at Phoenix College – Boulder Creek opened the season by scoring 48 points against Cave Creek Cactus Shadows, but producing at the same rate this week won’t be nearly as easy against a Brophy team that kept Glendale Mountain Ridge off the board.

Peoria Centennial at Goodyear Millennium – Centennial wants to prove it is one of the top teams in Division II and Millennium wants to prove it belongs after an opening win over a pretty good team from Laveen Betty H. Fairfax.

Surprise Willow Canyon at Surprise Valley Vista – The battle for neighborhood bragging rights comes early. Willow Canyon suffered a tough loss to speedy Glendale Deer Valley in its opener and Valley Vista took care of Phoenix Trevor Browne.

Cottonwood Mingus at Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain – Both teams fell in their openers, Mingus to Lakeside Blue Ridge and Bradshaw Mountain to Prescott, but this one also is a tough rivalry game.

Prescott at Glendale Deer Valley – New Prescott coach Steve Moran got off on the right foot in his opener with a win over Bradshaw Mountain, and Joe Kersting led his Deer Valley team past Willow Canyon. These two are looking like possible dark-horse candidates.

Ganado at Chinle – Both reservation schools got big wins in Week 1 – Ganado over Sanders Valley and Chinle over Kayenta Monument Valley. There should be plenty of offense in this one.

Cave Creek Cactus Shadows at Phoenix Pinnacle – Cactus Shadows will attempt to rebound from a loss at Boulder Creek, while Pinnacle wants to improve after its opening win over Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor.

Phoenix St. Mary’s at Glendale Ironwood – Can St. Mary’s continue to build on its opening-night win over Phoenix North? Ironwood, a winner over Glendale Independence, will be a more formidable opponent.

Camp Verde at Payson – This game between opening-night winners could be as hard-hitting as any in the state. Players from these communities have a certain rugged toughness about them.

Peoria Sunrise Mountain at Buckeye Verrado – Verrado’s defense, which keyed an 18-13 win over Glendale Copper Canyon last week, will need to play even better against a Sunrise Mountain team that put 46 points on the board in a win over Phoenix Greenway.