A look at Friday’s local prep football games.

5A-I

Mesa (0-0) at Horizon (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 5601 E. Greenway Road, Scottsdale

Key matchup: Mesa nose guard Pasiaka Fahina is a beast on the line, and Horizon must keep him contained.

Key stat: Zero. The amount of points Mesa gave up in last year’s 27-point win against Horizon, but also the number of returning offensive starters for Mesa.

The intrigue: Mesa was a playoff team last season and Horizon went 2-8, but the Huskies return many of their best players while the Jackrabbits lost a lot from last year. This game could be closer than people think.

No. 4 Mountain View (0-0) at Highland (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 4301 E. Guadalupe Road, Gilbert

Key matchup: Defense is where each school has most experience. Expect the better defense to determine the winner in the Toros’ opener and the Hawks first legitimate test.

Key stat: Highland rushed for 208 yards in its opener and didn’t have to throw much with new quarterback Drew Davis at the helm.

The intrigue: Pay close attention to the running backs in this one. Both teams will shuttle lots of them in and out. The Toros are less experienced up front on offense in this matchup.

Casa Grande (0-0) at Westwood (0-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 945 W. 8th St., Mesa

Key matchup: Westwood’s ground game vs. Casa Grande’s defense. Getting off three plays from scrimmage in a quarter is too much of a handicap for a team. Warriors need more plays like they had in the second quarter vs. Gilbert last week.

Key stat: Westwood quarterback Marshall Davis was better than his 13-of-26 passing effort for 106 yards and a TD vs. Gilbert. Also scrambled and bought time effectively with his feet.

The intrigue: Like most teams on opening night, a lot of improvement is needed and expected. The Warriors need to catch the ball better on offense and tighten up the coverage in the secondary.

No. 3 Desert Vista (0-0) at Gilbert (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 1101 E. Elliot Road, Gilbert

Key matchup: Desert Vista brings an experienced, but banged up defense into its season opener. Gilbert may be hard-pressed to produce another 419 yards of offense in this sterner test against last year’s 5A-I state runner-up.

Key stat: Brantley’s five-reception, 146-yard effort last week was impressive. Every Brantley catch was good for 10 yards or more.

The intrigue: Gilbert displayed some offensive balance although it would help to have more than just Brantley haul in a pass. He will demand attention from the Thunder’s secondary.

Chandler (0-0) at Ironwood (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 6051 W. Sweetwater Ave., Glendale

Key matchup: Expect Chandler’s speed to overwhelm the host Eagles, who were 4-7 last year. Ironwood beat just one playoff team last season: No. 16 seed Avondale La Joya.

Key stat: Chandler rolled to 50-7 win last year, amassing a 36-7 lead at halftime.

The intrigue: It’s a chance to see what a new stable of Chandler skill players can do along with the running back duo of Bryce Lamb and Jamil Hines.

Mountain Pointe (0-0) at César Chavez (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 3921 W. Baseline Road, Laveen

Key matchup: The Pride have new players at the skill positions from an offense which put up 30 points last year on the Champions, so we’ll see how much has changed at César Chavez under Jim Rattay.

Key stat: Mountain Pointe has won both of its season-openers (vs. César Chavez, Westwood) under Phil Abbadessa.

The intrigue: Former Pride quarterback Brandon Cluff is now the quarterback at César Chavez.

Mesquite (0-0) at Desert Mountain (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 12575 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale

Key matchup: Each team’s confidence. Mesquite improved drastically as 2007 progressed and reached the playoffs. Desert Mountain feels its on the verge of a postseason berth for the first time in a decade.

Key stat: Desert Mountain is 1-2 vs. Mesquite this decade, last winning in 2003, 14-0. They have never been in the same region despite Desert Mountain’s nomadic past.

The intrigue: Both teams need fast starts in the early schedule before the gauntlet of region play hits. Can the Wolves take another step and beat a solid opponent?

Boulder Creek (0-0) at St. Mary’s (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 1202 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix (Phoenix College)

Key matchup: If the Knights’ new split-back offense can give the team an early two-possession lead, Boulder Creek will have a difficult time catching up.

Key stat: The Knights opened last season 0-4 en route to a 3-7 campaign.

The intrigue: A new era begins at St. Mary’s under new coach Eddy Zubey. It’ll be rough for a while, but the Knights have every opportunity to win against a team they lost to 23-20 on the road in last year’s opener.

Salpointe Catholic (0-0) at Basha (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 5990 S. Val Vista Drive, Chandler

Key matchup: New passing game? Not yet. The Bears ran for 330 yards against Sierra Vista Buena last Friday.

Key stat: Basha scored all 21 of its points in the second half in last season’s win against the Lancers.

The intrigue: Even Bears coach Tim McBurney acknowledged the Bears will get a better gauge of his squad after tonight. The Lancers are big and physical up front. Can the smaller Bears play the same way?

Dobson (0-1) at Buena (0-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 5225 Buena School Blvd., Sierra Vista

Key matchup: Both schools will try to get the offense untracked and defense to be stingier after blowout losses in Week One.

Key stat: Dobson managed just 123 yards of offense and committed five turnovers in its opener at home vs. Corona del Sol.

The intrigue: It’s important for Dobson to gain confidence from this game with Chandler and Hamilton the next two games on the schedule.

5A-II

No. 4 Desert Ridge (0-0) at Centennial (0-0)

Address: 14388 N 79th Ave, Peoria

Time: 7 p.m.

Key matchup: Centennial found a way to all but stop Desert Ridge’s high-flying offense last season, giving up an average of four points in two games between the teams. The Jaguars will need to find holes in a tough defense.

Key stat: 6-0. Centennial’s lead against Desert Ridge at halftime of last year’s season opener, before the Coyotes piled on for the win.

The intrigue: Desert Ridge is attempting to climb into the 5A-II’s elite, and even a win here might not be needed. Keeping it close without running back Chris Heldore (foot injury) will be a moral victory and confidence boost.

No. 5 Skyline (0-0) at Valley Vista (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 15550 N. Parkview Place, Surprise

Key matchup: Skyline running back Tommy Brown should have a field day against the Valley Vista defense.

Key stat: Valley Vista had it’s first varsity win last week, beating Verrado 57-0. Valley Vista went 0-10 last year in its inaugural varsity campaign.

The intrigue: Skyline beat up Valley Vista by 66 points last year, and this should be another easy one.

No. 2 Marcos de Niza (0-0) at Marana Mountain View (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 3901 W Linda Vista Blvd., Tucson

Key matchup: Ramon Abreu will get his first turn as Marcos’ starting running back against a defense that Harrison Evens shredded last season.

Key stat: Abreu had a banner defensive game against Mountain View last season, totaling 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The intrigue: The Padres must find some playmakers on offense after losing Evens and quarterback David Viel.

Ironwood Ridge (0-0) at Pinnacle (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 3535 East Mayo Blvd., Phoenix

Key matchup: Can Ironwood Ridge slow down Taylor Stib? Stib ran for 118 yards on just 12 carries in last year’s season-opener.

Key stat: Zero. The number of passes thrown by any prospective Pinnacle quarterback heading into the game after the graduation of Evan Johnson.

The intrigue: Pinnacle is breaking in plenty of new pieces, and the team is a bit of a wild card this season. This game will be used as a nice early barometer of the squad’s talent.

4A-I

Agua Fria (0-0) at Apache Junction (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 2525 S Ironwood, Apache Junction

Key matchup: The Agua Fria defense against a new AJ option attack that put up 68 points last week against Flagstaff Sinagua.

Key stat: Apache Junction running back Shane McCullen ran for 213 yards against Agua Fria last season, but the Prospectors still lost.

The intrigue: In a brutal Desert Sky Region, Apache Junction must win as many nonregion games as possible, and this should be a good one.

Cienega (1-0) at No. 2 Chaparral (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 6935 E Gold Dust Ave., Scottsdale

Key matchup: Cienega quarterback Seth Mejias-Brean is a dual threat who Chaparral will need to find a way to control.

Key stat: Chaparral trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter but rallied to beat Cienega in overtime last season.

The intrigue: Both teams feel like they are state championship material. The Firebirds have the superior talent, but that doesn’t always translate.

No. 1 Saguaro (0-0) at Prescott (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 1050 N. Ruth Street, Prescott

Key matchup: With little depth and many players playing offense and defense, it will be interesting to see how Saguaro holds up in the thinner air and unknown territory of Prescott.

Key stat: 19. Saguaro’s win streak heading into this season.

The intrigue: Cole Rarrick gets his first meaningful snaps under center as Saguaro begins the post-Tim Ruben era.

Sandra Day O’Connor (0-0) at No. 4 Paradise Valley (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 3950 E. Bell Road, Phoenix

Key matchup: Sandra Day O’Connor gave up nearly 200 combined yards to running backs Jake Brown and Tyree Parker, and both running backs return. Slowing them down is a must.

Key stat: Sandra Day was the only team to hold Paradise Valley under 20 points in a game last year beside state champion Saguaro. The Trojans won the contest 17-0.

The intrigue: Paradise Valley thinks it can compete for a state title and would love to hit the ground running.

McClintock (0-0) at Sunnyslope (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 35 West Dunlap Ave., Phoenix

Key matchup: McClintock’s defense is young, but so is Ben Maraz, Sunnyslope’s sophomore quarterback.

Key stat: The Chargers scored 38 points in last year’s win over Sunnyslope, the second-highest point total of the season.

The intrigue: Sophomore running back Anthony Shivers gets his first taste of varsity action for McClintock.

4A-II

Arcadia (0-0) at Dysart (0-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 11425 N. Dysart Road, El Mirage

Key matchup: Will Dysart have any answer for Arcadia’s proficient pass-catch combo of Colby Kirkegaard and David Carroll, which hooked up 42 times for 603 yards last season?

Key stat: Dysart compiled less than 200 yards of total offense in its season opener.

The intrigue: Arcadia is typically strong out of the gate. It hasn’t lost a season opener since 2003.

No. 5 Higley (0-0) at Cactus Shadows (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 5802 E Dove Valley Road, Scottsdale

Key matchup: The defenses dominated last year’s matchup, a 7-6 Cactus Shadows win, and with both teams adjusting to new offenses that may be the case again.

Key stat: Higley is 0-4 against Cactus Shadows the past three years.

The intrigue: Can Higley finally end its drought against the team it lost to in the 2006 4A-II title game?

No. 3 Queen Creek (0-0) at No. 2 Mingus (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 1801 East Fir St., Cottonwood

Key matchup: Mingus had only 148 yards of total offense last week. If Queen Creek’s defense can hold the Marauders to around the same total, this one should be a nail bitter.

Key stat: Mingus has won 17 consecutive regular season games.

The intrigue: Early season bragging rights for the second best team in 4A-II will be on the line in this one.

Copper Canyon (0-0) at Seton Catholic (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: Mesa Community College, 1833 W Southern Ave.

Key matchup: Copper Canyon’s secondary will have to be on its toes all game long. Seton threw for 353 yards last week while completing less than 50 percent of its passes (16 of 33).

Key stat: Last year’s meeting went to Copper Canyon, 43-7.

The intrigue: Seton’s returners would like nothing more than revenge after last year’s blowout on the road. Will playing on their designated home field prove to be an advantage?

Tempe (0-0) at Moon Valley (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 3625 W Cactus Road, Phoenix

Key matchup: Tempe’s offensive line will be relied upon heavily to create running lanes against Moon Valley’s 3-3-5 defense.

Key stat: Moon Valley quarterback Marshall Bailey threw for 255 yards in his team’s season opening 20-19 victory over Flagstaff.

The intrigue: The Buffaloes nearly upset the Rockets at home last season. Can they complete the task this time around?

Perry (1-0) at Tombstone (1-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 1211 Yellowjacket Way, Tombstone

Key matchup: Tombstone’s special teams created many of the opportunities that led to its 55-point outburst in Week 1. Special teams could very likely decide this game.

Key stat: Perry scored two touchdowns of 40 or more yards last week.

The intrigue: Perry faces a bigger, faster and more athletic team than it played in its opener. Will the Pumas be able to adjust to the upgrade in competition?

Desert Edge (0-0) at No. 1 Notre Dame (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Road

Key matchup: Notre Dame’s experience, 17 returning starters, vs. Desert Edge’s speed. Many of the Scorpions players were members of last year’s track that took fourth at state.

Key stat: Notre Dame ran away with last year’s game, winning 29-7.

The intrigue: How will the Saints’ passing game fare in the debut of their multi-quarterback system?

2A

No. 3 Scottsdale Christian (0-0) at Tonopah Valley (0-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 38201 W. Indian School Rd., Tonopah

Key matchup: Scottsdale Christian ran for 219 yards in last year’s meeting, on less than five yards per carry. If the passing game can make a few plays, the Eagles may be able to breathe easier this time around.

Key stat: In last year’s 14-7 loss to the Eagles, Tonopah Valley fumbled six times.

The intrigue: Scottsdale Christian should be favored, but they’ve had a difficult time handling Tonopah recently. Why? The Eagles don’t know, but an upset is reasonable if the Eagles don’t fare better on offense.

1A

Tempe Prep (1-0) at Valley Lutheran (0-1)

Time: 7 p.m.

Address: 2217 W. Glendale Ave. (Washington High School)

Key matchup: After scoring 42 points in its opener, Tempe Prep could have another big game going against a team which gave up 59 points in its first game.

Key stat: The Knights’ defense came up with six sacks last week.

The intrigue: This is a rematch of a first-round playoff game from last season, won by Valley Lutheran 22-21 in overtime.