High school season will open with east-side showdown between Sabino and Sahuaro

The first high school football game in Arizona this season will be the compelling neighborhood rivalry, Jay Campos’ Sabino Sabercats versus Scott McKee’s Sahuaro Cougars on Thursday, August 18, at Sabino, 7:30 p.m. It is the feature game in Tucson’s annual Coaches for Charity Kickoff Classic. Former Arizona All-Pac-12 linebacker and NFL Pro Bowl standout Lance Briggs will be the keynote speaker at the Saturday, Aug. 13 luncheon, at noon at the DoubleTree Hotel. Coaches from Sabino, Sahuaro, Sunnyside, Pueblo, Rincon, Tucson, Nogales and Buena will be featured at the luncheon. Ticket information: coachesforcharity.org. Two more early games of the must-watch group: Dennis Bene’s Salpointe Catholic Lancers will host Mountain View on August 26. That’s the same night Jeff Scurran’s Catalina Foothills Falcons open at home against Tempe High School.