​In one of the biggest games of the 2026 Arizona high school football season, Chandler Basha (1-2) plays host to Peoria Liberty (3-0) on Friday, Sept. 18 with major power points involved. Basha and Liberty have combined to win four of the past five Open Division state championships with Basha winning it last year and in ’22, and Liberty going back-to-back in 2023 and ’24.No. 6 Basha (Arizona Republic’s rankings, Liberty is No. 2) was without eight starters in last week’s 40-7 loss at Phoenix Pinnacle. How many will be back this week? That could be a factor in picking the winner.Here is this week’s Arizona high school football schedule (Sept. 17-19). The Republic’s picks to win are in capital letters. All games are 7 p.m., unless noted.6A ConferenceFriday, Sept. 18LIBERTY at BashaCORONA DEL SOL at Cactus CanyonMesa at CENTENNIALALA Queen Creek at CHANDLERSHADOW RIDGE at Desert RidgeCasteel at HAMILTONHIGLEY at HighlandWestwood at MCCLINTOCKBROPHY PREP at Mesa Mountain ViewBoulder Creek at PERRYPINNACLE at Queen CreekWILLIAMS FIELD at Red Mountain MOUNTAIN RIDGE at Saguaro SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR at Salpointe CatholicDESERT VISTA at Valley Vista5A ConferenceThursday, Sept. 17Chaparral at CANYON VIEWIRONWOOD at Raymond S KellisSouth Mountain at SKYLINEARIZONA COLLEGE PREP at Sunrise MountainBetty H Fairfax at TOLLESON Friday, Sept. 18MILLENNIUM at ApolloPEORIA at CactusCamelback at CACTUS SHADOWSBarry Goldwater at CAMPO VERDEMARANA at Canyon del OroDOBSON at CentralALA Gilbert North at DESERT EDGEMountain Pointe at DESERT MOUNTAINMarana Mountain View at DESERT VIEWPARADISE VALLEY at Flgstaff, at NAU domeNOTRE DAME PREP at GilbertCasa Grande at IRONWOOD RIDGEFlowing Wells at MARICOPASunnyside at MICA MOUNTAIN CIENEGA at NogalesHORIZON at SunnyslopeWILLOW CANYON at Trevor BrowneBuena at TUCSONVista Grande at WALDEN GROVENORTH at West PointVERRADO at Yuma Catholic4A ConferenceThursday, Sept. 17Holtville (California) at CIBOLAARCADIA at Deer ValleyST. MARY’S at Mesquite Washington at SIERRA LINDAGreenway at THUNDERBIRDFriday, Sept. 18AGUA FRIA at Carl HaydenSNOWFLAKE at Catalina FoothillsPUEBLO at Copper CanyonEMPIRE at DouglasMaryvale at EASTMARKNorth Canyon at ESTRELLA FOOTHILLSDESERT SUNRISE at GlendaleALA WEST FOOTHILLS at IndependenceCHOLLA at KofaTEMPE at La Joya CommunityAlhambra at LAKE HAVASUPoston Butte at MARCOS DE NIZABRADSHAW MOUNTAIN at MingusCOCONINO at MohaveGILA RIDGE at Northwest ChristianCOMBS at Paradise HonorsLee Williams at PRESCOTTSOMERTON at Rincon UniversityAMPHITHEATER at Rio RicoSahuarita at SAHUAROBUCKEYE at WestviewMoon Valley at YOUNGKER CALIPATRIA (CALIFORNIA) at Yuma3A ConferenceThursday, Sept. 17Page at GANADOHeritage Academy Maricopa at MIAMIBlue Ridge at ROUND VALLEYCOOLIDGE at SaffordFriday, Sept. 18Apache Junction at ALA IRONWOODPAYSON at ALA Mesa North Seton Catholic at BENJAMIN FRANKLINPINON at ChinleValley Christian at CRISMONALA Vistancia at DYSARTPUSCH RIDGE at FlorenceWickenburg at HOLBROOKSHADOW MOUNTAIN at Kingman