Week 3 of the prep football season begins with plenty of unbeaten schools and a like number seeking victory No.. 1. Here's a brief look at eight games this week -- some on Thursday Sept. 12 and some on Friday Sept. 13 -- involving schools from the East Valley and southern Arizona.

THURSDAY SEPT. 12 GAMES

DIVISION I: Westview (2-0) at Red Mountain (0-2) -- Red Mountain aimed high in the offseason in putting together a rigorous schedule and the Mountain Lions have it. They've dropped a pair of close games to Pinnacle and Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.)  by a total of seven points. Westview gives Red Mountain no rest and the pressure is on for the Mountain Lions to avoid an 0-3 start with several tough games still ahead. Red Mountain's defense supplied most of the 15 points last week while special teams play cost Red Mountain 14 of 17 points (blocked punt, kickoff return TD). Westview is led by running back Jalen Johnson, 305 yards rushing and 6 TDs and quarterback Kordell Provchy (308 yards passing and 99 rushing) in twoi games. Pinnacle (2-0) at Hamilton (2-0) -- Pinnacle took care of business in beating Red Mountain narrowly in the season opener and wasted little time taking care of Millennium last week. A win over Hamilton will take a low- to no-turnover effort and solid defense. That's a tall order. The Pioneers ground game is led by running back Josh Hoekstra and quarterback Brian Lewerke has developed a favorite target in Mason Hatton. Hoekstra and Hatton have combined for seven TDs in two games. Hamilton's offense-by-committee has done just fine in games against two quality opponents. DIVISION II AND III: Ironwood Ridge (2-1) at Canyon del Oro (2-0) -- Is Canyon del Oro ready to bounce back in the D-III fray afterlast year's misfire? More light may be shed after this contes. tDefending D-II Ironwood Ridge had a modest six-game winning streak snapped in the west Valley last week by Apollo after a pair of season-opening wins over Liberty and Cienega. Ironwood Ridge's defense has lacked the stoutness of last year, allowing 102 points in three games. The Nighthawks gave up 196 points last year in 14 games. The ground game pilots Ironwood Ridge led by one of the lone holdovers from last season -- Jake Vartanian -- and sophomore Cole McLafferty. The pair have rushed for 684 yards and 10 TDs thus far. CDO's opponents to date -- Nogales and Agua Fria -- are a combined 0-4. But the Dorados have played well and have run the ball effectivley using Max Smith and JJ Metz to do most of the damage. DIVISION IV and V: Safford (2-0) at Thatcher (2-0) -- Both teams like to pound away with the runnnig game in this rivalry between D-IV Safford and D-V Thatcher. Thatcher owns the upper hand with two lopsided wins the past two years. The two years prior Safford was king of the hill. Thatcher, which upended 2012 D-V semifinalist Yuma Catholic last week, is led by dual-threat quarterback Heath Motes (327 yards rushing and passing) and running back Garett Bryce. It's more of a three-pronged rushing approach for Safford -- senior RB Chris Garrobo, junor QB Tyler Shurtz and sophomore RB Robert Lopez. 

FRIDAY SEPT. 13 GAMES

DIVISION III: McClintock (2-0) at Tempe (2-0) -- The oldest rivalry in Tempe resumes with both schools competing in the same division again. They've done that off and on over the past 20 years. If their first two games are any indication, a high-scoring affair is in the offing. McClintock senior quarterback Dominic Orona has accounted for 12 TDs (eight passing and four rushing) and totals 805 yards.Esteban Ortega is a ground threat for the Chargers (186 yards) and Kyree King has eight catches for 289 yards and 4 TDs already from Orona. Tempe's Emmanuel Gant is a veteran and remains steady and prolific. He's thrown for 670 yards (five TDs) .Massiah Smith has caught 14 of Gant's throws for 345 yards and two TDs. Sebastian Watkins is there in case Smith is blanketed and so is new arrival Kam'ron Johnson, who debuted for Tempe (from Marcos de Niza) last week with 172 yards rushing and receiving. DIVISION II: Buena (1-1) at Marcos de Niza (2-0) -- Another 50-point game or more is quite possible for Marcos de Niza in hosting the Colts, who have given up 111 points in two games to Corona del Sol and Chandler. Marcos de Niza has played two quality opponents in Horizon and Chaparral and so far defenses can't stop or neutralize the Padres. The primary reason is quarterback Josh Eckley, who has shredded the opposition to the tune of 557 yards passing, 9 TDs and 246 yards rushing, 3 TDs. Buena has play makers in running back Dominique Drake (284 yards rushing) and receiver Deonte Williams (294 yards, 11 reception).  Buena scored 61 points in its opener, just 13 last week facing a running clock the final two quarters and the game called with seven minutes left by mutual agreement between the coaches. DIVISION IV: Snowflake (2-0) at Seton Catholic (2-0) -- Looks like an even matchup on paper. Records the same. A common opponent in Estrella Foothills, whom both defeated by nearly the same margin. Snowflake loves to run and is led by quarterback Ty Reidhead, who heads a group of four backs with between  97 and 170 rushing. Snowflake picks its moments to throw and Reidhead is averaging 19 yards per completion. Seton, the defending D-IV champs, put away a scrappy Maricopa team last week to stay unbeaten and need a sharp game to turn back one of the White Mountain's contingent of top teams. Seton didn't return many experienced players on offense, but leading rusher from last year Antonio Campanella has stepped up his game with 275 yards rushing in two games. Campanella led the Sentinels in rushing as a sophomore with just more than 800 yards. Quarterback Kyle Johnson, who picked up some mop-up time last year, has been steady completing 23 of 42 passes for 379 yards. The Sentinels have shown balance on offense and that should keep Snowflake's defense honest. Seton will need its best defensive game of the season to prevail. DIVISION V: Northwest Christian (2-0) vs. Tempe Prep (0-2) at Valley Christian HS - One would think Tempe Prep could relax after two tough opponents -- D-V power Yuma Catholic and D-IV power Show Low. Does it get easier facing defending D-V champ Northwest Christian? Probably not. Tempe Prep has been blanked in back-to-back weeks 24-0 and 38-0. They played better than the 24-0count  looked vs. Yuma Catholic, but were handled by Show Low. To avoid an 0-3 start the Knights' offense needs to manufacture some points or get the defense to create turnovers or six-point turnovers. NWC always brings good defense, so it's going to take a Herculean effort from Tempe Prep to conclude the week at 1-2.