The 6th annual Sollenberger Kickoff Classic Saturday at University of Phoenix Stadium features a neat little opening act with Moapa Valley High (Overton, Nev.) and Show Low squaring off at 3 p.m. before the heavyweight tilt between Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev). and Chaparral.

And it would be a matchup the game's namesake, Barry Sollenberger, would have enjoyed as much as the main course.

Sollenberger wasn't just about following and archiving metro area schools. He loved the small schools as well. A fact made plain by AIA executive director Dr. Harold Slemmer in remarks about Sollenberger at Friday night's Sollenberger banquet at UofP.

Slemmer made reference to a couple-decades defunct 1A Arizona school in the White Mountains, McNary, which while small produced some talented athletes. Sollenberger knew of them while competing and afterwards.

When I had conversations with Sollenberger, they never just centered on Valley or Tucson athletes. He always had something to say about the less-traveled areas of the state's and athletes that populated those areas.

So the Show Low and Moapa Valley matchup Saturday isn't a big-city battle. But it should prove very entertaining -- one Sollenbeger would have had the same zeal for as Bishop Gorman-Chaparral.

Show Low, the defending Arizona 3A runner-up and Moapa Valley, Nevada's 3A runner-up a year ago, both enter the game in similar straits. They lost a bunch of high-octane skill players and are going to be anchored for the most part in this one by the guys in the trenches. That's where their experience is for this opener.

"We haven't seen film of them for this year and they haven't for us," Show Low coach Randy Ricedorff said. "All we know is what they did last year. It's hard to prepare for it. But you go with what you think you know, and make adjustments along the way."

Sounds like coaching will be at a premium in this one with the eventual stars of the game unknown to both sides. Some new go-to guys will emerge.

This is a matchup Barry would like. I know it.