It’s the seventh year for The Open in Arizona high school football.

There have been different variations throughout the years as far as which teams are eligible and the qualifications changed.  Each year it is examined and evaluated. Tweaking the system is part of the evolution.

The intent is the same- finding the best team in Arizona.

In 2025 that field is limited to 6A programs, and the season didn’t disappoint. The top team will be determined on Dec. 6 when the sidelines of one program the programs explodes. The players are coaches will have achieved the ultimate goal of being the champion at the highest level in Arizona by earning the win at Arizona State’s Mountain America Stadium.

There were the top two – Basha and Liberty – from the start. Lions and Bears. It was the assumed these were going to be the top two teams. The two programs have combined to win the last three Open championships.

Basha won it all in 2022, while Liberty was on the last two championships with last year’s Open title victory - 35-17 – was Basha.

Liberty (9-1) has grown into the west side power program, while Basha (9-1) has climbed its way to the top of the state after some lows.

“We used to be the dumpster fire of (Chandler Unified School District),” Basha coach Chris McDonald said after losing to Hamilton on Oct 24. “And now we are hosting the biggest game in the state. That’s thanks to our admin, that’s on our staff, and our kids who have been here. It’s disappointing right now, but overall, we are in a good place.”

Then an old, familiar program inserted itself into the conversation as Hamilton started blowing out opponents weekly. The Huskies (10-0) are always good, rarely fall out of the top five conversation, but the program hasn’t hoisted the gold ball since 2012 and were considered a year away with a ton of young talent.

Elevated by sophomores and juniors making an impact, Hamilton forced its way into the best team in the state in the conversation by Week 4 of the regular season.

“We’re here, and we’re one step closer to being where we want to be,” Dixon said after the Basha win that pushed the Huskies to the top of media polls. “I don’t think Hamilton ever left. We got pushed to the side a bit. I just want to see these guys be relentless Monday through Friday.”

Several teams filled in the fourth and fifth spots throughout the season based on the results.

Brophy was up there for a while, then a lull pushed them out the top four. ALA-Queen Creek, a semifinalist a year ago, lost its first five games but enter the open as one of the hottest teams on a five-game win streak.

Centennial and Chandler had runs throughout the season as well, but now the seeds are actually set.

The 12-team field is an intriguing group with the top four seeds – Hamilton, Basha, Liberty and Chandler – earning a bye.

The four first-round games are not elimination games as the winners advance to face the top four seeds. The four teams that were defeated drop down to the 6A state bracket and make up the top four seeds in that eight-team field.

The four first round games are No. 9 Centennial (7-3) at No. 8 Mesa Mountain View (6-4), No. 12 Casteel (6-4) at No. 5 Brophy (6-4), No. 11 ALA-QC (5-5) at No. 6 Red Mountain (8-2) and No. 10 Williams Field (7-3) at No. 7 Pinnacle (7-3).

One element for all at this time of year is always health. It’s been a 10-week gamut and there are bumps and bruises, but Hamilton and Basha have had to transition in a new quarterback.

Hamilton lost Jax Sculley, and his availability for the remainder appears unlikely, while Basha’s Brodie Vehrs may return depending how far Basha makes into the tournament and his ability to heal in time.

It puts the focus on Hamilton senior Dan Vaita and Basha junior Jake Rogers to be the guy to lead a top-ranked team to a three-week run to The Open championship. After watching the action most of the season, those two are suddenly thrust into the starting role the first and second seed.

It could open the door for some interesting results, but both programs are intent on winning regardless of who is in the huddle or standing on the opposite sideline.

“This doesn’t stop us from our goals,” McDonald said after loss of his starting quarterback. “We have two region games left, and we haven’t lost region game in five years so let’s win a region championship and then let’s set our sights on the state championship. We are still the team that can do it.”

It’s reached the point the season where it is to time to prove it. All teams have had ups and downs. Injuries and adversity. Only thing left is four weeks of football.

The intent is the same – find out which is the best team in Arizona.