Let’s face it: Football in Arizona this season has been rough.

The Sun Devils laid an egg in their Pac-10 season opener, giving fans the impression that it could be another rough season for ASU.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are suffering from the typical Super Bowl hangover and are struggling mightily in the early going.

Believe it or not, though, there is plenty of exciting football to be seen right here in the Valley — just make your way toward the bright lights of a local high school on a Friday night.

With more and more Arizona prep stars landing in the national rankings every season, the level of competition at the high-school level is rising. In the past two weeks of covering high-school games, I have seen two heart-pounding, last-second finishes full of breathtaking plays and wild fans.

The parity is growing, too.

Some of the state’s so-called shoe-in teams have struggled this season — just ask Saguaro High in Scottsdale, which had its 37-game win streak snapped on Friday — while other lesser knowns have risen to power.

Why put off until later what you can see now? The stars of the future are playing right in your backyard.