By now most folks are aware of the massive change in divisions for schools in football for 2015 brought about by realignment. With a truncated first week of games behind us from 'Zero Week', let's see how teams moving up or down fared. Keep in mind this is a small sample.

There are 18 schools who moved up a division from 2014 and nine played this week. Five won (new division attached after their name) -- Queen Creek (D-II), Canyon del Oro (D-II), Saguaro (D-II), Seton Catholic (D-III) and Yuma Catholic (D-IV). Queen Creek defeated Desert Mountain in a game that could have gone either way. Canyon del Oro, Saguaro and Yuma Catholic won handily. Seton topped Safford by two touchdowns. Those five schools are perennial playoff contenders regardless of the division they compete in so it's little surprise.

Schools who moved up and lost were (Liberty D-I) and Safford (D-III). Liberty took on seasoned D-I member Basha and lost, 42-24. The Lions couldn't solve Basha QB Ryan Kelley, who passed for 359 yards and four TDs and added 85 yards rushing and two more TDs. Three of the passing scores went to Hunter Dean-Gibson (236 yards receiving). Centennial played out-of-state Long Beach Poly (Calif.) and Bourgade played Odyssey Institute, which does not compete in a section but is an associate member of AIA. Centennial lost 13-12 and Bourgade won 40-0.

Schools who moved down a division and won on Friday were Mesa High (D-II), Skyline (D-II), Paradise Valley (D-III), Desert View (D-III), Flowing Wells (D-III) and Chandler Prep (D-IV). Teams who moved down and lost were Westview (D-II), Sandra Day O'Connor (D-II), Valley Vista (D-II), Dobson (D-II), Millennium (D-III), Gilbert High (D-II), Cactus Shadows (D-III), Yuma High (D-III), Rincon (D-III), Northland Prep (D-V), Window Rock (D-V) and Williams (D-VI).

Mesa High's victory (21-20) was perhaps the most impressive given the Jackrabbits beat D-I Red Mountain, which bested Mesa last year, 38-7. It's the first time since 2009 that Mesa knocked off Red Mountain in football. Another shocker of sorts concerned Gilbert High. The Tigers, moving down from D-I to D-II and competing with a fourth different coach in five years, bowed to D-II St. Mary's, 31-14. Both schools debuted new head coaches -- Derek Zellner for Gilbert and Marcel Lopez for St. Mary's. Lopez took over just a little more than a month ago for the Knights.

THIS AND THAT: A mild upset took place in Division I with Highland edging Desert Vista, 28-25. Desert Vista entered the game with a lot of varsity experience, albeit young, back -- more than Highland. The Hawks rallied late to gain the lead win and blocked a field goal in the final seconds to stave off overtime. In D-II the same may be said for Campo Verde. Campo Verde visited Salpointe Catholic and found a way to top the Lancers in overtime, 14-7. Campo Verde allowed a late TD in the final period that tied the game at 7, but quarterback Cole Pineda's overtime TD -- his second of the games -- was the game winner.  Division I Section I teams were awesome in their first games collectively. Basha, Brophy Prep, Chandler High, Hamilton and Perry all won their openers by a combined score of 222-48. Brophy blanked Sandra Day O'Connor 45-0; Chandler beat Pinnacle 56-10, Hamilton topped Ironwood Ridge 44-7 and Perry bested Dobson 35-7.