The preseason tournaments are out of the way and it's time to start winning some power-point games.
Spring sports kick it up a notch this week with some big-time matchups across the board.
It's a week that will see two of the area's top sprinters go at it as well as the renewal of one of Southern Arizona's top rivalries - Sabino-Sahuaro - in softball.
Here's a closer look at the busy week ahead.
Wednesday
• Girls track and field: Fresh off a win at the Ted James Invitational at Douglas, Salpointe Catholic will welcome Canyon del Oro for an afternoon meet.
The Dorados feature USC signee Jaide Stepter, who got her senior season started in a positive way. She won the 100-meter hurdles and the 200- and 400-meter dashes in the team's first meet of the year against Catalina Foothills and Pusch Ridge Christian.
She also anchored CDO's 4x100 relay team, which took first.
Stepter could go head-to-head with Salpointe sophomore standout Michaela Crunkleton-Wilson. Crunkleton-Wilson, fifth at state last year in the 100, won the 100 and 200 at the Ted James Invitational and anchored the 4x100, which also took first.
Stepter's first time in the 200 was 26.16. Crunkleton-Wilson ran 25.40 at the Ted James.
Meet time is 4 p.m.
• Baseball: While Stepter and the Dorados battle Salpointe on the track, the Dorados baseball squad will head to Sabino for an important early-season game.
CDO is coming off a 3-1 run at the Amphitheater Panther Invitational, falling to Gilbert Highland 9-5 in the title game.
Still, there were plenty of positives for the Dorados. In a 7-4 win over Eastwood (Texas), junior Ryan Bronson was 3 for 3 with a double and three RBIs.
In a 25-1 win over Santa Rita, five CDO players had at least two hits, including Brandon Burke, who was 2 for 3 with a triple and four RBIs.
Sabino split its first two nontournament games last week, beating Ironwood Ridge 3-2, then falling to Tucson 2-1. T.J. Hastings earned the win against I-Ridge.
First pitch against CDO is set for 4 p.m.
Thursday
• Softball: There may not be a team in the state that will face a tougher three-game stretch than the one Sabino is currently enduring.
The Sabercats beat Ironwood Ridge last week and then fell two days later to Canyon del Oro. Both of those teams played for a state championship last year.
The brutal stretch continues Thursday with a game against rival Sahuaro.
The Cougars are coming off an 18-1 win over Catalina Foothills and took third place at the 24-team Dorado Classic earlier this season - behind, who else, Canyon del Oro and Ironwood Ridge.
In Sahuaro's win over the Falcons, Olivia Harden had a double and a home run.
Sabino will try to get through the gauntlet with pitcher Alyssa Fletcher, who is 4-1 after splitting starts against the Dorados and the Nighthawks.
Game time is 4 p.m. at Sahuaro.
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