The matchups for this week’s Class A crossover games were drawn out of a hat.

One could probably have done the same with the opinions held by coaches in this, the second year Eastern and Western Class A (PTC and SMAA) have taken these one-game, early season detours.

“It’s about the stupidest thing they’ve ever done,” Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin said.

“I don’t mind it one bit,” said Oxford Hills coach Paul Bickford.

The crossover game was a compromise hatched two years ago by four athletic directors, Dick Agreste of Thornton Academy, Jeff Benson, then of Edward Little, Steve Ouellette, then of Lawrence and Don Wilson of Biddeford, to bring Windham into the Pine Tree Conference and balance the two conferences.

The matchups were divided into geographically convenient halves and drawn out of a hat.

“I just think it’s too bad. I hate to see the playoffs decided by the luck of the draw,” said Parlin whose team faces Westbrook tonight. “We haven’t scrimmaged or played Gardiner since Cole (his son) was a junior (in 2000). We could be playing someone in our conference that same night.”

Bickford said it isn’t a bad thing for the two conferences to step out and see how football is played in the other half of the state.

“I think it’s good for football in the state of Maine,” Bickford said.

“It’s a good experience for us playing a western Maine team and I think it’s good for football.”

And no, neither coach is just looking out for the good of his own team. Parlin’s Cougars crushed Westbrook last year 41-0. Bickford’s Vikings went down to Waterhouse Field and went down hard, losing to Biddeford 35-7.

The other two matchups involving locals were a bit more competitive. Edward Little, which travels to Sanford tonight, beat the Redskins 26-23. Lewiston hosts Noble, which outscored Lewiston in an exciting 48-34 contest last year.

The West held an 8-6 margin in last year’s games.

There are plenty of teams in Classes B and C that will be spending less time, if any, on the Turnpike for some good, old fashioned intra-conference football this weekend:

• Poland (1-0) hosts Fryeburg (0-1) in the ultimate home opener. The Knights will be flying high not just for the first home game in their history but for doing so while coming off a win in their first game ever, a 26-14 pasting of Lake Region.

• Jay confronts Lisbon in a clash of two Western C contenders who opened the season with wins.

The Tigers bring a potent but banged-up offense to Thompson Field, led by QB Justin Wells. The Greyhound defense, anchored by Chris Kates and Elijah Trefts, will probably throw more looks at Wells than any other team he faces this year. Kind of a mini Peyton Manning-Patriots matchup.

“This definitely is a big game. It’s Lisbon, you know,” said Jay coach Mark Bonnevie. “You’ve got to love those kind of games. They’re the best-prepared team in the league. You can’t do anything that they haven’t gotten ready for.”

• Leavitt welcomes defending state champion Belfast to Turner in a clash between perhaps the two best rushing teams in Class B, in Week 1 at least. Belfast’s Josh Aldus (24 carries, 160 yards, two TDs against Oak Hill) and Garren Horne, (8-135-2) are the top two in the PTC. Leavitt’s Brock Hardacker (eight rushes, 116 yards, one TD against Hampden) and Tony Witham (15-85-2) are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.