METRO DETROIT — Thirteen of the Catholic League’s 18 football teams will kick off the 2019 season this Thursday, Aug. 29.

Four will open their campaigns the next day, with the final team getting its start Saturday.

The Central Division teams each are starting off against formidable opponents. Foremost is the battle between Warren De La Salle, Division 2 champs the last two years, and Muskegon, with a 39-3 record the last three years and Division 3 champ in 2017.

The Pilots are 0-3 in their history against the Big Reds. They played each other to open last fall’s schedule, with Muskegon prevailing by two touchdowns. However, coach Mike Giannone’s Pilots more than rebounded with a 12-1 record the rest of the way en route to the state final at Ford Field.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday at Wayne State University as part of the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission.

Two other Central Division squads are also playing in the Classic. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice and Utica Eisenhower meet for the first time in their histories at 4 p.m. Thursday,.

Novi Detroit Catholic Central and Detroit Martin Luther King have a 1 p.m. date on Saturday. The Shamrocks, 4-1 overall against King, last played the Crusaders in 2001. King has been in the state finals the last four years, winning three times.

For the fourth straight year, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep is opening against Macomb Dakota at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Eaglets lost the three previous encounters by no more than a touchdown. 

CHSL Prep Bowl champion Dearborn Divine Child hosts Garden City, and CHSL C-D Division winner Clarkston Everest welcomes Auburn Hills Oakland Christian. Both games are 7 p.m. Thursday.

Here’s the full schedule. Cheer for your favorite.

Thursday, Aug. 29

• @ Allen Park Cabrini vs. Detroit Voyageur Prep, 7 p.m.
• @ Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard vs. Clio, 4:30 p.m.
• Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice vs. Utica Eisenhower, 4 p.m., @ Wayne State University
• Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood @ Pontiac, 7 p.m.
• @ Clarkston Everest vs. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 7 p.m.
• @ Dearborn Divine Child vs. Garden City, 7 p.m.
• Detroit Loyola @ Lowell, 7 p.m.
• Detroit U‑D Jesuit vs. Roseville, 7 p.m. @ Hazel Park High School
• Macomb Lutheran North @ Livonia Clarenceville, 7:30 p.m.
• @ Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Detroit University Prep, 7 p.m.
• Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep @ Macomb Dakota, 7 p.m.
• @ Riverview Gabriel Richard vs. Grosse Ile, 7 p.m.
• @ Royal Oak Shrine vs. Whitmore Lake, 5 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 30

• Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett @ Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 11 a.m.
• @ Marine City Cardinal Mooney vs. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 7 p.m.
• Warren De La Salle vs. Muskegon, 7 p.m., @ Wayne State University

Saturday, Aug. 31

• Novi Detroit Catholic Central vs. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1 p.m., @ Wayne State University

For the latest news and complete CHSL scores across all sports and teams, visit CHSL.com.