For nearly a quarter-century, Lockport has hosted a very good high school football scrimmage.

This year, it's been super-sized, and the quality is even more impressive than the quantity.

The six-team gathering is topped with two defending state champions in North Tonawanda (Class AA) and Sweet Home (A). There are two more top-notch Class A teams in Section VI runner-up Grand Island as well as Williamsville South, which features record-setting quarterback and University at Buffalo-bound Joe Licata. Perennially strong St. Francis of the Monsignor Martin Association also will be on hand with the host Lions, who are always in the mix in Class AA North.

"It's a great group of schools -- we're able to bring together some pretty marquee players and some marquee programs and it's good for us to be able to host and prepare against that level of competition," said Lockport coach Greg Bronson. "We've had St. Francis and Sweet Home [visiting for scrimmages] for forever and we've had some good competition there. Being able to bring other teams in seemed like a logical idea, and it creates a nice event, too. We were obviously aware of the allure to the high school football public."

The scrimmage begins at 9 a.m., is open to the public and there is no charge. Saturday is the first day teams in the state are permitted to scrimmage.

North Tonawanda coach Eric Jantzi said he can't remember a scrimmage in Western New York that has had similar scope.

"The quality of teams that are going to be there in one day is pretty impressive," said Jantzi, a Springville native entering his 11th season at NT. "We realize that football has gotten pretty good in Western New York, and the way to get out of Western New York is to play the best teams you can whenever you can."

Jantzi also thinks the high-level scrimmage is another way for local teams to keep improving as Section VI aims to build on the momentum of winning eight state titles in the last two seasons.

"We want to keep the domination going -- if not us, we'll be rooting for whoever wins in Western New York," said Jantzi. "Hopefully we make them better and they make us better so we can make another run at it."

The teams will rotate so that those in the same division won't meet. Class A schools Sweet Home, Grand Island and Williamsville South will line up against NT, Lockport and St. Francis. Bronson said scrimmages between teams consist of three 15- to 20-minute sessions.

That lineup means that -- while it will just be a practice session -- fans can see some real-life high school fantasy football unfold as two of last year's state champions line up against each other.

"Some of the kids have brought it up, but [Sweet Home coach John] Faller and I were talking -- we have different teams, we have different things to add, different things we want to address," said Jantzi. "We're excited to see one of the best quarterbacks in the state [Licata] and we're looking forward to playing Sweet Home and all they have to offer with their spread offense."

Bronson estimated that St. Francis and Sweet Home have attended the scrimmage for about 20 years. Bronson and longtime coaching friend Kraig Kurzanski of Williamsville South had discussed trying to get together in recent years. NT hosted a scrimmage that included GI and Riverside in recent years, but construction at the school, combined with Riverside's move from the Harvard Cup into NT's Class AA North Division this year, led to the need for a change.

There will be many interesting football gatherings throughout Western New York on Saturday. Bishop Timon-St. Jude, Maple Grove and McKinley are at Riverside at 10 a.m. Orchard Park, which has scrimmaged Catholic schools for many years but has not been interested in playing those games during the regular season, will line up against Canisius at 11 a.m. at the Crusaders' Stransky Complex in West Seneca. Two more state champions go at it when defending Class D winner Randolph plays at two-time defending Class C champ Southwestern at 10 a.m.