For the girls basketball teams at Denver Christian, Merino and McClave, the mission is simple: live up to the expectations set forth, and you’ll be a state champion.

The aforementioned programs each received the nod as the No. 1 seeds in their respective classifications for the state tournaments, giving them the clear quest of going 4-0 to end the season while knowing they are the ones with the targets on their backs.

For everyone else — that’s 93 teams between Class 3A, 2A and 1A — 4-0 is also the mission. But it all has to start with that first game, as there are no byes in the small-school brackets.

Here are three possibly intriguing matchups as the playoffs begin Friday around the state with regional competitions at host schools.

Class 3A

Highland vs. Meeker, at Salida, Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Highland went just 3-3 over its final six games, its losses coming against No. 7 Resurrection Christian, No. 23 Brush and No. 24 Strasburg (the latter by a single point, 41-40). The Huskies played a ton of playoff teams in the regular season, and held their own often behind a pretty young group. Paislee Watson has stepped up to be HHS’ leading scorer as a sophomore, and junior Nikki Quinones has also been consistently strong.

The Huskies will have to defend closely, however, to have a chance at upsetting No. 12 Meeker. MHS averages about 52 points per game and has several high quality wins sprinkled through a 17-5 record. The senior scoring combo of Rylee Sullivan (16.7 ppg) and Addie Knowles (9.8) don’t want this season to come to an end anytime soon. Behind those two are several freshmen that have brought depth enough to perhaps have Meeker a dark horse for a Great 8 bid.

Class 2A

Dove Creek vs. Del Norte, at Plateau Valley, Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Del Norte, the 11 seed, finished 13-8 but more importantly went 6-2 over its final eight contests. Dove Creek, meanwhile, struggled to a 4-4 mark to end the year, but two losses came by less than three points, perhaps suggesting the Bulldogs could’ve been a bit higher seed before stumbling a bit.

Here’s what we know about Dove Creek — senior Taylor Hampton is a beast and the team is senior-heavy. She’s averaging 16.7 points and 12.9 rebounds a game. She has eight 20-point efforts this season. And if she really gets going defensively can really create some troubles down low. And with Del Norte being much younger as a squad, overall varsity experience can play a factor.

But the Tigers do have some strong scorers in Emma Parra, a junior averaging 13.9 points, and Makenzie Consaul, who averages about 8.0.

Class 1A

South Baca at Evangel Christian, at ECA, Friday at 5 p.m.
This one is a long shot for South Baca against the 3 seed, but the Patriots do have 1A’s leading scorer, junior Sarah Elmore, who has surpassed 500 points this season (23.6 ppg) and is nearing 1,300 points for her career. Who knows, maybe she could go off for 40 points in an upset victory? She’s already scored 30-plus five times this season.

The Eagles (20-2) will look to stay the course at home and have been buoyed all season long by experienced players Reagan Schultz (16.1 ppg, 11.8 rpg) and Mia Castro (15.5 ppg, 7.0 assists per game). Schultz is the only senior, and she’s hoping to get her team into a position to best last year’s fifth-place finish at state.