The state high school football championship games begin today in the UNI-Dome. The opener is at 10-30 in Class A as top ranked Manning plays Hubbard-Radcliffe. That is followed by the class 1A title game between second ranked Aplington-Parkersburg and third ranked Southern Cal. Aplington-Parkersburg coach Ed Thomas says there are a number of similarities between these two teams.Tonight in the class 4A title game, top ranked West Des Moines Dowling battles seventh ranked Bettendorf. Dowling coach Matt Dillon says there is really no way to treat this as just another game.This is Dowling’s eighth trip to the finals but they have yet to win a championship. Dillon says talk about “curses” are unfair to this team and says a loss would not mean the Maroons have failed this season.