The only action in the WPSL’s West Region this weekend is contained within the Mountain Division, where all five clubs are active.

“But how can an odd number of clubs be active?” you might wonder, not unreasonably.

Let’s explain.

First, there is the Salt Lake City Derby between Utah Arrows FC and Utah Red Devils. Reno Tahoe Liberty FC then travels to Sin City to face Las Vegas Q11 at 7 p.m. PDT on Saturday and then Players SC just 24 hours later.

It will be quite a challenge for Reno Tahoe — in the opening weekend of the season for the club, no less. Reno coach John Chavez has an interesting balance in managing his club's fitness over those two matches.

The good news for Reno is that after traveling more than 400 miles to Las Vegas for Saturday's night match at High School Del Sol, it will have to drive only 10 miles to the UNLV campu, where it will face Players SC, Sunday's opponent.

Another wrinkle is that the Liberty will face quite a variety in its first 24 hours of the 2018 season, facing both the defending Mountain Division champions (Players) and the only expansion club in the division (Q11).

Four hundred miles to the northeast, Utah Arrows and Utah Red Devils star the weekend at 3 p.m. MDT at Summit Academy High School. This is the first of two Salt Lake City derbies to be played during the first two weekends of the season.

The Red Devils finished one meager point behind the Arrows last year. A season-opening victory would go a long way toward changing the course for 2018.