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This is the week that fans of high school football across the Tri-State Area have been waiting for since late last fall.
Friday is opening day, and action will get underway in stadiums throughout the region.
Steubenville Big Red will host Cincinnati Archbishop McNicholas, Indian Creek will host Cambridge, Edison will visit Shenandoah, Toronto will travel to East Canton, Harrison Central will visit Claymont and Buckeye Local will travel to Bellaire for what will be an historic contest -- the first night home game in Bellaire history. On Saturday, Catholic Central will open against Wellsville.
West Virginia schools will open their seasons next week: Weir High will visit Oak Glen Aug. 29, and Weirton Madonna will host Wellsville and Brooke will travel to Beaver Local on Aug. 30.
Those games mark the return of the pageantry and traditions that make late summer and fall weekends in our area special. To help get you ready for the season, we once again have published our annual football edition, "High School Football 24: In the Ohio Valley, our favorite game is on the field, not on the screen." It was included with our Wednesday's editions, and offers an in-depth look at each of our area's teams. It remains a must-read for every fan.
High school athletics can help bring our communities together and are good educational tools. They teach discipline; the importance of setting goals and working toward them; the sacrifices that will be expected along the way; how to handle the successes -- and the disappointments -- that will come; and the importance of accountability. Athletes are taught to have pride in themselves, their schools and their communities, and to respect others.
And, while a great deal of attention is directed toward football, remember that other student-athletes are competing in numerous fall sports and activities, including golf, soccer, volleyball, cross country, marching band and cheerleading. Those participants also are deserving of your support.
That said, we hope fans will keep their enthusiasm in check and remember that athletes and other participants are 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds, and not highly paid professionals. Encouragement and support, rather than ridicule and derision, need to rule the day.
Good luck, then, to the area's athletes, and we hope that everyone has a safe and successful season.
To the fans, the reminder is to cheer on your favorite teams, while remembering that promoting sportsmanship and fostering an atmosphere of respect for all are your greatest responsibilities.
We look forward to seeing everyone in the stadiums and at the fields this season.