The pageantry and excitement of high school football returns this week, and we once again are reminded about the special place the game holds in the hearts of residents from across the Tri-State Area.

Area teams open their seasons Thursday night when Bellaire travels to Buckeye Local for a 7 p.m. start.

More teams open their seasons on Friday night, when Steubenville Big Red hosts Youngstown Ursuline in a battle of state powers at Harding Stadium; Catholic Central heads north to take on Wellsville; Indian Creek travels to Cambridge; Edison hosts Shenandoah; Toronto hosts Southern Local; and Harrison Central hosts Claymont.

The regular season in West Virginia doesn’t open until next week — Oak Glen visits Weir High on Aug. 28 and Brooke hosts Beaver Local on Aug. 29 to get their schedules started.

Fans who want to be ready for the season ahead will want to look for this year’s installment of Prep Football 2025, our award-winning annual football preview edition, which is included inside today’s newspapers. As always, it offers in-depth looks at each of our area’s teams.

With the new school year and season about to begin, it’s good to take a moment and remember that high school athletics offer valuable learning opportunities. Participants learn about the importance of setting goals and working to reach them, as well as the sacrifices that will be required along the way.

Athletes learn about accountability and are taught to show pride in themselves, their teams, their schools and their communities.

Football’s important, but fans should remember the other fall sports, including soccer, golf, cross country and volleyball are under way as well. Those student-athletes, as well as the cheerleaders, members of the marching bands and everyone else associated with the teams, also are deserving of your support.

We ask that area fans cheer on their favorite teams and athletes, but remember that the participants are 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds, and not highly paid professionals. Encouraging sportsmanship and fostering respect are among the greatest responsibilities of the fans.

Keep that in mind as you head out to stadiums, fields and gymnasiums across the Tri-State Area in the coming weeks.