Opening Day

There is nothing better than the opening of the high school football season. Whether it's Friday night or Saturday afternoon, the occasion is marked with enthusiam from players, coaches, students, fans, and parents. The sometimes inevitable heartbreak of the tough loss has yet to occur. That untimely slip or dropped ball seems like something that won't happen. It does as we all know that is why we keep going back to watch football at this level because you never know what's going to happen.

I'm looking forward to a few things and these are the story lines that I think will be of interest to everyone, not just me.

Pompton Lakes made the playoffs last year despite their sideline looking like a M*A*S*H unit at times. Many younger players got quality playing time and that should bode well for them provided that the same number of injuries can be avoided.

Kinnelon is now in Kevin White's hands for the third year and while he has made the team more competitive than it has been in years, the season has always ended in disappointment as they closed out last season with four straight losses. In 2006 a tough start, 1-3, could not be overcome. This is a key year for the team and they have to do it without Chris Neinstedt.

Butler showed some offensive explosiveness last year but many of those that fuled it are graduated. They face some tough teams, Delbarton, Lakeland, Caldwell, DePaul, and New Providence, but they also have some games where they can compete and win if they play well.

Lakeland has a new quarterback in Dan Deighan who just happened to be the team's best receiver. If he could pull a Bugs Bunny and throw the ball to himself, then the Lancers would really have something special because this kid can really throw. Still, Lakeland has enough to be formidable and should be competing for the playoffs again.

West Milford is bringing back many players, including their QB Brian Mizerek who can light up the field when given time to throw. The team has played well at times and poorly at others and they just seem to fall a bit short the past two seasons. The schedule starts out difficult with consecutive games against Teaneck, Wayne Valley, and Newark Westside. It gets a bit easier until the last game, a return of the rivalry as they square off against Lakeland at home on 11/7.

How can you not root for Pequannock? As a reporter I have to stay objective, but these kids have won just two of their last 30 games. No one deserves that but in talking to their head coach Ed Kopp over the summer, he thinks that the losing may provide motivation for these kids. They played hard, never quit, and those are honorbale qualities to show in the throes of the streak they now find themselves. I hope they get their first win early on so they can experience the sheer jubilation that only ending such a streak can provide.