It’s game time! For weeks now, football fans throughout Pike County have been preparing for football season, and it kicks off in grand fashion tonight.

Pike County High School and Charles Henderson High School meet for the annual cross-county matchup while Pike Liberal Arts and Goshen High hit the field as well.

That means bright lights, full stands and happy fans.

Football is a religion here in the South. Our children don helmets and pads in elementary school, learning the fundamentals of the game on Pee-Wee and rec league teams. We cheer for our high school favorites, long after we or our children have graduated; our college loyalties run so deep that members of “a house divided” can go days without talking after the Iron Bowl and Troy fans wouldn’t dream of missing a Saturday cheering on the Trojans; and we set our DVRs to record Monday night football, just so we don’t miss a thing.

Football is part of our culture and our heritage, and we celebrate that.

As you head to the fields tonight, take a moment to appreciate the efforts of the young student athletes on the field and the coaches, parents and mentors who support them. These youngsters juggle the challenges of school and sports to play a sport they love, and they deserve respect and support from fans on both sides of the field.

So bring on the lights and the game. We’re ready for football season.