Take a deep inhale. Do you smell the grass? Can you taste the hamburgers and hotdogs? Can you feel the excitement in the air?

The anticipation ends tonight.

High school football returns to the Miss-Lou this evening as the first games begin around the area. More will follow next weekend as the action cranks up in earnest.

Friday night football is a big deal to our community.

Perhaps no other single season brings together such a diverse group of people. Young and old, rich and poor, nearly everyone in the Miss-Lou has a favorite team.

Behind each of those teams is a small army of parents, teachers and coaches, many of whom volunteer their time and their labor to make Friday nights special and make the events get off without a hitch.

Tonight, as the stands begin to fill and the sidelines start to get crowded, it’s important to realize that some amazing things are going on in the middle of all the traditional football pageantry.

Hundreds of young minds are learning volumes about life on the field and off.

From football players to cheerleaders to marching band members, a single football game involves a great number of potential lessons.

Team building, handling success and overcoming failure are all great lessons, which in the end help the students become better persons through the experience.

Let’s pray for a safe, fun season. And we cannot wait to hear the first whistle blow.