High school football -- the talk of the town

It's great to be back to share each Sunday in the prep sports section, but ... this isn't the column I intended to write.

All summer, I looked forward to high school football and figured I'd start in this space by releasing nine months worth of pent-up anticipation -- you know, lots of fist pumping and jumping around like a high school football player who's about to take the field.

You see, every time I'd pass by a local high school football stadium over these many months, the sensation would begin. The bright lights would illuminate the night. I'd take a big whiff, and delight in the smoky aroma of the grills. I'd hear the P.A. announcer, and actually feel the roar of the crowd vibrate my bones.

And then I'd realize the only people on the field were two groundskeepers, mowing and watering. It was only June. But those stadiums absolutely came to life every time they were within view.

That's why high school football is so special. Each game is an event. A season is divided into one-week blocks, lending a memorable uniqueness to each game, the buildup surrounding it, and the lingering afterglow..

Every fall weekend for the next two-plus months will feature a festive event that is high school football. But here, especially in the Tri-Cities, it runs deeper than that -- even deeper than the Fox River at flood stage.

Cancellations on Friday temporarily postponed our opening night enthusiasm, but at least you didn't have to dress in waders to attend. And besides, our high schools don't provide boat parking.

There is a full-circuit connection when you compare high school football and the disastrous flooding that's occured up and down the Fox. We've seen over the last few days, once again, how people come together to help each other in difficult times. Fortunately, adversity like this is rare.

Conversely, local high school games bring out the bonding in us at the other end of the spectrum. They provide celebratory gatherings for the entire community, forging a togetherness among our townspeople. Just being amid that atmosphere makes us appreciate all that's good in life.

It's comforting to know we're united, in good times (football) and bad (flooding).

We often mistakenly think prep football is all about the players. While they are the centerpiece on the main stage, they're hardly the lone attraction. The pageantry is all that surrounds them -- the band, the cheerleaders, the classmates, the parents, the volunteers, the teachers, the alumni.

Stroll through any of our towns and you'll witness how the thread of involvement runs from the high school football field to the local vendors, evidenced by the posters, buttons and signs they display. More than pride, they project a sense of belonging to one, big community family.

And that's especially poignant in times like these. When the river recedes, when the damage is assessed, our communities will recover with collective strength.

Football, it is said, is the ultimate team game. No other sport involves so many participants. Consider the number of families involved at Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles -- any school for that matter. When there are 60-70 kids on the roster -- and that's just varsity alone -- there are hundreds and hundreds of more people attached to the program. Your local team truly is a community in shoulder pads.

We're especially lucky in these parts. Sports editor John Lemon called this the "Golden Era of Tri-Cities football." He's right on. Our area is one of the state's epicenters for great football. With rivalries pitting playoff-caliber teams like Batavia-Geneva, St. Charles East-St. Charles North and ... the list goes on ... we don't have to look beyond our backyards, flooded as they may be right now, for the best Illinois has to offer.

Sunshine arrived on Saturday to usher in our belated high school football openers. Soon, the sandbags will disappear and Friday night lights will return. We'll be neighbors again each week in the stands, and collectively partake in the community buildup of excitement which precedes each game.

I can guarantee that's one prediction that won't end up all wet.