HEYEN: The wait is over — football is back

So much of football is about anticipation. There are the moments before the snap, when pass-rushers prepare to blitz and receivers get ready to beat their man and the quarterback scans the field one final time, hoping to make the right read. There's what feels like suspended animation when a pass-catcher goes deep and the QB lofts a throw, spiraling, through the air, or when a kicker lines up a field goal and the ball is flying, end over end, through the Friday night sky. For a second or two, the possibilities are endless. But there's also the anticipation that our northern Ohio communities have felt for nearly nine months, waiting to fill stadiums again, to line up for concessions or listen to the band — months and months of suspense to get back to the sport that brings its biggest drama in suspense itself. Finally, football is back tonight. This Friday, this Week 1 of the Ohio high school football season, isn't just about anticipation any longer. This Friday, in one way, is about becoming reacquainted with familiar faces. There's Lucas Poggiali leading Sandusky's football team as head coach about a decade after he led them in a different way as the Blue Streaks' quarterback. Gary Quisno takes over at Margaretta, bringing decades of local coaching experience back to the sideline. One of his assistants, Jeff Keck (also Vermilion's baseball coach), played for Quisno on his very first team. Talk about getting reacquainted. This Friday, in another way, is about new beginnings. Up at Port Clinton, playing for new head coach Eric Leuthold, is first-year kicker Gracie Rohrer, also a member of PC's girls soccer team. Down in Clyde, senior Abe Morrison will get his first consistent snaps as first-string quarterback while still being a powerful linebacker. Over at Edison, the Chargers will play every game from here on out as the first 16-seed to beat a 1-seed in OHSAA playoff history. They'd like to add new chapters to that story. This Friday is about wondering just how good someone can be. Our area features dual-threat quarterbacks with exciting ceilings — Huron's Dylan Hohler, Perkins' Logan Lesch, Oak Harbor's Jaqui Hayward, Bellevue's Deegan Horn. Defenders will be on high alert for that quartet. This Friday isn't even all about the football. It's about the bands, who spent hot summer days rehearsing their routines, starting instrument-less just to get the footwork down. It's about the cheerleaders, the school photographers, the student section themes, the 50-50 raffles. It's about the feeling of community that comes when a bunch of people wearing the same colors align in the same bleachers for the same few hours to support the same cause. Anticipation is great and all, but sometimes the outcome outdoes even the expectation. Sometimes, the impossible catch gets made or the last-second field goal stays true or, shoot, a 16-seed beats a 1-seed. The student section, decked out in neon colors or pajamas or Christmas garb, storms the field. Together with their classmates that donned the helmets, they sing the school's alma mater. And it's in those moments that it's obvious that football isn't just about anticipation. It's about what actually happens under the Friday night lights. Welcome back, football, and all that comes with you. We can't wait to see what you do next.