It has been a long summer filled with a lot of baseball and softball.

I counted up the other day and realized that I saw well over 100 baseball games between JL Hutchinson League, Legion, Pittsburg Fastpitch and tournaments over the course of the summer.

That left me thinking that, with the rain outside and temperature in the 70s, it is time for football.

And what a way to kick off the season with Thursday night's matchup between St. Mary's-Colgan and Girard and Hutchinson Field.

I had the honor of being at this game last year at Frank Jameson Field in Girard and it was a dandy.

Girard was a missed field goal away from winning their first game over the Panthers in eight years.

But, a blocked kick at the end of the second overtime gave Colgan the win.

It was a great atmosphere and a great game to watch.

I imagine that Thursday night will not be much different.

Despite the fact that both teams have several new faces, when this game is played, both teams bring their A game.

Expect to see Girard's tough defense, under new head coach Leon Miller, to come after Colgan.

On the flip side, watch the Panthers, under new quarterback Chas Smith, combine the run and the pass to move the football down the field.

One thing that may have been overlooked in this game is Girard's Darian Kelly.

The Girard senior, who signed to play football next year at Kansas, will mix things up at running back and in the Girard secondary.

Kelly has had flashes of dazzle and brilliance at running back and can make game-changing plays on defense.

In the end, the field will not matter and the weather conditions will not matter either.

It will come down to who wants it more.

Can Girard snap a nine-year losing streak to Colgan or can the Panthers utilize several new faces to kick off their season with a win?

Should be a great game in front of a packed house on Thursday night.

Then comes Friday when the rest of the area gets to action including the Pittsburg Purple Dragons.

Pittsburg starts the season at home against Coffeyville.

The Dragons, under head coach Merle Clark, have long-used the I-formation on offense but have been in search of that all-important I-back for most of the preseason.

The key will be quarterback Zach Smith and his ability to read the Golden Tornado defense.

With his experience, Smith comes to the table with a solid ability to do just that.

Elsewhere in the area:
• Decatur, Ark. will face Southeast: This is a new opponent for the Lancers and fans will get a look at the misdirection offense that has been Southeast's bread and butter for a lot of years.
• Northeast travels to Erie: The Vikings, with new head coach Phil Hobbs, would love nothing more than to get a season-opening win over the Red Devils.
• Frontenac at Riverton: The Raiders are looking to avenge their 2007 loss to Riverton that knocked them out of the Class 3A playoffs.
• Pleasanton at Baxter Springs: This is an opportunity for the Lions to start the season with a win because they will be harder and harder to come by for a team that is rebuilding in 2008.
• Chanute heads to Parsons: Chanute has returning quarterback Craig Gilmore while the Vikings have a new head coach and a new offensive system.
• Columbus at Iola: Columbus is another SEK League team that has a new head coach and the Mustangs are still trying to find their way through the league.
• Fort Scott at Nevada, Mo.: An interesting opening-night matchup. Will the Tigers live up to the hype of being picked as the second-best team in the SEK.
• Independence at Labette County: One team is brand new while the other is still searching to climb out from the bottom of the league standings.

Matthew Clark can be reached at matthew.clark@morningsun.net or at 620-231-2600, Ext. 140