Emotionally, it's kind of like opening a season with the Daytona 500 or a bowl game. Depending upon the outcome, there's really only one direction a team can go from there.

 In front of 4,000 fans Friday night at Lebanon Alumni Stadium, it was the homestanding Cedars who channelled their emotions more positively in their annual throw-down with Cedar Crest. And the result was Lebanon High's overwhelming 35-7 victory, in the 39th renewal of the Cedar Bowl football game.

 After Cedar Crest had seemingly stolen Lebanon's momentum and pulled to within 15-7 at the half, the Cedars answered with a huge takeaway early in the third quarter. Cedar Mark Pyles' interception set up teammate Alex Trautman's six-yard touchdown scramble that gave Lebanon a 22-7 working margin.

 The home team has now captured the last five Cedar Bowls. Despite the fact that Lebanon has won five of the last eight meeings, the Falcons still lead the all-time Cedar Bowl series 24-14-1.

 "I would've taken 7-6 or 8-7," said Lebanon head coach Gerry Yonchiuk. "To win this game, I don't think the score matters. It hurts when you lose it. It feels a lot better playing here. Now we've got to see where we go from here."

 Hope is a very good thing. Perhaps the best of things.

 Because without it, we have nothing.

 The Lebanon High School football squad has hope. It is a hope founded in optimism and one with an eye on the District Three Class AAA postseason.

 In 2008, Lebanon qualified for the district playoffs for the first time in program history. But following the graduation of Division One quarterback James Capello, the Cedars 'limbed' to a 4-6 mark a year ago.

 The Cedars will open their 2010 campaign on Friday night when they host Cedar Crest at Lebanon's Alumni Stadium, in the 39th edition of the Cedar Bowl.

 "Our major goal is we want to make a return trip to the playoffs," said Lebanon's fifth-year head coach Gerry Yonchiuk. "We went 4-6 last year and we stubbed our toe the first three games. Then we picked it up. Had we won one of those games, we might've been the 16th seed. Our goal is to make the playoffs and be above .500.

 "We don't play as many non-section games as some schools, but because of our section they're (Cedar Crest, Northern Lebanon and Elco) very important," continued Yonchiuk. "Getting to the playoffs in our section, we've got to win two of our three non-section games. The league (Section Two of the Lancaster-Lebanon) is just tremendous. 6-4 should get you in in Class AAA. Going to districts two years ago, that was something that was really exciting."

 On the wall of the Elco football program's locker room hangs a dozen plaques, each one commemorating the 12 different teams Mark Evans has coached, what they accomplished and what they became. Right next to the series is a blank, open space where the 2010 edition's memory will ultimately be engrained forever.

 It is a memory and legacy that has yet to be forged. And what the current Raiders will ultimately become is entirely up to them.

 "They're the 13th," said Evans. "What I've said to them is, 'How do you want to be remembered?' How do they want to be talked about to future teams. Our jobs as coaches is to take them further than they can take themselves. But it's about leaving a legacy."

 And with 17 seniors returning from a squad that went 8-3 a year ago and qualified for the District Three Class AAA playoffs for the second straight season, this band of Raiders does have a chance to do something special. Although some of them carry the same name, Elco returns eight starters on offense and six starters on defense.

 "Our identity is still developing," said Evans. "What makes this group unique is that there's 17 seniors. Some of the guys who haven't gotten some playing time over the years, this is their time at the wheel. We're trying to develop that team chemistry.

 "It's my job to keep grinding, to keep encouraging," Evans continued. "Developing them as a unit, as a team. I want them to keep looking at their roles."

 Successful football campaigns aren't about avoiding adversity. They're about embracing them.

 Adversity is inevitable. The key is responding to and dealing with adversity.

 And adversity is not something that can be simulated in practice. It can only be truly experienced during the struggles of the season.

 Not unlike most teams in 2010, the Palmyra Cougars will be looking to minimize their mistakes and make the most of their opportunities.

 "I think this group's strength is their committment and the attitude they have about hard work," said Chris Pope, Palmyra's fourth-year head coach. "It's a fun group of guys, but they're not afraid of hard work. Practice is a lot of hard work, but it's fun. I think that leads to taking on a good personality during the season. When you have that you have a group that responds well to adversity."

 The Cougars were 4-6 a year ago. Not bad until you consider the fact that they started the season 3-0.

 "We were 3-1 and then the wheels kind of fell off the wagon," recalled Pope. "I think things came a little too easy early on. We'll see where we are when we get to Annville (on Friday)."

 In preparation for Friday's big showdown with Annville-Cleona, Palmyra was scrimmaged twice this summer with Schuylkill Valley and Elco.

 "Our players are experienced enough to know the difference between a scrimmage and a game," said Pope. "We had a good scrimmage with Elco, but it was a scrimmage.