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.

                                     Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 28-29

                                       (at Royal Oaks Golf Course)

                                           Championship Flight

132 - x- Allwein-Schmidt (64-68), Gardner-Gibbons (64-68)

133 - Deraco-Leeper (65-68)

134 - Brewer-Gebhard (69-65), Troutman-Sheetz (66-68)

137 - Plunket-Sherk (68-69), Wentling-Demey (65-72)

142 - Leeper-Weller (68-74), Romanoski-Demey (69-73)

143 - Massar, Sr.- Massar, Jr. (69-74)

148 - Fake-Shanfelder (69-79)

x- won playoff for championship

                                           First Flight

140 - Wentling-Wentling (71-69)

141 - Brown-Eisenhauer (73-68), Meyer-Haag (71-70), Meyer-Metley (71-70), Anspach-McCarthy (71-70)

142 - Boltz-Barr (70-72)

143 - Kanugula-Martin (72-71)

144 - Heisey-Snader (73-71)

147 - Suereth-Hoke (72-75), Hacunda-Shoop (72-75)

148 - Grubb-Weaver (73-75)

150 - Smith-Kissinger (73-77)

151 - Samuels-Caudill (73-78)

155 - Hurst-Sattazahn (73-82)

                                             Second Flight

143 - Schwab-Disuillo (74-69)

144 - Calhoun-Hombach (75-69)

148 - Lebo-Winters (74-74)

149 - Kreiser-Kreiser (74-75)

150 - Shaffer-Borcky (79-71)

151 - Potts-Fuhrman (77-74)

153 - Kaley-Webber (76-77)

154 - Snyder-Fasnacht (76-78), Mays-Ward (79-75)

156 - Brown-Ausband (75-81)

157 - Springborn-Boltz (78-79)

158 - Booser-Zellers (78-80)

160 - Demey-Ench (82-78)

161 - Battistelli-Battistelli (83-78)

163 - Wright-Eberly (80-83)