What a great start to the 2011 high school football season

Taking a look outside Monday or Tuesday makes me know just how fortunate we all were to have a such a fine opening night for high school football Friday night wherever and whichever games you chose to attend.

It was warm, not very humid and most importantly dry. As long as I can wear shorts and not have to hold an umbrella it makes for a good night of covering football. I'll take that same advantage when covering boys soccer or golf. I think I'm safe on the girls volleyball circuit though.

Due to some other obligations Friday, I stayed close to home to view the Elkton at Havre de Grace season opener, which had an interesting twist with Warriors head coach Greg Long sending his Warriors into battle in his first game as head coach. Long had walked the sideline in Havre de Grace for many years, but as an assistant.

When all the blocking and tackling was over, Havre de Grace had somehow managed to give Long, itself and the decent amount of fans in attendance a season opening 8-7 win.

Give credit to the Warriors, all 25 of them. They bent and bent, but did not break on a number of occasions. I have to say, there was no quit in this group.

Down the road a few miles, Aberdeen was kicking off its new season with new head coach Johnny Brooks, who had been the Havre de Grace head coach for more than a decade. Brooks, who lives in Aberdeen, got the Eagles off to a winning start as well.

The Eagles posted 51 points in their win over Edgewood, but the Rams were probably not at full strength. The often talked about quarterback Darin Washington was part of Edgewood coach Fred Myers' preseason preview, but Friday night, Washington was not in an Edgewood uniform.

I was told after the game in Havre de Grace that there was something to Washington transferring again. That was the first I heard of it.

A brief investigation by myself the next day, confirmed the news, but as to where we might see Washington? Maybe we won't if he heads to St. Frances, as some seem to believe may be his next move.

All-in-all, it was a good opening night on the gridiron for almost every Harford County team. The only other team to fall was Harford Tech, but the opponent was Joppatowne. The Cobras played hard and were more than respectable in the 14-10 loss.

Patterson Mill, North Harford, C. Millton Wright, Bel Air, Fallston and John Carroll were all winners and most by large margins. Again, a great opening night for Harford County football.

There's a couple of head-to-head match-ups on the schedule for this week too, but maybe we'll have another Friday night like the last one. Dry weather too.