La Salle and Elder open the 2020 season Friday at the Pit

It’s another first in a year full of them: when La Salle and Elder meet Friday at the Pit in week 1 of the Ohio high school football season, it will be the first time two GCL-South schools open the season as opponents.

WHEN IT COMES TO RIVALRY GAMESOUT THE GATE, ELDER ANDLASALLE IS RIGHT AT THE TOP.KEENAN SINGLETON PREVIEWS THEHIGHLY ANTICIPATED MATCH UP.IT MAY BE THE HOTTEST TICKETIN TOWN.

YET PLENTY OF GOODSEATS REMAIN.

INSIDE THESTADIUM AT LEAST.RAMSEY:SOMEBODY JUST BUILT A BRANDNEW DECK RIGHT BEHIND THEPRESS BOX SO PEOPLE CAN SITBACK AND WATCH THE GAME.EXPECT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE INTHEIR BACKYARDS WATCHING THEGAME.

FRIDAY IS NO ORDINARYBACKYARD BRAWL FOR DOUG RAMSEYAND THE ELDER PANTHERS.

WHENLA SALLE VISITS THE HISTORICPIT, HISTORY WILL BE MADE.NEVER HAVE TWO GCL SOUTHSCHOOLS OPENED A SEASON ASOPPONENTS.DOUG RAMSEY: WHAT AWAY TO START, WE'RE OPENING UPAGAINST MAYBE THE BEST TEAM INTHE STATE OF OHIO.PATMCLAUGHLIN LEADS THAT TEAM.YES, THE LANCERS ARE THEREIGNING D2 CHAMPIONS.

NO,THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE PAST.MCLAUGHLIN: WE DON'T TALKABOUT IT.

THIS IS A NEW TEAM.THEY'RE ON A NEW JOURNEY.

HAVEAN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THEIROWN LEGACY.THE LANCERSSECONDARY FEATURES FOUR FUTUREDIVISION ONE PLAYERS AND ARUNNING BACK IN GI'BRAN PAYNEWHO HAS OFFERS FROM ALABAMA,NOTRE DAME AND MICHIGAN.MCLAUGHLIN: WHEN YOU HAVEGREAT PLAYERS MAKE SURETHEY'RE OVERPREPARED BUT DON'TOVER COACH THEM.BOTH TEAMSENDED 2019 IN THE STATECHAMPIONSHIP.

ELDER CAME UPSHORT OF ITS FIRST TITLE SINCE2004.

THE PANTHERS SKILLPOSITIONS ARE STILL STOCKED.THEIR OFFENSIVE LINE HAS THREESOPHOMORE STARTING.BOTHCOACHES LOVE THE IDEA OFSEEING HOW THEY MEASURE UP TOBEING THE SEASON, A SEASONRAMSEY WASN'T CONFIDENT WOULDEVER KICK OFF.DOUG RAMSEY: TWOMONTHS AGO, IF I WAS A BETTINGMAN, I WOULD HAVE SAID WEAREN'T GOING TO PLAY.

THEY'LLPLAY BEFORE A MAXIMUM OF 1500PEOPLE AT THE PIT.

RAMSEY ISPUTTING THE EXTRA ROOM TO GOODUSE.RAMSEY: WE'RE GOING TO USEOUR STANDS, WE'RE GOING TO PUTKIDS IN THE STANDS, SEPARATETHEM OUT THAT WAY.

WE'REPRACTICING THINGS LIKE THAT.THE SCENERY IS THE SAME, THESIGHTS AND SOUNDS HAVECHANGED.

MCLAUGHLIN: IMAGINETHE HOUSES BEHIND ELDER, ALLTHOSE HOUSES BACK THERE ANDBEHIND THE FENCE WILL BEPRETTY CROWDED.KEENANSINGLETON, WCPO 9 SPO