PENDLETON — It’s not just one of nine football games on the regular season schedule, it’s opening night.

After playing scrimmages last week, Pendleton Heights and Lapel will have the real deal going this Friday night.

Pendleton Heights plays host to Mississinewa, a team it beat 31-30 last season. The Bulldogs open at one of their Madison County rivals, Elwood. Lapel won last year’s matchup 50-8.

Lapel-Elwood kicks off at 7 p.m. Pendleton Heights- Mississinewa starts at 7:30 p.m.

“We want to go out, give our best and show our community what we’re all about,” Pendleton Heights coach Jed Richman said. “We want to represent our community. We have a good opponent, and that adds some to the buzz.”

The Arabians scrimmaged Muncie Central last week. Richman got a chance to look at his “reloaded” passing attack with receivers Tristan Ross, Tyler McKinley, Tommy Long and David Stahly, who are new to the mix along with starting quarterback Kirby Hess.

“They have a different skill set,” Richman said of his new group of pass-catchers. “They blocked well and were disciplined on assignments (in the scrimmage), but we didn’t execute our passing game as well as we would have liked.”

For Lapel, Elwood marks the first of back-to-back county rivalry matchups to start the season. The Bulldogs’ home opener is Aug. 30 against their biggest rival, Frankton. They follow with a Homecoming date with North Decatur and a rematch of last year’s sectional championship game against Shenandoah, a team the Bulldogs beat 42-41 in overtime to advance to the regional. During the regular season, Shenandoah had beaten Lapel 52-7.

That’s a lot to look forward to down the road. For now, it’s this Friday and the beginning of a brand-new season.

“Football is so different from any other sport,” Lapel coach Tim Miller said. “There’s no travel ball. There’s no AAU. So the only thing our kids are guaranteed are 10 games (nine regular-season games and a sectional game), and that’s if you stay healthy.”

“Every time is the last time for our seniors,” Richman added. “It all counts now.”