But for the Chapmanville Tigers, it has brought nothing but heartache.
Chapmanville is scheduled to open the 2008 prep football season tonight at Sissonville in a Cardinal Conference.
Not only will the Tigers try to get off to a good start to the new season, they will also be trying to break their season opener jinx.
Chapmanville has lost its last nine season openers dating back to the 1999 season, including the last two against Sissonville. Last year, the Tigers fell in a 27-21 overtime heartbreaker to the Indians at Tiger Stadium.
Two years ago, Sissonville won 34-14 in the season opener at Sissonville High School.
Kickoff is scheduled for tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Chapmanville coach George Barker said he hopes the Tigers will be able to start the season off 1-0 for once.
"We've only had Sissonville on our schedule for the last two years and we've not beaten them," he said.
Chapmanville just hasn't had any luck in its season openers over the last decade.
Before losing to Sissonville the last couple of years, the Tigers fell to Mount View from 2002-05 by 28-22, 27-12, 43-22 and 34-18 scores. From 1999-2001, Chapmanville lost three straight years to Shady Spring, including a 32-6 defeat in "01.
"It's been a long time since we've won a season opener," Barker said. "That's a big goal for our team and that is to try to get a victory in Week One."
Barker said his team is excited heading into the new grid campaign. Chapmanville went 8-4 last season and made it to the second round of the Class AA playoffs. The Tigers won their first playoff game in school history with an 18-14 victory over the Keyser Golden Tornado at Frankfort High School.
"I think what we did the last season has to create some excitement," Barker said. "The kids are excited about playing."
The Indians took second place in the Cardinal Conference and made it to the playoffs along with other league teams Wayne, Chapmanville and Logan. Sissonville (6-5) was the 12th-ranked team in the final WVSSAC Computer Rankings last season, falling 40-27 at Scott in the first-round of the playoffs.
"They lost a lot of kids up front and they are kind of rebuilding there," Barker said of the Indians. "But they've got one of their backs returning for them who started as a sophomore. They've got some great receivers and they've got several of them back. They also have a good quarterback who throws the ball well. They're going to spread us out and they are going to throw it. They're going to make us play from sideline to sideline. It's going to be tough. They are a whole lot like we are. They don't have a lot of players who are going to play in the game. They are kind of low on numbers. We are kind of like that, too. We need to find a way to get our twos out there on the field so some of our guys can get a breather."
Chapmanville starters Joey Stevens and Brandon Savage missed last week's 34-10 preseason loss at home to Williamstown as the pair sat out with sprained ankles.
They are questionable heading into tonight's contest.
"They have both been day-to-day," Barker said. "They have both practiced and we hope that they both will be able to play. We'll wait and see at game time. We'll find out when they tee it up if they are ready to go. We haven't had much rain since we have started practice and the ground is as hard as a rock. I'm sure that we are not the only one who has these kinds of injuries. It's unfortunate to have these injuries but this is football. You have to find a way to play through the pain. It's a tough deal because the kids really want to play. Savage and Stevens are three-year starters. They led us to the playoffs last year and they really want to play. They are doing all that they can to be on the field."
It is unclear who will start at quarterback for Chapmanville against the Indians.
Senior first-year starter Todd Terry was ineffective in the Williamstown scrimmage as he was 0-for-4 passing for no yards and two interceptions.
Sophomore Josh Easterling was 4-for-6 in the air for 65 yards and one pick.
"We're just waiting to see what happens if one of the two emerge," Barker said. "We may have one in some of the first down groupings and we are kind of looking at some things in different situations as to who we want on the field. Both of our quarterbacks are starters as far as we are concerned. We think that we have two good ones and we're not afraid to use them. Starting is overrated. We've got two starting quarterbacks."
Sissonville's football stadium has received an upgrade over the last year. Just minutes before kickoff in last year's Logan at Sissonville game, work crews put the finishing touches on the new stadium lights.
"It's a Cardinal Conference game and they have upgraded their facilities over there," Barker said. "We're just looking forward to playing somebody other than us."
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