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SARANAC LAKE – After nearly a year of waiting, and most recently, after three weeks of training camp, it’s high school football season in the North Country.

Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake both begin their schedules at home this weekend.

The Lumberjacks, who are coming off a 2-6 campaign in 2015, host Ogdensburg Friday at 7 p.m. in Section X play at Frank Tice Field. The Red Storm then take on AuSable Valley at Ken Wilson Field in their Champlain Valley Athletic Conference opener Saturday at 1:30. p.m.

Tupper Lake sends a young squad up against the Blue Devils, who return starting quarterback Joe Dalton and running back Avery Love from a team that ended with a 5-3 mark in 2015.

“They have a really good quarterback and they have a wide-open offense,” Tupper Lake head coach Dennis Klossner said. “They lost a few good, key players but still have quite a few coming back. Ogdensburg has a really good team.”

Sophomore Brennen McComber will start at quarterback for the Lumberjacks, taking over for his older brother Noah Santana, who graduated after two seasons running the Tupper Lake offense. McComber heads into his first game with no varsity experience but has plenty at the lower levels after starting for Tupper Lake’s junior varsity team a year ago and on modified before that.

Klossner described the new quarterback as a smooth runner with football smarts. McComber will line up behind a familiar teammate in sophomore center Jayden LaValley, who was also a starter on junior varsity and modified the past two seasons.

Much of the ‘Jacks’ experience is in the trenches, where seniors Logan Savage and Jordan Young are third-year starting linemen.

Klossner said the game-plan is to stick to a three-back, two-tight end offense to keep things uncomplicated early in the season. Varsity veterans Wyatt Skelling and Ryan Becker are senior starters in the backfield, where they will be joined by junior Mike Hyde, who impressed Klossner in last week’s scrimmage against Saranac Central. Sophomores Ben Lanthier and Kyler teRiele will line up at tight end.

“I’ve got a lot of sophomores, so we’re going to keep it in tight and keep it very simple,” Klossner said. “We’ll run a little more power and try to get in some play action. Hopefully we can grind it out.”

Ogdensburg defeated Tupper Lake 56-29 last season in a matchup that saw the ‘Jacks fall behind 34-8. Avery ran for a pair of touchdowns in that game. Dalton got off to a promising start in 2015 at quarterback for the Blue Devils and returns as a senior after seeing his season cut short with an injury near the middle of the schedule.

With just five returning seniors leading a young team, Klossner knows a tough challenge awaits his players in their season-opener.

“We have to play mistake-free football and be aggressive on defense if we want to win this game,” Klossner said. “I’m really happy with our preseason, and I’m happy with what we did in the scrimmage last week. Hopefully, we can keep that progression going.”

Saturday

AuSable Valley at Saranac Lake, 1:30 p.m.

Saranac Lake’s football program dominated AuSable Valley over a recent several-year stretch, but that came to a screeching halt last season when the Patriots ended the Red Storm’s five-year reign as Section VII Class C champions. In 2015, the teams split their two meetings, both in nail biters, with Saranac Lake coming from behind in the closing minutes to triumph 16-12 in the first game of the season, and AuSable Valley turning the tables late by winning the Class C final 20-14.

They’ll kick off their Champlain Valley Athletic Conference schedules by facing each other for the second year in a row in an opening weekend showdown. Both teams return a number of key starters from last season.

In a big twist to the matchup, senior transfer Will Coats will start at quarterback for Saranac Lake after running the Patriots offense for the first half of last season. Another player to watch for the Red Storm is transfer Sean Lincoln, a big junior lineman from Willsboro who joined the team and is playing in his first high school football game.

Under second-year head coach Ed McCallister, the Patriots bring back two of their most explosive players in quarterback Dalton McDonald and receiver Kobe Parrow, who hooked up for a pair of touchdown receptions in last year’s Class C final, including the game-winner with 1:20 left on the clock. Parrow, a 6-foot, 200-pound receiver, hauled in nine passes for 135 yards in that contest.

“Here we go. I can’t believe the season is here,” Saranac Lake head coach Eric Bennett said. “We’re going up against a team that brings back depth at QB and receiver. They have a big strong quarterback and physical receivers. McDonald throws a very nice ball. He’s right on target, and Parrow is going to be one of the top receivers in the league.

“AuSable’s ship is heading in the right direction,” Bennett added. “They don’t make a lot of mistakes and they’ll be a nice challenge.”

The Red Storm bring back a slew of seniors who are looking to turn the team’s fortunes around after failing to nail down a sixth-straight sectional crown. Bennett said he was impressed with the attitude of his returning veterans.

“I think the biggest surprise for me as a coach is seeing how many of the kids who as juniors, weren’t quite there mentally and emotionally a year ago, have come into training camp with a laser focus,” Bennett said. “I’m really impressed with how this group, as a whole, wants to succeed as a team. We’re really hoping to get off on the right foot, but win or lose, I think we have the type of kids who will get right back to work.”

Senior Joe Viscardo leads a strong group of returning receivers for Saranac Lake. One the CVAC’s most dangerous receivers, Viscardo is a three-year starter who snagged two touchdown passes a year ago against the Patriots in the Class C final. Ward Walton, a returning junior, should also be in the pass catching mix along with seniors Tyler Callahan and Isaak Herd. Senior co-captain Brandon Meyer and junior DJ Morgan could also be impact players on offense.

After starting in the backfield as a sophomore in 2015, Jarrett Ashton is another Red Storm player looking to have a strong season.

“We have a bunch of kids who were with us last season, and I know what they are capable of,” Bennett said. “But we have a lot of kids on this team for the first time, and I’m looking forward to seeing them become football players. We’re really excited to open the season.”

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