DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / HORNET ELDERS — Seniors playing football for the Loyd Star Hornets are (from left, kneeling) Tyler Smith, Terril Lloyd, Brandon Cade; (standing) Zach Cain, Shay Hodges and Anfernee Claire.

Excitement is in the air for local football fanatics as high school football will officially kick off their season Friday night.

Local teams, friends, families and fans are thrilled to get the season started as they gear up for week one under the Friday night lights.

Friday night will provide plenty of excitement as fans prepare to travel or stay close to home. In this week of games, Brookhaven travels to Meadville to battle Franklin County, Brookhaven Academy hosts Prentiss Christian, Bogue Chitto entertains Loyd Star in the Possum Bowl, West Lincoln welcomes Mount Olive to Perry Miller Field, Enterprise invades Ethel, Wesson hosts McLaurin and Lawrence County visits Magee.

In other games of local interest, Parklane travels to Simpson Academy, Hazlehurst hosts Canton, Copiah Academy entertains Glenbrook, La., McComb invades Columbia and North Pike visits Purvis,

All games are schedule to start at 7 p.m.

Bogue Chitto,  coached by Gareth Sartin, will experience another rebuilding year as they have several young athletes returning for the 2015 season.

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / BOBCAT ELDERS – Seniors playing football for the Bogue Chitto Bobcats are (from left, kneeling) Connor Douglas, Kolby Roberts; (standing) Brandon Blackwell and Brandon McKenzie.

The Bobcats will be relying on their seniors – quarterback-defensive lineman Connor Douglas (5-10, 175), running back-corner back Kobe Roberts (5-10, 165), offensive lineman-linebacker Brandon McKenzie (6-0, 190) and defensive linemen Brandon Blackwell (6-1, 190) – to provide motivation and leadership.

Other starters returning are Sherman Jackson (5-11, 185, jr.), Kody Halford (5-10, 165, jr.), Dee Dillon (5-10, 170, jr.), Tucker Lambert (5-11, 170, soph.) and Hayden Burton (6-6, 275, soph.)

Loyd Star,  coached by Adam Cook, is looking to have a successful 2015 season.

The Hornets have worked hard all summer long to get ready for this big rivalry game.

Loyd Star will be depend on 11 returning offensive and defensive starters – Parker Flowers (6-1, 195, jr.), Canon Travis (6-2, 240, jr.), Cole Smith (6-0, 215, jr.), Patrick Price (6-0, 175, soph.), Tucker Watts (5-10, 220, soph.), Bradyn Brister (5-10, 240, jr.), Lakin Wallace (5-10, 160,soph.), Anfernee Claire (5-9, 210, sr.), Zach Cain (6-0, 220, sr.), Cody Smith (5-7, 150, soph.) and Shay Hodges (6-5, 195, sr.) – to provide leadership.

Last year: Loyd Star dominated Bogue Chitto to win 55-0 to reclaim the Possum Bowl trophy.

My prediction for this year:  The Hornets will keep the Possum Bowl trophy another year with a 49-14 win over the Bobcats.