CHARLESTON — The state Board of Education has turned aside another attempt to expand the state high school football playoffs.

The annual North-South football game is and always has been an honor for West Virginia’s recently graduated high school gridiron players.While there have been years when more have taken part, this year’s North team will have plenty of local flavor.This year two Marion County athletes will be taking part in the festivities — East Fairmont’s L.T. Harbert and North Marion’s Josh Harvey.Both athletes will be playing for the North Bears, under the direction of Cameron head coach and West Fairmont and Fairmont State graduate Jim Rogers.

There’s something about the time between high school sports ending in the spring and football beginning in the late summer.There’s not a lot going on, but you can feel the excitement building throughout the community for the upcoming gridiron season.Baseball, basketball and all sports in between are just fine, but nothing gets things going around time like football season.I love baseball more than anything. But there’s just something about high school football that trumps even some of the best games on the diamond.