The 2002 high school football season opens tonight with several of the Northern Region's best non-district rivalries scheduled, including Oakton at Madison in the annual Outback Classic, a 7:30 kickoff at Madison.

The Warhawks closed the talent gap between themselves and Oakton last season, relying on a core group of seniors who had been together for three years on varsity and eventually helped lead the team to the Liberty District championship and the Northern Region, Division 5 title game.

But despite those successes, the results against the Cougars stayed frustratingly the same for Madison.

Fourth-ranked Oakton won for the fourth year in a row in 2001, taking a wild, 22-19 victory in a game where the lead changed hands five times. Madison went ahead, 19-13, with 2 minutes, 9 seconds left to play on a Tyler Lee touchdown run. But the Cougars' Quentin Asche, a former Madison player, returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to put his team back on top and the defense preserved the victory.

The Warhawks will have to deal with an Oakton defense that allowed the second-fewest points in the Northern Region last year and returns several starters.

``We've got to be able to match up with them up front," said Madison head coach Gordon Leib. ``That's going to be the key to this game because they have a big line on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball."

This year, both teams find themselves relying on new starters at key offensive positions. Madison will start Johnny Ayers at quarterback with Pat Day going for Oakton and junior Andrew Rediger seeing plenty of time, as well. The Cougars are experienced at the skill positions, but return just one starter on the offensive line.

``They are in the same boat we are with a new quarterback and center," Leib said. ``We're facing some of the same [issues] so it shouldn't make a difference."

Oakton coach Pete Bendorf watched a Warhawks scrimmage last week and came away impressed with Madison's confidence, possibly a spillover from last year's district title and the phenomenal success of the school's baseball team last spring. Three of those baseball players, Ayers, Andrew Baird and Josh Canova, will play key roles for the football team.

The series has become streaky during the last decade. Before Oakton's current run of success, Madison had won four of the previous five meetings. The Cougars lead the series, 7-5, since 1990.

``This game has always been a big deal traditionally, the first game of the season," Bendorf said. ``It's a great rivalry and even if one team is weaker or stronger than the other it's always competitive. And it's enjoyable for the kids because it's a good rivalry, not nasty at all."

Edison at Lee

Edison and Lee open the season against each other for the fourth year in a row. The Eagles have won all three meetings, but the past two have been wildly entertaining contests. Lee stormed back from a 28-0, fourth-quarter deficit in 2000 before Edison scored two late touchdowns to win, 40-28.

Last year, Lancers head coach Gerry Pannoni had to suspend both of his kickers when they missed practice during the week. Lee was forced to attempt two-point conversions after each touchdown, wound up missing twice in three attempts, and lost, 21-20, in overtime.

New Edison quarterback Marshall Wharam was the difference last year at wide receiver. He caught two touchdown passes, including the game-winner, and set up the third with a long punt return.

The Eagles' talented, but undersized, defensive line will have to find a way to challenge Lee's mammoth offensive line, which averages around 260 pounds. Edison's defensive line averages just 190 pounds.

``Up front our kids are as strong as anyone in the region," Pannoni said.

The advantage the Eagles will have is an exceptionally quick front seven and head coach Vaughan Lewis is hopeful his team can take advantage of its speed to disrupt Lee's offensive gameplan.

``Lee is a lot bigger and stronger than us, but we're a lot quicker than they are," Lewis said.

But the Lancers have made some changes on offense this year, moving from an I-formation to the wing-T, an offense based on deception and one which could force the Eagle defense to read and react to a play more often and take away its strength: pursuit of the ball.

``I think it's a great coaching move because it takes advantage of what they do best," Lewis said. The two teams have met six times since 1992 with Lee winning the first three during that stretch.

West Potomac at Mount Vernon

The ninth-ranked Wolverines have dominated this traditional rivalry and lately Mount Vernon has struggled even to keep the games competitive.

West Potomac has won all 19 games in the series, including last year's contest, 30-0, and the combined score of the teams' last three meetings is 139-14.

But the Majors, reigning Northern Region, Division 5 champions, are not conceding anything in tonight's opener.

``What we're trying to get the kids to understand is that we have to play the best game that we can play," Mount Vernon head coach Jody Stone said. ``We can't control what our opponent does. All we can do is play the way we know how."

The key, as always against West Potomac, is to keep the running game in check. That's easier said than done, however, especially with quarterback Darren Baker under center, as dangerous a running threat as any tailback in the area. West Potomac will no doubt call Baker's number early and often.

Last year it was the Wolverine's Jerome Morgan who had a big day against the Majors, rushing for 154 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns.

While the Majors would like nothing more than to upset their rival, the Wolverines are looking to set the tone for what they hope will be a return to the postseason. West Potomac missed the playoffs last season for the first time in eight years.

Another problem for Mount Vernon is that the team has traditionally started off slow. Since 1994, the Majors have started off the season 0-2 six times.

No matter what happens, there won't be too much celebrating of last season's region championship, either. Stone made it clear to his players that this is a new season and they have to strive for new accomplishments.

``There might be something, a painted flag or whatever, but nothing was planned [to celebrate the title]," Stone said. ``All of that was last year. Anything we're defending, we're defending for those guys, not us. Some of our players were on that team, but we want to put that in the past. It's something we like to look at in our trophy case."

Annandale at Fairfax

Faifax had controlled this rivalry between 1995 and 2000, winning five of six meetings. But the Atoms got some payback last season with a 32-7 blowout that saw quarterback Travis Johnson complete 6-of-9 passes, two for touchdowns. Annandale's defense kept the Rebels off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter.

If Fairfax hopes to regain control of this series, which the Atoms lead all time, 33-13-12, their defense will have to find a way to contain Johnson, who led the Northern Region in passing yards last year.

``No doubt, he is one of the premier quarterbacks in the Northern Region and we'll have to be prepared," said Fairfax head coach Bill Rechin.

Michael Britt will start at quarterback for the Rebels for the first time. One way to ease the pressure on the sophomore will be for Fairfax to establish the ground game with Owen Schmitt and Landaux Scott and keep Annandale's offense off the field.

``We have to make sure we control the ball and eliminate penalties and the turnovers that plagued us last year," said Rechin. ``If we do that we should be all right."