By MONTE DUTTON

I admit it. It’s no secret. I’m getting old. Old people like things like they were before.

It doesn’t mean old things are better. It just means they’re familiar.

The Laurens County Touchdown Club’s first meeting was familiar on Thursday at The Ridge. Three of the coaches were the same. The ballplayers were wearing the jerseys the’ll put back on Friday night. The Raiders were wearing green, the Devils red and the Crusaders white because they’re going on the road again while Laurens and Clinton are opening at home.

I’d wager the Red Devils and Crusaders are favorites, and the Raiders are underdogs, but I seldom wager and then just for a Co-Cola.

Here is my general opinion of lotteries and betting: It’s a great way for the government to make money, but if you or me thought of it, they’d throw us in jail.

And what do I know? I’ve seen them practice but not every day. The opposition I know mainly by hearsay.

Some level of uncertainty resides in every season opener. The teams have been stacking hay in the barn, and now the stock has to make it through the season.

The most compelling game is at K.C. Hanna Stadium where new Laurens head coach Greg Porter faces the Rams for the first time. Porter coached at Hillcrest, Greenville removed, for nine seasons and won the school’s only state championship in 2014.

“It’s the first time I’ve faced Hillcrest,” Porter said. “There is no other game. I don’t coach there anymore. We’re not the same team. They’re not the same team.”

The team Hillcrest (10-3 last year) has now is ranked fifth in Class 5A.

The budding star playing quarterback for the Raiders, Will Thompson, played at Hillcrest last season, while Porter was coaching his final season at Greenville. Thompson has the size of a tight end and a live arm. He’ll seek receivers Josh Goodwin and Jaden Williams early and often.

Denari Lee-Jackson and Nemo Fernandez anchor the running game.

Defensive backs Nideaz Williams and TyJ Jones and end Mike Brown are the defensive standouts.

Another important cog for Laurens (2-9 last season) is Brock Franklin, who handles both placements and punts.li

Bennett Swygert’s Rams won, 55-9, 370 nights ago.

WLBG (860 AM, 104.1 FM) hits the airwaves at 6:25 p.m. with coverage of the Hillcrest-Laurens game.

Clinton plays its first game outside Class 3A in 56 years against a longtime rival and recent region foe, Woodruff.

Corey Fountain’s last three teams were a combined 34-5. Last year’s was 10-3. This one has seven offensive starters back and three on defense.

Comparisons of Laurens’ Thompson and Clinton’s Tushawon Richardson will take up many county debates. Thompson is immensely promising. Richardson is adroit with both his legs and arm.

The Red Devils are at their strongest in the lines, where Tre Aiken, Rion Gordon, Cal Pitts, Hunter Lawson and Clayton Lawson return. D.J. Clark and Kason Copeland are among the quality rushers.

Zaravion Johnson, now at Cincinnati, and Kadon Crawford (Coastal Carolina) are major losses. Laurens transfer Maison Tinsley, at wide receiver and strong safety, is a notable addition.

The heart of the Clinton defense is senior linebacker Brett Young, often matched with his brother Luke.

Stepping up in the defensive backfield are Chris Boyd and Adarell Swindler, both juniors.

Clinton won last year’s clash with the Wolverines, 36-20. Brett Sloan is in his second season at Woodruff, which went 4-7 last season and allowed almost exactly the same points average (37.5) that Clinton scored (39.5).

WPCC (1410 AM, 96.5 FM) coverage begins at 7 p.m.

County official Tommy C. Stribble is officiating the 700^th football game of his distinguished career and is to be honored at the game, as he was at the TD Club gathering.

Laurens Academy ably handled the county reins last week with a 56-20 victory in Greenwood at Cambridge Academy. Next up is another road trip to Newberry Academy.

It’s the Eagles’ opener, but the Crusaders have won the past nine meetings, including 52-0 and 36-20 last season.

Against the Cougars, Laurens Academy (1-0) dominated the ground game, 350-24, in net yards. Garrett Murphy (107), Ethan Collins (85), Mason Cooper (71) and Caleb Hardy (50) combined for 313 of them.

I got my first direct contribution in a while, and the ads are almost paid up.

As Merle Haggard sang, “If we can make it through December, everything’s gonna be all right, I know.”

Advertising alone will not keep me going, but there’s room for a few more. Every ad is inset in every story.

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Thanks for putting up with me.