A lot of these guys know each other.

Some of Righetti's football players know a few Pioneer Valley players, and vice versa. Some of Pioneer Valley's football players know a lot of Righetti's football players, and vice versa.

In other words, plenty of bragging rights are at stake when these teams hook up in the third installment of what has become the Santa Maria Valley's Big Game. Kickoff for this season opener is at 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Valley.

There will be a live webcast at www.santamariatimes.com. The game will be simulcast on KTRO 97.1.

The series stands 1-1. The home team has won each time, and Righetti edged the Panthers in overtime last year. There have been SRO crowds at the past two Big Games.

Pioneer Valley coach Greg Dickinson has been with the program since its inception in 2004. He is Righetti's former coach. Gary Wilson starts his fifth season at the Righetti helm tonight.

Righetti quarterback Justin Level, lineman Carlos Faumuina and wide receiver Justin Rucker, along with Pioneer Valley tailback-strong safety Albert Squires and linebacker-tight end Nick Leyden, spoke before the game. All five are seniors.

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“I know a lot of the Righetti guys,” Squires said with a smile. “There are enough bragging rights at stake for us to remind each other of the game when we see each other, when we go out.”

Faumuina figures to anchor the Warriors' front lines as a two-way player. Wilson said Wednesday that the 6-foot-3-inch, 295-pounder was questionable for the game tonight because of an injury.

Has there been the usual Big Game pre-game buzz? Well on Pioneer Valley's campus it's been, “You guys better win,” Squires said with a chuckle.

“The game means even more to me this year because I'm a senior,” said Leyden. “And because we're underdogs.”

Rucker starts his second year of varsity ball tonight. The Big Game last year was “The most intense game I've ever been in,” he said.

He said it was also the noisiest, “With the biggest crowd we'd had all season.”

Faumuina said, “It's crazy. Those games have some of the biggest crowds I've ever played in front of.”

Level said he heard all that crowd noise last year - it just bounced off him. “You have that adrenaline going,” he said.

Pioneer Valley's defense knows all about Level. He didn't even start against Pioneer Valley last year, but he came in soon after kickoff. He proceeded to post big numbers for the year.

Level, who has verbally committed to Idaho State, threw for 1,887 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2007. Tonight, “We have to stop the pass,” said Leyden.

Level, though, didn't think the long ball will decide this one. He didn't think any big play will decide this one, in fact.

“I think the little plays will make the difference,” he said. “The first game of the season always seems to come down to little plays.”

Rucker heartily disagreed. “I think the BIG plays will decide it,” he said.

Players from both sides expressed confidence that their teams can upgrade their records from last year. The Warriors were s 6-4 last year but just missed making the playoffs. The Panthers were 6-5. They went out in the first round.

Level said, “We have a lot of real good receivers - Justin Rucker, Sam Halop, Matt Miller. Our running game's strong - Cody Berryman's a good back. Our defense is solid.”

Leyden said, “I think our offense will be better this year. And our defense is solid.”

Rucker figures to be one of Level's favorite targets again this year. “I'm very comfortable with my timing with Justin,” Rucker said.

Nick Rucobo, an athletic 5-foot-6-inch junior, is slated to call the signals for the Panthers tonight. “The timing's there,” between Rucobo and the rest of his backfield, Squires asserted.

Special teams play often decides close games, and Warriors and Panthers alike seem confident in their own.

“I'm extremely comfortable with our special teams,” said Level.

Leyden said, “I think our special teams have been good in practice. We have guys who hustle, want to hit.”

The Panthers lost a lot of good players to graduation. However, “We've been working hard,” said Leyden. And, “We're more cohesive.”

Squires said, “There aren't the little cliques that there were before.”

The players said that they're ready to go after other people after knocking their teammates around in practice for weeks.

“It's time to go after someone with a different uniform color,” said Leyden.

“I'm ready to hit someone else,” said Rucker. “That's one of the nice things about playing on week zero.”

Faumuina said, “(Pioneer Valley's) a pretty good team.

“It could go down to the wire again.”

Sept. 5. 2008