Although the Saints have been sleepwalking through exhibition games, the excitement level is set to rise as high school football kicks off this weekend with jamborees.

Prep football is a passion for many gridiron fans and with good reason. Unlike the greed of professional athletes and the single-mindedness of college players seeking a ticket to the NFL, high school players suit up on autumn nights for no other reason than the love of the game and their schools.

They bring no hidden agendas; only a desire to represent their school colors in front of family and friends.

For that, they deserve our respect and support.

Please take some time this fall to attend a high school game. Soak in the revelry, the sights and sounds, the halftime show performed by bands that spend as much time practicing as their gridiron classmates, the dance teams that are equally as devoted, and the announcers who are part entertainers, part information givers.

You might even win a few shekels with the 50-50 raffle, a staple at nearly every game.

Surely, we can all carve out at least three hours during the fall and take in one game. Most likely, we all will return for more.

Good luck to all of the parish teams. Here’s hoping for successful seasons.