News-Herald community sports editor Howard Primer might not be a household name to high school football players, coaches, parents or fans.

Maybe he should be.

After all, if you enjoy our annual high school football preview section, you should realize it wouldn't be the same experience without him at the helm.

Because without any hesitation, I can tell you without Howard Primer, the section doesn't get done. Or if it did, it wouldn't look nearly as good.

The four high school writers at The News-Herald as well as some help from other staff members do the interviews, videos, writing, typing, some photos, etc. We are the ones with our work out in the open and usually with our name attached to it. But behind the scenes, working endless in anonymity, is Primer. I have said for years, any award we get for the high school football preview - and we get plenty - should land on Howard's desk.

Every word, every comma, every photo, every cutline, every graphic, every EVERYTHING that you see in the preview section is in a place and looks the way it looks for a reason. That reason is because nobody works harder or takes more pride in the section than Primer.

It is not an ego trip to assume we will get some nice comments on the section this weekend at the Week 1 games. Those compliments are welcomed, obviously, but the real puppetmaster of the preview section, the man pulling all the strings is Howard Primer.

I just felt it was about time someone recognized all of his hard work. He is only about halfway through this year's 4-day, 32-page preview, but I know it will be great.

It always is. If you agree, email or get on Twitter and let him know.

- Bill Tilton