You could say we're enthusiastic about the 2013 football season. How enthusiastic?

After deadline Thursday night, I mentioned to my colleague Chris Lillstrung that I had a head start on this year's schedules, with about two-thirds of them typed in.

To that, Lillstrung said that he, too, had been typing in schedules during some down time earlier in the week and was almost done. Lesson learned: Check the files first next time.

While the staff is busy preparing the 2013 N-H Senior Bowl, we're also keeping one eye toward the 2013 regular season. Here's a look at some noteworthy changes to area teams' schedules this year:

-- The most intriguing matchup in Week 1 will occur in western Lake County, with Kirtland traveling to North on Aug. 30. The Hornets, who have played in the Division V state final the past two seasons (winning one) haven't lost a regular-season game since Week 5 of 2009. Meanwhile, North is coming off a 1-9 showing in 2012. The Rangers have a male enrollment 3.8 times as big as Kirtland's.

-- North's entire nonconference schedule changes for 2013. Out are Brush, Bedford and Midpark. In are Kirtland, Medina and at Garfield Heights.

-- Another new game in Week 1 is Madison playing at Chagrin Falls. The Blue Streaks dropped Lakeview and Brush, and they also added Collinwood for Week 2.

-- Lake Catholic replaced Brunswick with a trip to Massillon on Sept. 20 (Week 4). It will be the Cougars' first game against the Tigers.

-- Solon will be appearing on the area scoreboard several times this season. The Comets play at Kenston in Week 1 (Aug. 30), at South in Week 3 (Sept. 12),  host Mayfield in Week 6 (Oct. 4) and host Mentor in Week 8 (Oct. 18).


-- The Northeast Ohio Conference shuffled divisions and crossover opponents. Mentor, which had played Mayfield the past two seasons, will travel to Brush on Sept. 27 (Week 5).

-- Euclid opens with four straight home games, and has seven overall at Sparky DiBiasio Stadium. The Panthers will face Hudson, Cleveland Central Catholic, Mentor and Shaw before their first road game. 

-- After playing four of its first five on the road last year, Benedictine gets a reprieve, as one of its road games this season is at Bedford, which is where the Bengals play their home games.

-- After playing Chanel and Kirtland in the nonconference last year, Harvey will play newcomer Whitney Young and Fairport.

-- Wickliffe added a trip to Martins Ferry in Week 2.

- Howard Primer